The City of Waynesboro announced the awards made through its BOOST tourism grant program for fiscal year 2020.
Grant recipients are:
- Riverfest
- Shenandoah Valley Trout Unlimited
- Waynesboro at War
- Shenandoah Valley Art Center
- Wayne Theatre Alliance
- Waynesboro Heritage Foundation
City businesses and organizations were invited to apply for up to $3,000 to support marketing efforts that will increase visitation or participation in events and festivals. Funds were accessible for new and existing tourism-related endeavors taking place within the City of Waynesboro between July 1, 2019 and June 30, 2020.
“BOOST grants are designed to enhance marketing strategies to encourage visitors from outside the MSA to Waynesboro,” says Greg Hitchin, director of economic development and tourism. “In awarding these grants, we are partnering with these events to support their outreach. In turn, they are working to pull more tourism spending to the area.”
The U.S. Travel Association reports that domestic visitor spending in Waynesboro for 2017 was $36,282,493. Statewide tourism is the Commonwealth’s fifth largest employer, with over $26 billion in visitor spending, resulting in $1.8 billion in state and local tax revenue in 2017, according to the Virginia Tourism Corporation.
In the Staunton, Augusta, Waynesboro MSA, tourism accounted for $219,037,044 in visitor spending in 2017—a 2.9% increase over 2016 (the most recent statistics available)—thereby generating over $7 million in tax revenue and employing over 2,000 individuals.
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Chris Graham
