OWENSBORO, KY (WFIE) -
The newly opened Smothers Park on the Owensboro Riverfront is receiving a lot of attention from tourism officials across the commonwealth.
For the first time in over 10 years, Owensboro's hosting the Kentucky Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus meeting this week. Thursday, those tourism experts got to see Smothers Park.
Hopkinsville CVB Director Cheryl Cook is looking to Owensboro for inspiration.
"I love the riverfront," she said. "It's a great quality of life and peace but it's also a great economic development piece to bring in people to your community."
"It's going to bring people from outside the state into different conventions. It's going to help Owensboro," said Traci Cunningham with Tourism Oak Grove.
"You're lucky because you have the river," said Cook. "I mean. not everybody has a river to develop something like this."
Tourism experts from around the state say Owensboro did it right when it comes to Smothers Park.
"I'm telling you this is amazing. This is beautiful and this actually gives me ideas to take back to my home," said Cunningham. "This water feature here. I love the water feature. And then the water feature over the kids by the playground. I love that."
"This group has watched what we've been tough since the Executive Inn closed. I wanted to bring them here so I could show them what we've been doing," said Karen Miller with the Owensboro CVB.
These tourism leaders say all cities in Kentucky should help promote each other.
"With the economy the way it is, if you can travel they always call it the one tank in Kentucky. Every city you go to is a day. Bring it in. Show off your state," said Cunningham.
Owensboro officials say the cross promotion Kentucky cities are doing is working for Owensboro.
"Last year, the CVB had the best year they've ever had," Miller told 14 News.
The tourism visitors also spent time Thursday eating at Owensboro restaurants and shopping at downtown Owensboro stores.
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These tourism leaders say all cities in Kentucky should help promote each other.
