Gov. Bob McDonnell announced today that nearly $1 million in matching grant funds will be awarded to 54 local tourism initiatives as part of Virginia Tourism Corporation’s Marketing Leverage Grant program.
The grants help local and regional tourism entities attract more visitors by leveraging local marketing dollars, and will ultimately impact at least 282 other statewide tourism entities. The local organizations match the state grant funds by a minimum of 2:1 to create marketing projects such as web sites, signage, social media, and advertisements. This funding cycle, the local partners will match the VTC grant dollars with nearly $3 million, providing $4 million total in new marketing to increase visitation to Virginia.
“Grants such as these enable our localities to more effectively market themselves to potential visitors,” said McDonnell. “When more visitors come to Virginia, the localities and the Commonwealth realize increased tax revenue, businesses prosper, and new jobs are created.”
Tourism is an instant revenue generator for Virginia. In 2011 tourism generated $20.4 billion in revenue, supported 207,000 jobs and provided $1.32 billion in state and local taxes. 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.
VTC’s Marketing Leverage Program is designed to increase visitor spending by leveraging limited marketing dollars, stimulating new tourism marketing through partnerships, and extending the “Virginia is for Lovers” brand. A minimum of three entities must partner financially to apply for a grant. 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 $1.7 million annually – matched and leveraged on average 3:1 by partner dollars – to more than 80 communities across the Commonwealth.
“These grants enable local tourism partners to undertake projects that might otherwise be beyond their fiscal reach,” said Rita McClenny, president and CEO of Virginia Tourism Corporation. “The Marketing Leverage Grants program supports initiatives by our partners that make Virginia the best place to live, work, and play. VTC is proud to have a real impact on the ideas and programs that organizations around the state have to support the tourism industry and economy as a whole.”
Details on the grant awards are below. The next round of VTC Marketing Leverage Program grants are due October 22, 2013. Localities interested in applying may visit www.vatc.org for more information.
| Organization | Project | Amount |
| Culpeper Department of Tourism | Culpeper Arts Microsite and “One More Thing to LOVE” Video Development | $50,000.00 |
| Wise County | Wise County: Niche Marketing Play n’ Stay | $10,000.00 |
| Great Country Farms | Shenandoah Valley Kids Trail | $25,000.00 |
| The Blacksburg Partnership | Step Into Blacksburg Marketing Initiative | $5,000.00 |
| Waterford Foundation Inc. | Waterford Homes Tour & Craft Exhibit | $6,682.33 |
| Blue Mountain Brewery | Blue Mountain Brewery and Barrel House Brewery Marketing | $50,000.00 |
| Town of Farmville | The Heart of Adventure | $5,000.00 |
| Birthplace of Country Music | Birthplace of Country Music Multi-Media Image Launch Campaign | $50,000.00 |
| Artisans Center of Virginia | Artisans Center of Virginia: Website Development to Efficiently Elevate Marketing | $3,881.50 |
| Pulaski County Chamber of Commerce | Introducing “The MARKETPLACE” | $1,018.75 |
| Red Hill – Patrick Henry Memorial Foundation | Bluegrass, Barbecue & Brew Festival at Patrick Henry’s Red Hill | $4,966.50 |
| Chincoteague Chamber of Commerce | Virginia Travel Show Partnership | $16,662.50 |
| Virginia Motorcycle Dealers Association | Virginia Motorcycle Dealers Association – Motorcycle Grand Tour of Virginia 2013 | $16,425.00 |
| Greater Williamsburg Chamber & Tourism Alliance | Williamsburg Area Arts Month 2013 | $25,000.00 |
| Smith Mountain Lake Regional Chamber of Commerce | Smith Mountain Lake, It’s Closer than You Think MOBILE Promotion’ | $9,658.50 |
