Evansville Area Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Receives $13,750 TRAVEL Grant from Department of Tourism
Evansville Area Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Receives $13,750 TRAVEL Grant from Department of Tourism
Funds provide relief from impacts of
COVID-19
Evansville, Wis. (October 29, 2020) – Evansville Area Chamber of Commerce & Tourism received a $13.750 Tourism Relief to Accelerate Vitality and Economic Lift (TRAVEL) Stimulus Grant from the Department of Tourism. The ECC is one of 158 recipients of TRAVEL grant funds totaling nearly $12 million.
The TRAVEL grant program was designed to help Wisconsin’s tourism promotion and tourism development organizations resume business
operations and restore economic activity stemming from the COVID-19 public
health emergency. The effort is funded through the state’s discretionary federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act dollars.
“While there is no way for us to replace all that was lost, these grants are not only an acknowledgement of just how important tourism is to our state’s economy, but also a critical first step in a long journey that we will take together to rebuild,” said Secretary-designee, Sara Meaney. “I am grateful to Governor Evers for his commitment to Wisconsin’s tourism economy.”
The funds will provide relief from the impacts of COVID-19 and support marketing
to promote a safe and healthy experience for travelers and resident consumers
amid the COVID-19 public health emergency.
“Thank you to for allocating these CARES Act dollars to support our community promotion efforts" said Christina Slaback, Executive Director. “These much-needed funds are a critical to our success in promoting the community and its businesses."
The full list of tourism promotion and development organizations
receiving grant funds is available here.
Tourism is an important pillar of Wisconsin’s economy and the industry saw its biggest year on record in 2019. Over 113.2 million visits statewide generated an estimated $22.2 billion, including $1.6 billion in state and local tax revenue. The tourism industry supports 202,217 full- and part-time jobs in Wisconsin and last year, the state achieved a return on investment of $95 in visitor spending per $1 of promotional spending. At a more local level in Rock County, travelers spent $263.6million in 2019 and employees 4,343 people. While this data underscores that tourism is one of Wisconsin's most financially valuable industries, the impact of tourism advancement activities upon Wisconsin's economy stretches well beyond the tourism industry. The halo effect
of tourism's advertising and attraction of travelers is a significant asset in
recruiting entrepreneurs, workers, students, retirees and investors.
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About the Wisconsin
Department of Tourism
The mission of the Wisconsin Department of Tourism is to inspire travelers to visit Wisconsin. Because we
believe in the power of exploration and travel, we work to market the state as
a premier travel destination. By executing industry-leading marketing programs
and establishing strategic partnerships, the Department plays a significant
role in generating greater economic impact for Wisconsin through tourism. Learn
more at industry.travelwisconsin.com.
About the Evansville Area Chamber of Commerce & Tourism
The mission of the Evansville Area Chamber of Commerce & Tourism is to provide support to local commerce and industry and to assist in the growth, development, and recruitment of business enterprises.
At the Evansville Area Chamber of Commerce & Tourism; we work very hard to help our members achieve all their business goals each year, and we measure our success by our members’ success.
The Evansville Area Chamber of Commerce & Tourism serves over 100 members. We provide programs and events that not only support our members as business owners but also benefit the Evansville community as a whole.
For more information on this and other programs visit our website at www.evansvillechamber.org and follow us on Facebook at fb.com/evansvillecoc
