Tourism statisticsState2026

Kentucky Tourism Statistics: 81.1M Visitors in 2025

Q: How many tourists visit Kentucky?

Kentucky had 81.1 million visitors in 2025, according to the Kentucky Department of Tourism. AirROI estimates 253,788 Airbnb stays in Kentucky in the 12 months to October 2026, which is a separate count of bookings.

Q: What is the quietest month in Kentucky?

January was the quietest Airbnb month in Kentucky in the 12 months to October 2026, ranking 12th of 12, and February ranked 11th. Stays in January were booked about 25 days ahead, against 63 days for September.

Q: How long is a typical Airbnb stay in Kentucky?

A typical Airbnb stay in Kentucky lasted 4.2 nights in the 12 months to October 2026, booked about 50 days ahead. That is shorter than the worldwide 5.2 nights. By month, stays ran from 3.3 nights in September to 5.1 nights in January.

Kentucky recorded 81.1 million visitors in 2025, the Kentucky Department of Tourism reports. AirROI estimates 253,788 Airbnb stays in Kentucky in the 12 months to October 2026, with Louisville the most booked town. The busiest month was October.

Source: AirROI Reviewed by Jun Zhou, Founder @ AirROI Updated November 4, 2026

Airbnb figures are AirROI estimates for the 12 months to October 2026. Read the method

Estimated Airbnb nights: 1,053,507
Typical Airbnb stay: 4.2 nights
Busiest Airbnb month: October
From within the United States, among guests who left a review: 97.9%

Key facts

Kentucky Tourism Facts

Each sentence names its place, period and source, so it can be quoted alone.

Official

The Kentucky Department of Tourism puts Kentucky at 81.1 million visitors in 2025.

Airbnb stays

AirROI puts Airbnb stays in Kentucky at 253,788 in the 12 months to October 2026.
AirROI estimates Airbnb stays in Kentucky added up to 1,053,507 nights in the 12 months to October 2026.
AirROI estimates a typical Airbnb stay in Kentucky lasted 4.2 nights in the 12 months to October 2026, booked about 50 days ahead.

Busiest months

AirROI ranks October the busiest Airbnb month in Kentucky in the 12 months to October 2026, followed by June and July, with January the quietest.
AirROI estimates the six busiest Airbnb months in Kentucky ran unbroken from May to October in the 12 months to October 2026.
AirROI estimates Airbnb stays in Kentucky in September were booked furthest ahead, about 63 days, against 25 days for January, in the 12 months to October 2026.

Guests

AirROI estimates 97.9% of Kentucky Airbnb guests who left a review as of October 2026 were from within the United States.

By place

AirROI ranks Kentucky 30th for Airbnb stays among the United States' 51 states in the 12 months to October 2026.
AirROI estimates Louisville had the most Airbnb stays of the 17 towns it lists in Kentucky in the 12 months to October 2026, at 52,988, ahead of Lexington and Stanton.

Official numbers

How Many Tourists Visit Kentucky?

The Kentucky Department of Tourism counted 81.1 million visitors in 2025.

Official tourism figures for Kentucky: what each counts, its year and its publisher
Figure	What it counts	Year	Publisher
81.1 millionVisitors	Statewide visitors to Kentucky	2025	Kentucky Department of Tourism

Airbnb stays

Airbnb Stays in Kentucky

Kentucky had 9,496 Airbnb homes in the 12 months to October 2026. They took an estimated 253,788 stays and 1,053,507 nights. A typical stay lasted 4.2 nights and was booked about 50 days ahead, shorter than the worldwide stay of 5.2 nights. AirROI's figures cover the 99 towns it tracks in Kentucky; places it does not track are not counted, so every total is a floor.

Airbnb homes: 9,496
Airbnb stays, estimate: 253,788
Airbnb nights, estimate: 1,053,507
Typical stay: 4.2 nights
Booked ahead: 50 days

Busiest months

When Is the Busiest Time in Kentucky?

On Airbnb, October was the busiest month in Kentucky in the 12 months to October 2026, then June and July. January was the quietest. The six busiest months run unbroken from May to October.

October ranks first, January last

Airbnb months in calendar order, 12 months to October 2026. The number is the month's rank, and 1 is the busiest. The bar shows its part of Airbnb nights.

Three busiest months
Other months

From busiest to quietest: October, June, July, September, August, May, November, March, April, December, February, January.

Month by month: rank, typical stay and days booked ahead

Airbnb months in Kentucky by rank, with share of nights, typical stay and days booked ahead, 12 months to October 2026
Rank	Month	Share of nights	Typical stay	Booked ahead
1	October	10.0%	3.7 nights	60 days
2	June	9.8%	4.3 nights	55 days
3	July	9.8%	4.6 nights	58 days
4	September	9.2%	3.3 nights	63 days
5	August	8.9%	4.5 nights	44 days
6	May	8.6%	4.0 nights	54 days
7	November	8.2%	4.0 nights	48 days
8	March	8.1%	4.3 nights	35 days
9	April	7.9%	3.9 nights	57 days
10	December	7.3%	4.1 nights	34 days
11	February	6.2%	4.5 nights	28 days
12	January	6.0%	5.1 nights	25 days

Share is each month's part of the year's Airbnb nights. Typical stay and days booked ahead are AirROI estimates for stays in each month.

