Historic Triangle Tourism Program Gets State Grant

By Desiree Parker Wednesday, August 03, 2011

A Historic Triangle promotional program will receive a $50,000 grant from a state tourism marketing fund, the Governor’s office announced Tuesday.

The America’s Historic Triangle ticket and vacation package program was organized as a partnership between the Jamestown-Yorktown Foundation, the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, Preservation Virginia, the National Park Service and JCM. The program has been around for several years, according to JYF spokeswoman Deborah Padgett, and offers a ticket for seven days of unlimited visits to Colonial Williamsburg and JYF museums or a combined hotel and attraction package. The program administrators will use the grant “for marketing resources to promote the destination year-round,” Padgett said.

Nearly $800,000 in tourism marketing grants have been awarded to more than 40 tourism initiatives across the state. The grants, awarded by the Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC), are matched by funds from a minimum of three local organizations and will be used to support various marketing initiatives.

The matching funds will leverage the $800,000 in grant funding into more than $2 million invested in tourism marketing, according to Tuesday's press release.

“Tourism is an integral part of the Virginia economy – providing nearly $18 billion in revenue and employing more than 204,000 people,” said Governor Bob McDonnell.

“These grant funds are designed to spur economic development through tourism. The state’s investment maximizes local marketing funds - allowing for localities to double and sometimes triple their marketing power to attract more visitors to local destinations.”

“Virginia’s tourism marketing has a proven 5:1 return on investment, meaning that every dollar the state invests in marketing provides $5 back in tax revenue alone,” said Alisa Bailey, president and CEO of the VTC. “These grants are a tremendous resource for localities that helps get attention for local destinations and generate the revenue and jobs that tourism creates.”

The next round of the Tourism Marketing Leverage Program will open August 8. Localities interested in applying should visit the VTC website for more information.