Governor Northam Announces 44 Local Tourism Programs to Receive Public-Private Marketing Funds to Bolster Growth

~ Program will generate more than $3.8 million in marketing initiatives and impact more than 182 statewide tourism entities ~   RICHMOND—Governor Ralph Northam today announced more than $965,000 in matching grant funds will be awarded to 44 local tourism initiatives as part of the Virginia Tourism Corporation’s (VTC) Marketing Leverage Program (MLP). The MLP grants are designed to help local and regional tourism entities attract more visitors by leveraging limited local marketing dollars through a local match of the state grants funds. This funding cycle, local partners will commit more than $2.8 million to match the VTC grants, providing more than $3.8 million in new marketing funds to increase visitation to Virginia. The grants will ultimately impact at least 182 other statewide tourism entities.   “As we celebrate five decades of the iconic ‘Virginia is for Lovers’ slogan this year, I am thrilled to see such tremendous partnership, innovation, and growth within one of our most important industries,” said Governor Northam. “Tourism entities throughout Virginia understand the value of strategic and innovative marketing initiatives in promoting what makes this Commonwealth a great place to live, work, and visit. These grant funds are designed to support exciting new development projects and programs that will help attract more travelers and increase visitor spending, while also improving our communities, generating revenue for our regional economies, and creating job opportunities for Virginians.”   The VTC 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 Virginia 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 tourism-related businesses. In total, VTC awards approximately $1.7 million annually—matched and leveraged on average 3:1 by partner dollars.   “The tourism industry has an incredible impact on Virginia’s economy, and the development of new tourism product is essential to our success,” said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Brian Ball. “Last year, visitors to Virginia spent $26 billion, which supported 234,000 work opportunities in our communities and contributed $1.8 billion in state and local taxes. By leveraging the power of public-private partnerships, the Marketing Leverage Program grants will help inject even more critical dollars back into Virginia’s economy.”   The next round of VTC Marketing Leverage Program grants will open on September 10, 2019 with a December 17, 2019 deadline. Localities interested in applying may visit www.vatc.org for more information.   A full list of Marketing Leverage Program grant recipients can be found below.  

Program Name	Lead Partner	Award
Abingdon CVB: Piloting A Partnership for Growth	Abingdon Convention and Visitors Bureau	$5,000
Barter Theatre: Two Stages for Theatre Lovers of All Ages	Barter Theatre	$5,000
Birds, Brews, and Barbecue	Eastern Shore of Virginia Birding and Wildlife Programs, Inc.	$2,700
Birthplace of Country Music – Marketing Campaign for Country Music Documentary	Birthplace of Country Music	$50,000
Carroll County Tourism	Carroll County Tourism	$5,000
Crozet Trolley Co. Marketing Launch	Crozet Trolley Co.	$10,000
Destination/Relocation Project	Martinsville–Henry County Tourism	$37,000
Discover Bristol Content Amplification	Discover Bristol	$10,000
Discover Something New in Historic Appomattox Tourism Magazine	Appomattox Chamber of Commerce	$1,500
Dominion Valley Park Gospel Music	Dominion Valley LLC	$5,000
Downtown Ashland Tourism Promotion	Downtown Ashland Association	$10,000
Embrace the Wild	Buchanan County Tourism	$4,790
Executive Leadership Program	Visit Alexandria	$50,000
Expanding the Message – Giles A Place to Play, Stay, Love, and Enjoy | Virginia’s Mountain Playground™	Giles County Tourism	$24,962
Experience our Front Porch from Your Back Porch – Digital Storytelling in SWVA [Phase 1]	Friends of Southwest Virginia	$25,000
Explore NRV Website	New River Valley Regional Commission	$3,250
Festy 10	The High Country Presents LLC	$25,000
Fire, Flour and Fork’s “Future of Food” Agritourism Tours	Real Richmond Food Tours	$5,000
Gateway to the World: Enhancing the dot com	Halifax County Tourism	$5,000
Get Outside!	Heart of Appalachia Tourism Authority	$50,000
Hills, Chills, and Thrills Asset Collection	Town of St. Paul	$10,000
Kids Trail in Virginia	Harpers Ferry Adventure Center	$25,000
LET’S GO! Virginia’s EPIC Shenandoah Valley Vacation	Shenandoah Valley Travel Association	$50,000
LOCKN’ Supports Virginia Music	LOCKN’	$3,685
“Love Louisa” Marketing Campaign	Louisa County Chamber of Commerce	$10,000
Made in Bath County Experiences	Bath County Office of Tourism	$25,000
Make Highland County Your Arts Destination	Highland County Arts Council	$3,000
Marketing the Legacies of Early Virginia	Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation, Inc.	$25,000
Martinsville Speedway – Spring 2019	Martinsville Speedway	$25,000
Music and So Much More	The Crooked Road	$50,000
Ready for Our Close Up – Shining a Light on the ‘New’ Wytheville	Wytheville Convention and Visitors Bureau	$50,000
Rooster Walk 12 Music & Arts Festival	Rooster Walk Inc.	$25,520
“Seasons” Campaign	Montgomery County Regional Tourism Office	$40,000
The Annual Green Top Outdoor Expo	Green Top Sporting Goods	$25,000
The Competitive Traveler	Roanoke Outside Foundation	$8,750
The Place to Play	Sessions Hotel	$12,500
The River is Calling You	Town of Kilmarnock	$50,000
Thomas Jefferson Wine Festival	Thomas Jefferson’s Poplar Forest	$5,000
Tom Tom Summit & Festival 2020	Tom Tom Foundation	$50,000
Virginia Foothills	Montpelier	$25,000
Virginia is for Farmers Market Lovers	Virginia Farmers Market Association	$50,000
Virginia Oyster & Wine Festival at On Sunny Slope Farm	On Sunny Slope Farm, Inc.	$2,500
Virginia Spirits Trail and Passport Program	Virginia Distillers Association	$50,000
Website Redesign – Discover Dinwiddie ~ Define Your Experience!!!	County of Dinwiddie	$10,000