Where guests come from

Where Do Kentucky Airbnb Guests Come From?

Nearly all Kentucky Airbnb guests who left a review as of October 2026 were from within the United States (97.9%), AirROI estimates. Among the same guests, Louisville was the top origin city at 3.7%, ahead of Cincinnati at 2.8%. The figures rest on 776,472 reviews, written over many years.

97.9% from within the United States

Among guests who left a review, as of October 2026

Top origin cities

Among guests who left a review

Louisville 3.7%
Cincinnati 2.8%
Lexington 1.9%
Chicago 1.2%
Indianapolis 1.1%
Nashville 1.1%

By town

Most Booked Towns in Kentucky

Louisville, Lexington and Stanton took 35% of Airbnb stays in Kentucky in the 12 months to October 2026. October is the busiest Airbnb month in 9 of the 17 towns, led by Louisville, and June in 4, led by Covington. Among guests who left a review, the share from abroad across these towns runs from 1.1% in Murray to 3.2% in Beattyville.

Most Booked Towns in Kentucky: Airbnb stays, nights and typical stay, 12 months to October 2026; with origin among guests who left a review
#
1	Louisville	52,988	230,602	4.4 nights	2.8%	Canada	October
2	Lexington	23,099	109,785	4.8 nights	2.1%	Canada	October
3	Stanton	11,678	33,984	2.9 nights	1.2%	Canada	October
4	Williamstown	9,607	29,276	3.0 nights	3.1%	Canada	July
5	Campton	8,694	25,364	2.9 nights	1.4%	Canada	October
6	Frankfort	7,404	27,346	3.7 nights	1.3%	Canada	October
7	Covington	6,766	27,873	4.1 nights	2.6%	Canada	June
8	Rogers	5,208	15,474	3.0 nights	2%	Canada	October
9	Bardstown	4,996	16,692	3.3 nights	1.3%	Canada	October
10	Bowling Green	4,937	29,625	6.0 nights	1.4%	Canada	June
11	Georgetown	4,280	22,042	5.2 nights	2.7%	Canada	October
12	Paducah	4,046	16,482	4.1 nights	1.5%	UK	September
13	Elizabethtown	3,637	22,656	6.2 nights	1.6%	Mexico	June
14	Owensboro	3,250	20,486	6.3 nights	2.5%	Canada	September
15	Cadiz	3,163	11,317	3.6 nights	2.2%	Guatemala	July
16	Murray	2,238	9,662	4.3 nights	1.1%	France	June
17	Beattyville	2,170	9,386	4.3 nights	3.2%	Canada	October

* Among guests who left a review. Stays, nights and other figures are AirROI estimates for the 12 months to October 2026, and cover Airbnb only. US is the top origin in every town, among guests who left a review, so this column names the top country abroad. Lists the 17 of Kentucky's 99 towns with 100 or more Airbnb homes. A town with no tourism page of its own links to its Airbnb market page.

FAQ

Questions About Tourism in Kentucky

How many tourists visit Kentucky?

Kentucky had 81.1 million visitors in 2025, according to the Kentucky Department of Tourism. AirROI estimates 253,788 Airbnb stays in Kentucky in the 12 months to October 2026, which is a separate count of bookings.

When is high season in Kentucky?

The busiest Airbnb month in Kentucky in the 12 months to October 2026 was October, then June and July. The six busiest months run from May to October.

What is the quietest month in Kentucky?

January was the quietest Airbnb month in Kentucky in the 12 months to October 2026, ranking 12th of 12, and February ranked 11th. Stays in January were booked about 25 days ahead, against 63 days for September.

How long is a typical Airbnb stay in Kentucky?

A typical Airbnb stay in Kentucky lasted 4.2 nights in the 12 months to October 2026, booked about 50 days ahead. That is shorter than the worldwide 5.2 nights. By month, stays ran from 3.3 nights in September to 5.1 nights in January.

Where do Airbnb guests in Kentucky come from?

Of Kentucky Airbnb guests who left a review as of October 2026, 97.9% were from within the United States, AirROI estimates. Among the same guests, the top origin city was Louisville at 3.7%, ahead of Cincinnati at 2.8%.

What is the most booked town in Kentucky on Airbnb?

Louisville was the most booked town in Kentucky on Airbnb, with an estimated 52,988 stays in the 12 months to October 2026, ahead of Lexington and Stanton.

Are Airbnb stays the same as tourists?

No. The Kentucky Department of Tourism counts visitors (81.1 million in 2025). An Airbnb stay is one booking on one platform, however many guests it holds. AirROI's 253,788 stays are estimates for the 12 months to October 2026.

Method

How These Numbers Are Made

Official figures come from their publishers, linked above, and were last checked in November 2026. Stays and nights are AirROI estimates for the 12 months to October 2026, built from Airbnb listing data, and cover Airbnb only. Nights add up each town's stays times its typical stay, across 99 towns. Month ranks compare each month's part of Airbnb nights. Origin rests on 776,472 reviews and describes guests who left a review, not everyone who stayed. Read the method page.