Kentucky Travel Industry Association, Inc.

What Kentucky Travel Industry Association, Inc. does

Kentucky Travel Industry Association, Inc. (KTIA) is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit trade association founded in 1980 and headquartered at 931 East Main Street in Frankfort, Kentucky. KTIA provides advocacy, education, information, and business and professional development services to Kentucky's travel and tourism industry, serving approximately 900 member organizations across CVBs, hotels, restaurants, attractions, industry suppliers, state agencies, and travel/transportation companies. The association holds the unique mandate of representing the entire statewide tourism industry before the Kentucky General Assembly, retaining dedicated lobbying capacity via MML&K Government Solutions and defending revenue streams such as the 1% statewide transient room tax and HB8 short-term rental compliance measures.

KTIA's product portfolio is event- and certification-driven rather than technology-driven. Core offerings include the Kentucky Travel Industry Annual Conference (KTIAC), the Spring Travel Forum, the Destination Frankfort legislative event, the Media & Marketing Auction, and the Certified Kentucky Tourism Professional (CKTP) certification program at $250 per person. Member benefit programs include group health insurance through Anthem and Delta Dental, a 15% Midway University tuition discount, and a 15% Granicus discount on short-term rental compliance tools. Awards programming spans the Traverse Awards for marketing excellence, the Mangeot-Oaken Distinguished Service Award, Member of the Year, Emerging Leader, and Stars of the Industry recognitions.

The association operates with a lean 3-person management team (President & CEO Hank Phillips, Vice President Sarah Brock, Marketing & Membership Manager Katherine Bowman) and runs no proprietary technology platform. Revenue is generated through tiered membership dues ranging from $85 (individual) to $1,800 (large CVBs), event registration fees of $345-$545, the $10,000/year Commonwealth Circle premium tier, and ancillary programs. KTIA merged with the Kentucky Hotel & Lodging Association in 2018 to form the Hotel & Lodging Council, and the broader Kentucky tourism industry generated $14.6 billion in total economic impact and supported 96,993 jobs in 2025.

Name

Kentucky Travel Industry Association, Inc.

Legal name

Kentucky Travel Industry Association, Inc.

Website

https://ktia.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Kentucky Travel Industry Association (KTIA) is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit trade association founded in 1980 that provides advocacy, education, and professional development to approximately 900 member organizations across Kentucky's travel and tourism industry through events, certification, lobbying, and member benefit programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Frankfort

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership dues assessed based on organization type and size. Categories include allied partners, associations, attractions, CVBs/tourism commissions, hotels/restaurants, individuals, industry suppliers, state government agencies, and travel/transportation companies. Dues range from $85 for individuals to $1,800 for large CVBs.
2. Event Registration Fees: Revenue from annual conferences, Spring Travel Forum, and Destination Frankfort legislative events. Registration fees range from $345-$545 for member delegates and $145-$200 for gala-only attendance, with additional exhibitor and sponsorship fees.
3. CKTP Certification Program: The Certified Kentucky Tourism Professional program charges $250 per person for enrollment, covering all certification event costs except conference registrations. Must be a KTIA member to enroll.
4. Group Health Insurance Program: Association health plan offering medical, dental, and vision insurance through Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield and Delta Dental of Kentucky, providing competitive rates through collective purchasing power.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

KTIA is a membership-based nonprofit trade association providing advocacy, education, information, and business/professional development services to Kentucky's travel and tourism industry. Core offerings include collective legislative advocacy through contracted lobbying (MML&K Government Solutions), professional certification (CKTP program), signature events (annual KTIAC conference, Spring Travel Forum, Destination Frankfort), awards programs (Traverse Awards, Professional Awards), and member benefit programs (group health insurance, tuition discounts, compliance tools).

