State tourism dollars headed our way
The Rappahannock-Rapidan Regional Commission (RRRC) has been awarded $21,000 from the Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC) Marketing Leverage Program grant fund.
The grant was announced this week by Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam.
In total, VTC awarded more than $840,000 for 56 tourism marketing projects across the state to help increase visitation and revenue for Virginia’s localities through tourism.
The grants are designed to 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 2:1 in order to support marketing projects.
RRRC and its regional tourism partners received the $21,000 grant for the ‘Tween Rivers Trail Brand Awareness Campaign. RRRC partnered with the Town of Culpeper Tourism & Economic Development Department, Fauquier County Department of Economic Development, Madison County Economic Development & Tourism Department, and Orange County Department of Tourism to supply $42,025 in matching funds for the project.
The Rappahannock County Visitor’s Center is also a partner in the ‘Tween Rivers Trail and other regional tourism efforts.
The grant will allow the regional partners to continue developing the ‘Tween Rivers Trail marketing materials and promote the region’s tourism industry. Brochures and videos will be produced, ads will be placed in print, digital and social media venues, and both the ‘Tween Rivers Trail and The Virginia Piedmont websites will be updated to showcase the trail sites and tourism businesses within the region.
Research shows that every VTC dollar invested in grants resulted in $16 of direct visitor spending. Marketing campaigns that received Marketing Leverage Grants increased visitation by 15 percent.
The governor’s news release announcing the grant thanked, among others, Rappahannock County Visitor Center Coordinator Sandra Maskas for her dedication, talent and leadership in tourism and economic development.