~ More than $1.9 million in matching grants awarded through Recovery Marketing Leverage Program ~
RICHMOND—Governor Ralph Northam today announced more than $1.9 million in matching grants will be awarded to 161 local tourism initiatives as part of Virginia Tourism Corporation’s (VTC) Recovery Marketing Leverage Program (RMLP). VTC revised its traditional Marketing Leverage Program to create the RMLP in an effort to support tourism initiatives in responding to and recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic.
RMLP is open to all Virginia tourism industry partners and will help local and regional tourism programs leverage limited local marketing dollars through a local in-kind match of the state grants funds. This funding cycle, local partners will provide more than $5.6 million in-kind value to match the VTC grants, and the RMLP will ultimately impact 483 statewide tourism entities.
“In Virginia, the travel and tourism industries are the backbone of our communities and our economy, and they have been among those hardest hit by the pandemic,” said Governor Northam. “This program will give localities and businesses access to much-needed marketing resources to sustain their operations and ensure the Commonwealth’s many attractions are safe for visitors. These are critical investments that will help to grow demand for Virginia products, drive local spending, and restore additional economic activity as we continue on our road to recovery.”
The COVID-19 pandemic has had devastating effects on the tourism and hospitality industries in Virginia and across the country. While visitors spent $27 billion in the Commonwealth in 2019—a 3.4 percent increase over 2018—supporting 237,000 work opportunities and contributing $1.8 billion in state and local taxes, 2020 projects forecast a major decline in tourism revenues.
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. Applicants joined with two other partners to apply for the VTC funds. Partners may consist of Virginia cities, towns, counties, convention and visitors’ bureaus, chambers of commerce, local or regional destination marketing organizations, private businesses, museums, attractions, cultural events, and other tourism-related businesses.
“The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has upended the tourism industry, which is one of Virginia’s largest sectors,” said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Brian Ball. “RMLP will inject dollars in every region of the Commonwealth and help the development of new tourism product while getting communities back on their feet.”
For more information on VTC’s industry assistance programs, including the COVID-19 Industry Response Toolkit, visit vatc.org.
A full list of Marketing Leverage Program grant recipients can be found below.
| Locality | Lead Partner | Name of Marketing Program | Award Amount |
| Abingdon | Abingdon Convention & Visitors Bureau | Share What You Love in Abingdon | $20,000.00 |
| Abingdon | Barter Theatre | Wander to Abingdon and Drive-In to Barter Theatre | $10,000.00 |
| Abingdon | Virginia’s Heritage Music Trail: The Crooked Road | Sustaining Excellence | $5,000.00 |
| Abingdon | Virginia Highlands Festival | Virginia Highlands Festival On The Move | $10,000.00 |
| Abingdon | Hungry Brother BBQ | Hungry Brother Regional Celebration Program | $10,000.00 |
| Abingdon | William King Museum of Art | William King Museum of Art | $9,964.50 |
| Accomac | Accomack-Northampton Planning District Commission | Explore Rural Coastal Virginia’s Water Trails! | $20,000.00 |
| Alexandria | Visit Alexandria | Visit Alexandria | $20,000.00 |
| Alton | Southern Virginia Motorsports Council | Racing Through The Summer | $10,000.00 |
| Appomattox | Appomattox for Equality | Appomattox for Diversity | $10,000.00 |
| Arlington | Appaloosa Festival | Appaloosa Festival: Return to Your Roots | $10,000.00 |
| Arlington | Arlington Convention and Visitors Service | Arlington in Bloom: Springtime Renewal & Connection | $10,000.00 |
| Ashburn | StageCoach Theatre Company LLC | Winter 2020 and Spring 2021 Theatre Productions | $7,125.00 |
| Ashland | Center of the Universe Brewing Co | Welcome to Ashland! | $9,550.00 |
| Bedford | Bedford Area Welcome Center/Destination Bedford | Destination Bedford – Top Adventure Town | $20,000.00 |
