Visit Norfolk and Smithfield & Isle of Wight Convention & Visitors Bureau will receive funding from Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC). The organizations were among 25 local tourism programs selected for its “Crush Friday” program grant fund.
“Crush Friday” is part of VTC’s ongoing efforts to support U.S. Travel’s “Project: Time Off” initiative, encouraging citizens to utilize unused vacation days. In total, VTC awarded $250,000 to 25 tourism marketing projects across the Commonwealth to help increase visitation and revenue for Virginia’s localities through tourism.
Each locality received a $10,000 grant for its Crush Friday project. Localities were required to partner with at least five other tourism businesses to supply matched marketing efforts for the project.
Tourism is an instant revenue generator for Virginia. In 2016, tourism generated $24 billion in revenue, supported nearly 230,000 jobs and provided $1.7 billion in state and local taxes.
VTC grant awards and matching funds provide a stimulus to localities seeking to increase tourism visitation and revenue. A full list of the 25 “Crush Friday” program grant fund recipients can be found at pressroom.virginia.org
source: virginia.org