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Governor McDonnell Announces Tourism Marketing Grants - NBC29 WVIR Charlottesville, VA News, Sports and Weather

Governor McDonnell Announces Tourism Marketing Grants

Posted: Updated:

Office of Governor Bob McDonnell
Press Release

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

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