| Bedford | National D-Day Memorial Foundation | National D-Day Memorial Foundation | $10,000.00 |
| Blackstone | Downtown Blackstone, Inc. | Discover Blackstone | $10,000.00 |
| Bland | Bland County Tourism | Bland County Tourism | $10,000.00 |
| Bluefield | Visit Tazewell County | Visit Tazewell County | $10,000.00 |
| Bristol | Birthplace of Country Music | Walk the Line in the Birthplace of Country Music – 2021 Spring Marketing Campaign | $20,000.00 |
| Bristol | The Sessions Hotel | The Sessions Hotel | $20,000.00 |
| Bristol | Discover Bristol | Gone Livin’ | $10,000.00 |
| Cape Charles | Cape Charles Main Street | Discover Cape Charles | $20,000.00 |
| Charlottesville | Tom Tom Foundation | Tom Tom Festival presents Charlottesville Rising | $20,000.00 |
| Charlottesville | IX Art Park Foundation | Charlottesville Arts Immersion Excursion | $20,000.00 |
| Charlottesville | Chapman and Wilburn LLC DBA Monticello Wine Tour & Coach Co | Jefferson Heritage Experience | $10,000.00 |
| Charlottesville | Thomas Jefferson Foundation (Monticello) | Virginia Family Road Trip: Adventure Awaits | $10,000.00 |
| Charlottesville | Virginia Festival of the Wheel | Virginia Festival of the Wheel | $10,000.00 |
| Chesterfield | Chesterfield County Parks and Recreation | Rediscover Chesterfield’s History | $10,000.00 |
| Chincoteague | Chincoteague Chamber of Commerce | Chincoteague Visitor Guide | $10,000.00 |
| Clarksville | Clarksville Lake Country Chamber of Commerce | Drivin’ and Jivin’ Weekend Tours | $10,000.00 |
| Coeburn | Spearhead Trails Southwest Regional Recreation Authority | Battle of the First Wave | $10,000.00 |
| Colonial Beach | Town of Colonial Beach | VisitCBVA | $10,000.00 |
| Covington | Alleghany Highlands Chamber of Commerce & Tourism | Uniquely Alleghany Adventures in the Heart of Virginia’s Mountain Region | $10,000.00 |
| Covington | Virginia’s Western Highlands | Fun Getaways Amid Beautiful Mountain Scenery | $10,000.00 |
| Crozet | Montfair Resort Farm | 2020 Montfair Marketing Program | $8,269.50 |
| Crozet | Crozet Park | Crozet Arts and Crafts Festivals | $9,991.50 |
| Culpeper | Culpeper Tourism and Economic Development | Culpeper Spring Destination Awareness Campaign | $10,000.00 |
| Daleville | Botetourt County | Botetourt County – Small Towns of Virginia | $20,000.00 |
| Danville | Danville Museum of Fine Arts & History | Danville Museum of Fine Arts & History | $10,000.00 |
| Dinwiddie | Dinwiddie County Tourism | Discover Dinwiddie Day Trip | $10,000.00 |
| Dublin | Pulaski County Tourism | Pulaski County Tourism | $10,000.00 |
| Duffield | Daniel Boone Wilderness Trail Interpretive Center Foundation | Daniel Boone Wilderness Trail Interpretive Center | $20,000.00 |
| Emory | Emory & Henry College | Launching the SW Virginia Museum Experience – Creation of a SW VA Museum Trail | $10,000.00 |
| Exmore | Town of Exmore | The Shore’s Hometown: Diversity from Land to Sea | $10,000.00 |
| Farmville | Prince Edward County Office of Tourism | Play & Stay in Farmville | $10,000.00 |
| Farmville | Farmville Area Chamber of Commerce | Wander to Farmville | $2,500.00 |
| Floyd | The Floyd Country Store | Music of Our Mountains | $20,000.00 |
| Floyd | The Buffalo Hemp Company | Play Hard, Relax Easy in Floyd | $6,500.00 |
| Forest | The Corporation for Jefferson’s Poplar Forest | Jefferson’s Retreat, Your Retreat | $10,000.00 |
| Franklin | Franklin Southampton Economic Development, Inc. | What a Day! in Franklin Southampton | $3,500.00 |
| Fredericksburg | Fredericksburg City Tourism | FXBG Fun in 2021 | $20,000.00 |
| Fredericksburg | Riverside Center for the Performing Arts | Staycation Destination: Stafford | $10,000.00 |
| Gate City | Scott County, Virginia Tourism | More Than the “Tub”—Scott County, Virginia | $20,000.00 |
| Gate City | Town of Gate City | Kicking Back at King Alley – Free Summer Concert Series | $20,000.00 |
| Glen Allen | Richmond Strikers | Jefferson Cup Marketing Campaign | $10,000.00 |
| Glen Allen | Artspace | Artspace Marketing Program | $8,972.50 |
| Gloucester | Gloucester Parks, Recreation & Tourism | Visit Gloucester – For History, For Beauty, For Fun! | $10,000.00 |
| Grundy | Southern Gap Outdoor Adventure | Find Your Place in the Great Outdoors | $20,000.00 |
