Towns and counties across Southwest Virginia are on the receiving end of some serious state money.
On Monday, Gov. Ralph Northam announced more than $1.9 million in matching tourism grants. The money, funding 161 local tourism initiatives, aims to help localities respond to and recover from COVID-19. The money is part of the Virginia Tourism Corporation’s Recovery Marketing Leverage Program.
The grants require in-kind matches from local partners.
“In Virginia, the travel and tourism industries are the backbone of our communities and our economy, and they have been among those hardest hit by the pandemic,” said Northam. “This program will give localities and businesses access to much-needed marketing resources to sustain their operations and ensure the Commonwealth’s many attractions are safe for visitors. These are critical investments that will help to grow demand for Virginia products, drive local spending, and restore additional economic activity as we continue on our road to recovery.”
Wytheville hauled in $30,000 in grants with the lion’s share – $20,000 – going to the Wytheville Convention & Visitors Bureau Social Distancing, Naturally campaign. The Edith Bolling Wilson Museum received $1,750 for marketing and promotion, and $8,250 went to the Blue Ridge Travel Association for Rediscovering the Blue Ridge.
Marion’s Visit Marion campaign received $20,000. Pulaski county Tourism pulled in $10,000. Emory & Henry College received the same amount to create a Southwest Virginia Museum Trail. Bland County Tourism and Visit Tazewell County each received $10,000, too.
Initiatives in Abingdon brought in just shy of $65,000. The Abingdon Convention and Visitors Bureau’s Share What You Love in Abingdon campaign received $20,000. The Barter Theatre, the Virginia Highlands Festival and Hungry Brother BBQ’s celebration program each received $10,000. William King Museum of Art was allotted $9,954.50. The Crooked Road received $5,000.
Grayson County’s Tourism received $20,000 for its Ultimate Outdoor Recreation! Program.
Bristol’s Birthplace of Country Music’s 2021 spring marketing campaign received $20,000, the same amount s The Sessions Hotel. Discover Bristol’s Gone Livin’ received $10,000.
The COVID-19 pandemic has had devastating effects on the tourism and hospitality industries in Virginia and across the country. While visitors spent $27 billion in the Commonwealth in 2019—a 3.4 percent increase over 2018—supporting 237,000 work opportunities and contributing $1.8 billion in state and local taxes, 2020 projects forecast a major decline in tourism revenues.
The grants hope to increase visitor spending and kickstart stalled economic activity. Applicants joined with two partners – ranging from cities, towns, counties and visitors’ bureaus to chambers of commerce, private businesses and museums.
“The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has upended the tourism industry, which is one of Virginia’s largest sectors,” said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Brian Ball. “RMLP will inject dollars in every region of the Commonwealth and help the development of new tourism product while getting communities back on their feet.”
