Shelbyville, KY (November 7, 2025) — ShelbyKY Tourism was recognized for continued excellence in Kentucky’s tourism industry, earning seven Traverse Awards and the Most Innovative award at the Kentucky Travel Industry Association (KTIA) Annual Conference in Louisville last week. KTIA notes the Traverse Awards draw more than 200 entries and are judged by a panel of six out-of-state travel, tourism, and marketing experts.
ShelbyKY Tourism won the Most Innovative award for its scratch-and-sniff bourbon-scented visitor guide. The Most Innovative award honors the entry deemed by judges to be the single most innovative among all entries.
ShelbyKY Tourism’s additional awards include:
- Gold: Scratch-and-Sniff Visitor Guide
- Silver: Vacation Better commercial
- Silver: New York City media mission
- Bronze: 2025 digital advertising campaign
- Bronze: 2025 short-form video series
- Bronze: Importance of Tourism video
- Bronze: Kentucky Hidden Wonders podcast
“This recognition is truly an honor,” said Janette Marson, President & CEO of ShelbyKY Tourism. “From creative storytelling to measurable results for our partners, our team focuses on work that inspires travel and supports the small businesses in our community. I’m proud of our staff and grateful for the support of our board, industry partners, and the people of Shelby County.”
The Traverse Awards celebrate the concept, creativity, results, and impact of Kentucky tourism marketing and are awarded by the Kentucky Travel Industry Association. ShelbyKY Tourism is the destination marketing organization for Shelbyville, Simpsonville, and Shelby County, Kentucky, and is responsible for promoting ShelbyKY as a premier travel destination. The organization has seen dramatic growth in every measurable metric — from in-market visitor spending to engaged website traffic — over the last four years, and continues to set the standard for destination marketing organizations across the state.
“ShelbyKY is competing — and winning — alongside destinations across the Commonwealth,” said Mason Warren, Vice President of ShelbyKY Tourism. “These awards are recognition of our passion for and commitment to telling Shelby County’s story with compelling creative and data-driven decisions, all centered on authentic experiences on what makes Shelby County the best of Kentucky.”
About ShelbyKY — ShelbyKY (Shelbyville, Simpsonville and Shelby County) is Your Bourbon Destination®. Home to two distilleries — Bulleit Distillery and Jeptha Creed Distillery — ShelbyKY offers an array of bourbon-centric lodging, shopping and dining. ShelbyKY is perfectly positioned for easy access to Louisville, Lexington, and Northern Kentucky. Pair dining at classic favorites like Claudia Sanders Restaurant and local staple Bell House Restaurant with Kentucky’s only designer outlet mall, and there’s much to see, do, and taste in ShelbyKY. Home to 90-plus Saddlebred horse farms, ShelbyKY offers a rare peek into the world of the Saddlebred show horse and is known as the Saddlebred Horse Capital of the World. Outdoor adventures await those who enjoy fishing, canoeing, horseback riding, and golf. We invite you to follow @visit_shelbyky on Instagram and @visitshelbyky on Facebook and learn more about ShelbyKY at www.visitshelbyky.com.
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Media contact: Debra Locker – debra@debralockergroup.com or 859.536.0282
