Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky tourism leaders are celebrating local businesses during National Travel and Tourism Week while the city emerges as a contender to host the NFL draft in 2029.The draft, now a traveling event, attracted more than 800,000 visitors to Pittsburgh last month, a figure that has caught the attention of Cincinnati’s tourism community. Teams from Visit Cincy and Meet NKY spent time on Monday delivering goody bags to local businesses that frequently serve out-of-town visitors. “About 40 percent of our business is newcomers and people from out of town,” said Jade Colwell, general manager of Smoke Justis, a restaurant in Covington. Colwell emphasized the importance of showcasing the region’s offerings.”I think it’s really important that we showcase not only bars and restaurants, but everything that these, you know, Northern Kentucky has to offer; what Cincinnati has to offer,” she said. Patrick Dye, co-founder of GEST Carts, a free ride service, expressed confidence in the city’s readiness for major events.”We were ready for World Cup. We’re ready for NFL draft,” Dye said. Dye also highlighted his company’s experience with large-scale events.”So we’ve done the Super Bowl out in LA. We sent vehicles out for the Super Bowl in San Francisco this year in partnership with the NFL,” he said. Cincinnati’s bid to host the NFL draft is supported by the anticipated completion of a new 700-room convention center hotel downtown and the efforts of the recently reconstituted Cincinnati Sports Commission, led by executive director Ben Huffman. “The partnership between Visit Cincy, Meet NKY to position both sides of the river has been a big benefit for us,” Huffman said. “The hotel component on the Northern Kentucky side matched with the Convention Center district and Fountain Square area — Cincinnati has been, you know, more than adequate for most of these things.” Huffman recently traveled to Pittsburgh to observe how the Steel City successfully hosted this year’s draft. Washington, D.C., will host next year’s event, while Minneapolis is considered the frontrunner for 2028.

CINCINNATI —

Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky tourism leaders are celebrating local businesses during National Travel and Tourism Week while the city emerges as a contender to host the NFL draft in 2029.

The draft, now a traveling event, attracted more than 800,000 visitors to Pittsburgh last month, a figure that has caught the attention of Cincinnati’s tourism community. Teams from Visit Cincy and Meet NKY spent time on Monday delivering goody bags to local businesses that frequently serve out-of-town visitors.

“About 40 percent of our business is newcomers and people from out of town,” said Jade Colwell, general manager of Smoke Justis, a restaurant in Covington.

Colwell emphasized the importance of showcasing the region’s offerings.

“I think it’s really important that we showcase not only bars and restaurants, but everything that these, you know, Northern Kentucky has to offer; what Cincinnati has to offer,” she said.

Patrick Dye, co-founder of GEST Carts, a free ride service, expressed confidence in the city’s readiness for major events.

“We were ready for World Cup. We’re ready for NFL draft,” Dye said.

Dye also highlighted his company’s experience with large-scale events.

“So we’ve done the Super Bowl out in LA. We sent vehicles out for the Super Bowl in San Francisco this year in partnership with the NFL,” he said.

Cincinnati’s bid to host the NFL draft is supported by the anticipated completion of a new 700-room convention center hotel downtown and the efforts of the recently reconstituted Cincinnati Sports Commission, led by executive director Ben Huffman.

“The partnership between Visit Cincy, Meet NKY to position both sides of the river has been a big benefit for us,” Huffman said. “The hotel component on the Northern Kentucky side matched with the Convention Center district and Fountain Square area — Cincinnati has been, you know, more than adequate for most of these things.”

Huffman recently traveled to Pittsburgh to observe how the Steel City successfully hosted this year’s draft. Washington, D.C., will host next year’s event, while Minneapolis is considered the frontrunner for 2028.