Product overview

The Kentucky Travel Industry Association (KTIA) is a trade association founded in 1980 that provides advocacy, education, information, and business development services to Kentucky's travel and tourism industry. KTIA does not offer a unified software product but rather a portfolio of member services including professional certification (CKTP Program), signature events (Annual Conference/KTIAC, Spring Travel Forum, Destination Frankfort), awards programs (Traverse Awards, Professional Awards), communications (weekly newsletter), member directories, career opportunities, and member benefit programs (health insurance, tuition discounts, short-term rental identification tools). The association serves approximately 900 member organizations across all tourism sectors including attractions, CVBs, hotels, restaurants, marinas, suppliers, and government agencies.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Certified Kentucky Tourism Professional (CKTP) Program

Quantifiable outcome

• Kentucky tourism generated $14.6 billion in total economic impact in 2025
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers15 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Miles PartnershipcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMiles Partnership is a strategic marketing company focused exclusively on travel and tourism. They have served as agency of record for Kentucky Department of Tourism since 2017. Listed as a Commonwealth Circle member ($10,000/year tier).
• GranicuscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership provides KTIA members with 15% discount on Granicus tools for identifying short-term rental properties and communicating with hosts. Additional 10% discount for other Granicus modules including compliance monitoring. Supports KTIA advocacy for short-term rental compliance in transient room tax payments.
• Midway UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership provides KTIA member employees and their families 15% tuition reduction on online and evening courses. Includes associate, bachelor's, and MBA programs including Tourism and Event Management MBA. Enrollment in degree program not required - individual courses available.
• MML&K Government SolutionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerKTIA contracts with MML&K Government Solutions for lobbying services. Primary team member is Sara Osborne with support from James Higdon and Chris Nolan. Provides year-round legislative analysis, weekly updates during sessions, and legislator meetings.
• Anthem Blue Cross and Blue ShieldmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides group health insurance program to KTIA members through association health plan, offering competitive pricing and large group benefits through collective purchasing power.
• Delta Dental of KentuckymajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides dental insurance as part of KTIA's association health plan, included in consolidated billing with medical and vision coverage.
• Southeast Tourism SocietymajorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional tourism organization. KTIA members have access to STS Marketing College and the Leadership Legacy Scholarship provides a one-year scholarship to STS Marketing College.
• Travel South USAmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional travel marketing organization promoting the Southern United States. KTIA works with Travel South USA on multi-state campaigns and Canadian market initiatives.
• U.S. Travel AssociationmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerNational travel industry organization providing research, advocacy, and industry resources. Listed as an industry resource on KTIA's website.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Destinations International: Trade association for destination marketing organizations (DMOs) and CVBs globally. Represents many of the same member types (CVBs, tourism commissions) that anchor KTIA's membership, providing professional development and advocacy at scale.
• U.S. Travel Association: National umbrella trade association for the U.S. travel industry. Operates as a broader incumbent above KTIA in the industry hierarchy, providing research, federal advocacy, and resources that supplement KTIA's state-level work.
• American Hotel & Lodging Association: National trade association representing the U.S. lodging industry. Overlaps with KTIA's Hotel & Lodging Council (formed via the 2018 KH&LA merger) in serving hotels but operates at national scope with broader policy and labor priorities.

Regional players

• Travel South USA: Regional marketing organization promoting Southern U.S. travel destinations through multi-state campaigns. KTIA explicitly partners with Travel South USA on Canadian market initiatives, indicating a complementary but not directly competing relationship.

Direct peers

• Southeast Tourism Society: Regional tourism organization covering 12 southeastern U.S. states, including Kentucky. KTIA explicitly partners with STS for member access to Marketing College and scholarship programs, indicating overlapping service lines in education and member benefits.
• Tennessee Hospitality & Tourism Association: State-level trade association serving Tennessee's hospitality and tourism industry. Operates a near-identical model of membership dues, advocacy, events, and professional development, making it the closest direct comparable to KTIA's structure and scope.
• Texas Travel Alliance: State-level industry association for Texas travel stakeholders. Comparable structure to KTIA with membership tiers, advocacy focus, and signature events serving hotels, attractions, CVBs, and suppliers within a single U.S. state.
• Pennsylvania Travel Industry Association: State-level trade association for Pennsylvania's travel and tourism industry. Provides a directly comparable model of statewide advocacy, education, and member services across diverse tourism segments.
• Indiana Tourism Industry Association: Statewide industry association representing Indiana's tourism sector. Mirrors KTIA's mission of advocacy, education, and member services for hotels, attractions, CVBs, and suppliers within a single U.S. state.
• Ohio Travel Association: Ohio-based travel and tourism industry association. Comparable to KTIA in its statewide coverage of tourism stakeholders, advocacy role, and event programming for member organizations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights4 records

Customer concentration

• Xtwitter.com/@KyKTIA
• Facebookfacebook.com/KentuckyTravelIndustryAssociation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kentucky-travel-industry-association

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kentucky Travel Industry Association, Inc.