Nelson, Charlottesville among communities to complete tourism program, receive $10K grants

Virginia Tourism Corporation’s DRIVE 2.0 State Tourism Plan Implementation Workshops enable community stakeholders to focus on developing and enhancing local tourism promotion, product development and advocacy strategies.

Twenty-seven communities in Virginia will receive $10,000 implementation grants to further develop and implement tourism plans.

According to a press release, more than 1,200 community and business leaders participated in the DRIVE 2.0 program and workshops.

“The completion of the DRIVE 2.0 workshops and the creation of more than 100 new tourism programs signal a new era in tourism development and marketing in the Commonwealth,” Gov. Glenn Youngkin said in a press release. “Investing in new tourism product development, infrastructure and programs is a proven strategy for improving our economy by increasing jobs and tax revenue. This will lead to meaningful change for our communities across the Commonwealth, and further underscores Virginia’s reputation as the best place to live, work and travel.”

Communities chosen for a grant include Charlottesville-Albemarle County, the cities of Harrisonburg and Petersburg, Lexington-Rockbridge Area and Nelson County. The program launched at a time when communities were looking for ways to alleviate the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on local economies.

Through DRIVE 2.0, VTC provides communities across Virginia with strategies for success in the overly competitive travel and tourism market. VTC uses the “hub and spoke” model by grouping regional lures and attractions around a main tourism hub, then enabling communities to develop new tourism product development ideas. Some ideas included identifying lodging and hotel development as a game-changing product development strategy or trail development to encourage new travelers and boost economic activity.