Waynesboro Receives Virginia Tourism Corporation Grant
Waynesboro Receives Virginia Tourism Corporation Grant
$20,000 Recovery Marketing Leverage Program
WAYNESBORO – The City of Waynesboro Department of Economic Development and Tourism has received $20,000
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 grant 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.
The City of Waynesboro will use the VTC Recovery Marketing Leverage grant funds for a new marketing program called
Work Up an Appetite in Waynesboro, which will leverage Waynesboro’s close proximity to world-class outdoor
recreation assets such as Shenandoah National Park, the Blue Ridge Parkway, Appalachian Trail, and South River to
encourage people to extend their stay in Waynesboro and take advantage of a growing culinary scene.
“Waynesboro is becoming more and more of a ‘foodie’ destination filled with diverse offerings, and younger generations
of travelers are increasingly making travel decisions based on where they can get the best food,” says Jennifer Callison,
Tourism and Marketing Manager for the City of Waynesboro. “The goal of Work Up an Appetite in Waynesboro is to
reinforce the amazing opportunities for outdoor recreation nearby, while highlighting Waynesboro’s growing list of dining
assets.”
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.
“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 Waynesboro spending more than $38
million in 2019, supporting 367 work opportunities and contributing over $1.2 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.
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