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Revitalizing Community Pride & Visitor Readiness in Elizabethtown, KY

etown

Industry

Destination Marketing

Challenge

Front-line hospitality staff in Elizabethtown didn’t know how to engage visitors or promote local attractions—many believed there was simply “nothing to do here.” Traditional in-person training efforts failed due to severe staffing shortages, tight budgets, and a lack of community-wide tourism awareness. The destination needed a scalable, flexible solution to build local pride and visitor readiness.

Results

After launching the Etown Ambassador online program, nearly 70% of participants reported feeling very confident representing their community, and just as many said they were highly likely to recommend the training to others. Participants gained new insights into local attractions, dining, and resources, helping shift perceptions and build a stronger sense of pride and hospitality across the front line.

Key Services

Learning Experience Technology, Instructional Design & Course Creation

touretown.com
70%
Very Confident Representing
82%
Certification Rate
78-98%
Video Engagement
24
Annual Hours Saved

We needed to change the culture so that front-line workers know about us, have pride in the community, and are loyal to local experiences.

Jana

Elizabethtown Tourism & Convention Bureau

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About Our Partner

The Elizabethtown, KY Convention & Visitors Bureau serves as the official destination marketing organization for Elizabethtown and the surrounding region. Positioned just 45 minutes south of Louisville, the bureau promotes the area’s tourism assets—including a nationally recognized youth sports complex and an expanding lineup of venues like a planned amphitheater. Funded by hotel, restaurant, and vacation rental taxes, the bureau plays a key role in driving economic impact through visitor engagement. With thousands of new residents expected due to industrial growth, the organization is also focused on building a welcoming, informed, and inclusive hospitality culture.

The Challenge

Before partnering with Learn Tourism, the Elizabethtown Convention & Visitors Bureau faced a critical challenge: front-line hospitality workers lacked awareness of local attractions and often echoed the belief that “there’s nothing to do in Elizabethtown.” Despite significant tourism assets, community pride was low, and previous training efforts were ineffective due to staffing shortages and time constraints. The bureau saw an opportunity to shift perceptions, improve visitor experiences, and prepare for a wave of new residents and travelers—if they could deliver training that was both impactful and accessible.

The Solution

The Elizabethtown CVB explored several traditional training methods, including live workshops and speaker-led sessions, but found them unsustainable due to staffing shortages and the inability of hotels and restaurants to release employees for full-day events. They needed a solution that was flexible, scalable, and capable of reaching front-line staff without disrupting operations. After reviewing sample courses, videos, and pricing from Learn Tourism, the team recognized the value of an online, on-demand platform tailored to their goals. The ability to customize content, track participation, and integrate with existing CMS tools made Learn Tourism the clear choice for delivering meaningful, measurable training at scale.

The Results

Since launching the Etown Ambassador Program with Learn Tourism, the Elizabethtown CVB has seen a measurable shift in both confidence and community engagement. Nearly 70% of participants reported feeling very confident in representing their destination, and the same percentage stated they were very likely to recommend the training to others. Participants highlighted increased knowledge of local dining, attractions, and DMO resources—directly addressing previous gaps. Feedback emphasized the value of flexible, video-driven content that was easy to complete around work schedules. What was once seen as a "boring town" is now being embraced by informed local advocates who are better prepared to deliver exceptional visitor experiences.

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