Ducey promotes tourism with grants from the Visit Arizona initiative

In an effort to position Arizona to attract visitors eager to travel after vaccination, the state will set aside more than $ 100 million in federal funds for a new initiative to support the recovery of the state’s tourism industry. , including $ 60 million in grants.

Gov. Doug Ducey said the Visit Arizona initiative will use federal pandemic recovery funds from the US bailout to help the state’s tourism industry recover from the effects of the COVID pandemic. 19 on travel.

“When visitors from all over the world come to our great state, they stay in our hotels, eat in our restaurants, buy our products and enjoy our recreational activities. Their investments benefit the people of Arizona, and the Visit Arizona initiative will help our tourism industry thrive. and continue to recover from the effects of the pandemic, ”Ducey said in a press release on the initiative.

Always closed:Havasupai Falls will not reopen until 2022. What you need to know about changing reservations

3 ways to apply for tourism subsidies

The Arizona Tourist Board will administer the grant money, which will be distributed through three programs.

The Visit Arizona Partnership will provide $ 25 million in grants to attract “small and large-scale productions for operations that attract out-of-state visitors or raise Arizona’s national and / or international profile. “. The program defines a production as “conferences, exhibitions, festivals, rodeos, events, venue / stage performances and media productions”.

The Visit Arizona Marketing program will provide $ 20 million in grants to help “support efforts to execute targeted tourism marketing plans to bring visitors to destinations across the state.”

The Outdoor Tourism Revitalization Program will provide $ 16 million in grants to help golf courses, trails and outdoor attractions attract visitors to Arizona. This program will be divided into two smaller initiatives.

The Legacy Golf Revitalization program will help older golf courses to modernize. Priority will be given to courses that improve water conservation and sustainability.

The Outdoor Attraction Revitalization Program “will support outdoor recreation efforts statewide through marketing, sustainability and / or permanent infrastructure improvements.”

How to Apply for Arizona Tourism Grants

Those who meet the criteria and are interested in applying for the programs can complete a form available on the Arizona Tourist Board website.

The agency has a dedicated page for the initiative at http://tourism.az.gov/grants.

You can connect with Melissa Yeager, Republic of Arizona consumer travel reporter, by email at [email protected] You can also follow her on Twitter and Instagram.

Support local journalism love this story by subscribing today.