Afton Mountain overlooking Shenandoah Valley.
RICHMOND
–
Governor Bob McDonnell has announced that the Virginia Tourism
Corporation will award matching grant funds in the amount of more than
$660,000
to 45 local tourism initiatives as part of VTC’s Marketing Leverage
Grant program. The grants help local and regional tourism entities
attract more visitors by leveraging local marketing dollars. The local
organizations match the state grant funds by a minimum
of 3:1 to create marketing projects such as Web sites, social media,
and advertisements.
“Tourism
plays such a vital role in Virginia’s economy,” said Governor
McDonnell. “These grants
help bring more visitors to Virginia, and in doing so they help create
and sustain jobs while generating revenue for businesses and tax income
for the localities and the Commonwealth.”
Tourism in Virginia generated $19 billion in revenue in 2010, provided $1.3 billion in state and local taxes
and supported more than 200,000 jobs.
Dollars invested in tourism are proven to provide a 5:1
return in tax revenue for Virginia, and the grant awards and matching
funds provide a stimulus to localities seeking to increase tourism
visitation and revenue.
The
objective of VTC’s Marketing Leverage Program is to increase visitor
spending by
leveraging limited marketing dollars, stimulate new tourism marketing
through partnerships and extend the “Virginia is for Lovers” brand. To
apply for a grant a minimum of three entities must partner financially.
Partners may consist of Virginia cities,
towns, counties, convention and visitors bureaus, chambers of commerce,
other local or regional destination marketing organizations, private
businesses, museums, attractions, cultural events, and other
not-for-profit entities.
In
total, VTC awards approximately $1 million annually - matched and
leveraged on average three to one by partner dollars - to more than 80
communities across the Commonwealth.
“The
power of partnerships is vital in maximizing Virginia’s effectiveness
in attracting visitors,
“said Rita McClenny, interim president and CEO of the Virginia Tourism
Corporation. “When Virginians work together to create exceptional
tourism projects such as these our grants become an investment certain
to pay dividends for the Commonwealth.”
Details on the grant awards are below. The next round of Marketing Leverage Program grants are
now open and will be due on October 11, 2012. Localities interested in applying should visit
www.vatc.org for more information.
Love is at the heart of every Virginia vacation. Visit
www.Virginia.org to start planning a vacation or call 1-800-VISITVA to request a free, Virginia is for Lovers travel guide.
Organization
|
Project
|
Amount
|
County of Giles
|
Live- Work - Play: Destination Giles
|
$21,743.50
|
Petersburg Area Regional Tourism (PART)
|
Walk In Lincoln's Final Footsteps
|
$25,000.00
|
Appalachian Sustainable Development
|
Rooted in Appalachia - Food Brand
|
$10,000.00
|
City of Waynesboro - Tourism Office
|
Comprehensive Destination Marketing, Research, Feasibility and Strategic Planning
|
$12,500.00
|
Town of Colonial Beach Tourism Council
|
Play, Stay & Get Away in Colonial Beach, Virginia
|
$2,500.00
|
DelFosse Vineyards and Winery
|
Jefferson Heritage Trail
|
$5,650.00
|
The Crooked Road
|
The Crooked Road Music Festival
|
$5,000.00
|
Virginia Arts Festival
|
The Arts Celebrated Daily - In and Beyond the Concert Hall
|
$50,000.00
|
Shenandoah Valley Travel Association
|
Shenandoah Valley Regional Branding Initiative (SVRBI)
|
$25,000.00
|
Town of Gate City
|
Grillin' at the Gate
|
$375.00
|
Barter Theatre
|
Drive Market and In Market Plan - Abingdon
Spring 2012
|
$50,000.00
|
Pulaski County
|
NRV SkyFest Air Show
|
$10,000.00
|
Northern Neck Tourism Commission
|
Northern Neck Heritage Area Marketing Program
|
$10,000.00
|
An Achievable Dream Inc.
|
3rd Annual Run for the Dream Half Marathon, 8K Run/Walk and Kids Fun Run
|
$5,000.00
|
Wythe County
|
New River Trail Challenge/Max Meadows Heritage Day
|
$3,150.00
|
Light's at Stone Mill
|
Buy Local
|
$5,000.00
|
Premier LLC
|
"Golf and Family Vacations" Marketing Campaign
|
$10,947.50
|
Friends of Southwest Virginia
|
Authentic, Distinctive, and Alive; Regional Recapture
|
$24,977.60
|
Abingdon Convention and Visitors Bureau
|
Abingdon Tourism Brand Integration
|
$25,000.00
|
Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library and Museum
|
Stay and Play
|
$4,000.00
|
Red Hill - Patrick Henry Memorial Foundation
|
Bluegrass, Barbecue & Brew Festival at Patrick Henry's Red Hill
|
$2,000.00
|
Thomas Jefferson's Poplar Forest
|
Thomas Jefferson Wine Festival
|
$5,000.00
|
Jamestown Settlement Café
|
America's Historic Triangle Marketing Program
|
$24,968.00
|
Virginia Highlands Festival Inc.
|
Virginia Highlands Festival Marketing Program
|
$7,735.00
|
The Homestead
|
Summer & Fall at The Homestead
|
$24,950.00
|
Wilderness Road: Virginia's Heritage Migration Route
|
Explore Virginia's Heritage Migration Route
|
$5,000.00
|
Hermitage Hill Farm & Stables
|
Promoting the Shenandoah Valley as a Premier Wedding Destination
|
$5,000.00
|
Lee County Tourism
|
Camp in the Cumberland Gap and Experience the Wilderness Road
|
$1,500.00
|
Roanoke Valley Convention & Visitors Bureau
|
Virginia's Blue Ridge Brand Rollout and Marketing Initiative
|
$50,000.00
|
City of Galax, Tourism Department
|
Galax: The Best Pick in Virginia
|
$43,893.00
|
The Greater Augusta Regional Chamber of Commerce
|
Good Times, Tastes & Traditions Fall Celebration
|
$5,000.00
|
James City County
|
2012 Kingsmill Championship
|
$25,000.00
|
Fig Street Inn
|
Cape Charles Bed & Breakfast Association (CCBBA)
|
$373.95
|
Shenandoah Valley Art Center Inc
|
River City Fall Foliage Weekend
|
$5,000.00
|
Nelson County Tourism
|
Virginia Cider Association
|
$5,000.00
|
Metropolitan Richmond Sports Backers
|
Anthem Richmond Marathon Rebranding Initiative
|
$25,000.00
|
Alleghany Highlands Chamber of Commerce and Tourism
|
Alleghany Highlands Ecotourism Product Development
|
$11,328.00
|
Artisans Center of Virginia
|
Artisan Trail Network: Bedford & Shenandoah Counties and "Virginia's Western Highland's Artisan Trail"
|
$5,000.00
|
Waynesboro Downtown Development Inc.
|
Virginia Chili Blues n' Brews Festival
|
$5,000.00
|
Waynesboro Parks & Recreation
|
Park to Park Half marathon promotion
|
$3,000.00
|
Greater Williamsburg Chamber & Tourism Alliance
|
Arts in Williamsburg 2012 - Williamsburg Area Arts Month Promotion 2012
|
$25,000.00
|
City of Newport News Development Department
|
Frontier Airlines Media Blitz/Campaign
|
$25,000.00
|
The Prizery
|
Expect the Extraordinary
|
$5,000.00
|
Orange Downtown Alliance
|
Edible Food Fest in Orange
|
$5,000.00
|
Bristol Convention and Visitors Bureau
|
Bristol: Birth of Country Music
|
$35,257.00
|
Photo by Lynn R. Mitchell
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