♪ All week.

We've been highlighting South Western Kentucky from industries to art.

The region is now embracing one of the area's specialties with a new campaign.

Our Laura Rogers went on the road to visit a few stops on the West, Kentucky barbecue ballot.

>> I love the smoky Taste.

BBQ Shack has been a staple in Hopkinsville for close to 60 years.

>> We get a lot of new folks every day.

Monday.

Hargrove says she's welcomes customers from all over the country and they will plan their trip to make sure they hit Want to open days just so they can get barbecue.

This is just one stop of more than 40 places in 19 city on the West Kentucky barbecue belts.

That is without a doubt.

Our signature Dish Tourism Commission selected locally owned barbecue restaurants to feature on the Culinary passage.

We have these generational family recipes that really haven't made their way out into the world yet.

And we decided, you know what, it's time to change that.

The campaign officially rolled out in mid-May, funded by American RESCUE plan dollars.

The state just released their 2023 economic impact numbers and of course, food and beverages.

The number one expenditure that visitors spend money on when they come to visit organizers hope the mobile passport program will incentivize people to eat their way across western Kentucky.

>> Which you may have to loosen your belt on the barbecue belt for port.

We might be rolling you back to your hometown by the time you leave here.

But we're going to send you home my T-shirt because he visited so many stops barbecue as a point of pride for pit masters like Josh West.

>> Here at homers, barbecue in Henderson.

It's the greatest thing in the world.

He arrives at homers at 5 o'clock in the morning to start preparing for the lunch crowd.

6.

>> The doors open at 11 and you see a line back to the street.

There are currently 5 restaurants and the barbecue belt in Henderson, including Thomason so around since the 1960's and Taylor's Grill on wheels, they left a wife, their reaction.

Whenever someone opens up that box and seize their food.

>> And they usually do a little dance to celebrate.

There's also brothers barbecue in Madisonville.

I love the flavor of the Barb Ickes.

Trish Noel says the West Kentucky flavor is distinctive number good.

Those are >> tops a barbecue that you can't get everywhere you deserve.

I have a lot of mud and customers that come from the northern parts to here to eat my much.

>> It is a collaboration between communities publicizing the eateries and western Kentucky hoping to draw more people to the area from Owensboro all the way down around the lakes and the right thing for West Kentucky to be known for their marquee.

It's really get this mess.

There is a thing.

Where Kentucky Edition Walter Rodgers.

Looks Yummy.

Thank you, Laura.

You can get your mobile passport at W K Y.

>> BBQ dot com.

You'll earn prizes as you check in at locations along the way.

Organizers say they hope to add more restaurants as the