VisitMartinsville has received 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 $1.9 million in matching grant funds were awarded to 161 local tourism initiatives through this program. This funding cycle, local partners will provide more than $5.6 million in-kind value to match the VTC grants. The grants will ultimately impact 483 statewide tourism entities.
VisitMartinsville will use the VTC Recovery Marketing Leverage grant funds to design a new website with enhanced visitor features including a virtual trip planner to create a customized itinerary for their next trip to Martinsville-Henry County, Virginia. The new design will also make it easier for visitors to discover more about the unique shops, restaurants, and hidden gems that make Martinsville-Henry County special and a perfect destination for their next day trip or weekend getaway.
Momenta, a local small business, has designed the site which is scheduled to go live in the coming weeks.
Beth Stinnett, Tourism & Film Office Coordinator, said “In this digital era, it’s crucial that VisitMartinsville has a strong online presence that is both attractive and visitor-friendly. As the Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) for Martinsville and Henry County, our website serves to showcase all of the attractions and amenities that make us a unique place to visit. With the added features and enhancements to VisitMartinsville.com, we hope to see an increase in visitation to our area and increased satisfaction in the overall guest experience.”
“Tourism is a crucial section of the Virginia economy and when we invest in this industry, we support local job creation and drive regional economic growth, which is desperately needed now due to the pandemic,” said Governor Ralph Northam. “These funds give localities and businesses access to critical
marketing resources that will help bring more travelers to our Commonwealth, increase visitor spending, and grow demand for Virginia products.”
Tourism is one of the Commonwealth’s largest economic engines, with visitors to Martinsville-Henry County spending more than 74 million in 2019, supporting 768 work opportunities and contributing more than 4.8 million in local and state tax revenue. The tourism and hospitality industries have also been among the hardest-hit by the pandemic, experiencing decreased revenue and job loss, along with the temporary closure of many tourism-related businesses. A revived tourism economy can help spur new economic activity and inject critical funds back into Virginia communities.
