Case Study: Louisville becomes Bourbon City with Bandy Carroll Hellige

Louisville boosts RFP submissions 50% with Bandy Carroll Hellige

Louisville Tourism, the official destination marketing organization for the city, faced the challenge of moving beyond its well-known historical attractions to rebrand itself and capture the full spirit of its vibrant culture, music, art, and food scene. They partnered with vendor Bandy Carroll Hellige (BCH) for a comprehensive suite of services including branding, creative development, and strategic marketing to tell a new, more compelling story about the city.

BCH developed the "Bourbon City" creative solution, strategically positioning Louisville itself as the premier destination at the epicenter of the bourbon tourism boom rather than just a basecamp for travel to nearby distilleries. This rebranding effort by Bandy Carroll Hellige yielded significant results, including welcoming a record 17 million visitors, a 98% rate of travelers stating they would definitely return, and a 50% year-over-year increase in RFP submissions from convention planners, with hotel bookings in 2022 exceeding pre-pandemic rates.

Louisville