| NNOVACOMM | Africana Virginia Beach 2013 featuring FunkFest | $30,605.00 |
| Swift Creek Mill Theatre | 2013-2014 Chesterfield for Active Seniors Tourism Initiative | $4,894.50 |
| Millsap-Baker Estate LLC | Destination Weddings and Overnights in Damascus | $5,000.00 |
| Barter Theatre | Abingdon: Barter is Just the Beginning | $25,000.00 |
| Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest | Thomas Jefferson’s Wine Festival | $5,000.00 |
| The State Theatre Foundation | Marketing Leverage Program for the State Theatre in Culpeper, Virginia | $50,000.00 |
| Town of Lawrenceville | Town of Lawrenceville Tourism Branding | $5,000.00 |
| The Natural Bridge | Natural Bridge Area AAA Carolinas Co-op | $8,250.00 |
| Staunton Convention & Visitors Bureau | Staunton Tourism Destination Marketing, Research & Strategic Plan | $50,000.00 |
| Town of St. Paul | Clinch River Valley Initiative: Building a Regional Identity | $10,000.00 |
| Shenandoah County Chamber of Commerce | Shenandoah Autumnfest | $10,000.00 |
| Celebrating Patsy Cline Inc. | The Patsy Cline Historic House | $50,000.00 |
| Virginia Campground Association | Virginia is For Camping Lovers | $5,000.00 |
| City of Poquoson | Poquoson Marine Tourism | $5,672.00 |
| Northern Virginia Visitors Consortium c/o Visit Fairfax | Northern Virginia Canadian Marketing Campaign | $25,000.00 |
| Carroll County Tourism | Niche Markets & Networking – Blue Ridge Plateau | $34,000.00 |
| Orange County Department of Tourism | Orange/Madison Advertising Campaign | $25,000.00 |
| Alexandria Convention & Visitors Association | Presidents Passport: Northern Virginia Expansion | $50,000.00 |
| Stratford Hall-Robert E. Lee Memorial Association | Stratford Hall Wine and Oyster Festival Advertising | $10,000.00 |
| Discover Shenandoah | Discover Shenandoah – a beautiful place for wine | $2,500.00 |
| Holston Mountain Artisans | Block Party – A Celebration of Quilts | $850.00 |
| Town of Damascus | Damascus, Stay A While | $5,000.00 |
| Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation Inc | America’s Historic Triangle Marketing Program | $25,000.00 |
| Fish Virginia First | Fish Virginia First – Where The Fish Are | $10,000.00 |
| Virginia Creeper Trail Club | Virginia Creeper Trail Marketing Campaign | $10,000.00 |
| Abingdon Convention and Visitors Bureau | It’s Always Play Time in Abingdon – Website Design | $50,000.00 |
| Castleton Festival | Castleton Festival – 2013 Fifth Anniversary Season | $50,000.00 |
| Alleghany Highlands Chamber of Commerce & Tourism | Alleghany Highlands Outdoor Lovers Video | $3,500.00 |
| Bristol Convention and Visitors Bureau | Bristol CVB: Launching the Birthplace of Country Music | $25,990.00 |
| County of Mecklenburg | New County Tourism Branding Development, Training and Collateral | $5,000.00 |
| Roanoke Regional Partnership | Roanoke is for Outdoor Lovers | $21,533.00 |
| Floyd County Tourism Development Council | Floyd County Official Tourism Website – Visit Floyd, VA! | $5,000.00 |
| Arts Enter Cape Charles | Harbor for the Arts Festival Marketing Program | $10,000.00 |
| Franklin County Office of Economic Development | Visit Franklin County Brand Development and Marketing Initiative | $15,000.00 |
| Stonewall Jackson Hotel and Conference Center | Increasing Bus Tour Business to Staunton, VA | $3,466.28 |
| Morven Park (The Westmoreland Davis Memorial Foundation) | Co-Marketing Loudoun’s Historic Homes | $3,500.00 |
| Tradition Club at Stonehouse | Traditional Golf Trail 2014 Promotion | $5,000.00 |
| City of Waynesboro-Tourism | Social Buying Destination Marketing – Mountains to Main Street Campaign | $5,000.00 |
| Botetourt County Office of Tourism | All Trails Lead to Botetourt | $36,595.00 |
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.
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