VisitMartinsville has received $10,000 from the Virginia Tourism Corporation’s (VTC) Recovery Marketing Leverage Program (RMLP), 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.
More than $860,000 in matching grant funds were awarded to 64 local tourism initiatives through this program. This funding cycle, local partners will provide more than $2.2 million in-kind marketing value to match the VTC grants. The grants will ultimately impact 384 statewide tourism entities.
VisitMartinsville will use the VTC Recovery Marketing Leverage grant funds to produce a series of storytelling videos highlighting adventures and amenities offered in Martinsville – Henry County.
Beth Stinnett, Tourism & Film Office Coordinator for the Martinsville – Henry County Economic Development Corporation said, “The VTC’s Recovery Marketing Leverage Grant funds will go a long way in helping our office tell the story of Martinsville – Henry County and get our community in the spotlight. Seeing is believing, and we know these videos will entice visitors to our community to see it for themselves. We look forward to seeing the impact this video series will have on visitation, our tourism partners, and even our residents. You may be surprised what all can be experienced in Martinsville – Henry County.”
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating impact on the tourism and hospitality industries in Virginia. As the Commonwealth slowly reopens for business, VTC offered these grant funds as a first step to re-entry into the marketplace to spur economic activity and future travel across the Commonwealth of Virginia.
“The tourism and hospitality industries have been among the hardest-hit by the pandemic, experiencing decreased revenue and job loss, along with the temporary closure of many tourism-related businesses,” said Gov. Ralph Northam. “These funds will help to revive Virginia’s tourism economy, which will help spur new economic activity and inject critical funds back into its communities.”
VTC offered these grant funds as a first step to re-entry into the marketplace to spur economic activity and future travel across the Commonwealth. The RMLP is designed to increase visitor spending by stimulating new tourism marketing through partnerships and extending the “Virginia is for Lovers” brand.
The Virginia Tourism Corporation is the state agency charged with marketing the Commonwealth as a premier travel and film destination. In 2019, visitors to Virginia spent $27 billion, which supported 237,000 work opportunities and contributed $1.8 billion in state and local taxes. To learn more, visit virginia.org.