| Hanover | Five-O’s Tiki Foundation, Inc. | Hart Nissan Concert Series | $10,000.00 |
| Hanover | Hanover Tavern Foundation | Hanover Tavern Marketing | $10,000.00 |
| Harrisonburg | City of Harrisonburg Tourism and Visitor Services | Our PATH to the Perfect Event | $20,000.00 |
| Harrisonburg | Black Bear Productions LLC | Red Wing Roots Music Festival – Come for the festival, stay for a week! | $10,000.00 |
| Harrisonburg | The Wishing Well | Culinary Luxury in the Blue Ridge | $10,000.00 |
| Harrisonburg | Community Mediation Center dba Harrisonburg International Festival | Harrisonburg’s International Festival & Business Recovery Program | $10,000.00 |
| Harrisonburg | The Virginia Quilt Museum | VQM COVID-19 Recovery Plan | $3,750.00 |
| Hayes | Virginia Campground Association | The Virginia Campground Association 2021 Digital Directory Marketing Program | $10,000.00 |
| Hiltons | Carter Family Fold Old Time Music, Inc. | “Follow Me Back to the Fold” | $20,000.00 |
| Hopewell | Hopewell Downtown Partnership | “5 and Dime” Coalition and Road Trip | $4,648.50 |
| Hot Springs | The Homestead LC (The Omni Homestead Resort) | Virginia Road Trip | $10,000.00 |
| Independence | Grayson County Tourism | Grayson County – Ultimate Outdoor Recreation! | $20,000.00 |
| Irvington | Irvington Virginia Business Association | Explore America’s Quintessential Coastal Village – Irvington, Virginia | $9,750.00 |
| Kenbridge | Southern Virginia Food Hub | Locally Grown, LOVEingly made | $20,000.00 |
| Kilmarnock | Town of Kilmarnock (Visit Kilmarnock,VA) | WanderLove: Your Road Trip to the River | $20,000.00 |
| Lawrenceville | Brunswick County | Brunswick Stew Tour | $10,000.00 |
| Lebanon | Russell County Tourism | Russell County Tourism | $5,000.00 |
| Leesburg | Visit Loudoun | Love Loudoun Like a Local | $20,000.00 |
| Lexington | Lexington & The Rockbridge Area Tourism | Small Towns Big Back Yards | $10,000.00 |
| Locust Dale | Meander Inn LLC | Only in Madison Experiences | $10,000.00 |
| Louisa | Louisa County Chamber of Commerce | Unplug & Play in Louisa | $20,000.00 |
| Lovingston | Nelson County CVB | Coolest Hike in Virginia | $9,381.00 |
| Luray | Luray-Page County Chamber of Commerce & Visitor Center | Exploring the Great Outdoors in Luray & Page County | $20,000.00 |
| Luray | Shenandoah Valley Travel, Inc. dba Shenandoah Valley Travel Association | Make Time for LOVE in the Shenandoah Valley | $10,000.00 |
| Luray | Shadow Mountain Escape | Blue Ridge Mountain Escape to Romance & Adventure | $10,000.00 |
| Luray | Page County | Sunday Drive | $10,000.00 |
| Lynchburg | Craddock Terry Hotel | For the Love of Views, Brews, Corkscrews and Shoes! | $10,000.00 |
| Machipongo | Chatham Vineyards, LLC | Eastern Shore Wine & Brine To Go! | $10,000.00 |
| Machipongo | Lambert Shellfish LLC | Oyster Farm Tour and Interactive Experience | $10,000.00 |
| Madison | Early Mountain | WanderWine | $20,000.00 |
| Manassas | Prince William County Office of Tourism | Prince William’s Open Spaces and Friendly Faces | $10,000.00 |
| Marion | Marion, VA | Visit Marion, VA | $20,000.00 |
| Martinsville | Rooster Walk Inc | Pop’s is the Place | $5,375.00 |
| Martinsville | VisitMartinsville | Enhanced VisitMartinsville Website | $10,000.00 |
| Mason Neck | The Board of Regents of Gunston Hall, Inc. | “Winter Wanderlust: Hidden Gems within 45 Minutes” | $20,000.00 |
| Moneta | Smith Mountain Lake Regional Chamber | Visit Smith Mountain Lake | $20,000.00 |
| Montpelier Station | Montpelier Steeplechase and Equestrian Foundation | Montpelier Hunt Races Festival | $20,000.00 |
| New Castle | Wilderness Adventure at Eagle Landing | Your Basecamp for Adventure | $6,400.00 |
| Newport News | Virginia Living Museum | Dinosaurs and the Great Outdoors | $10,000.00 |
| Norfolk | Virginia Arts Festival | Virginia International Tattoo | $20,000.00 |
| Norfolk | Virginia Zoo | Explore in Your Back Yard | $10,000.00 |
| Norfolk | Visit Norfolk | The City with Bite featuring Nomarama | $10,000.00 |
| Norfolk | Norfolk Festevents, Ltd. | Norfolk Festevents 2021 Season of Events | $10,000.00 |
| North Garden | Virginia Association of Cider Makers | Virginia Cider for All Occasions | $10,000.00 |
| Onancock | Onancock Main Street Initiative (OMSI) | Experience Onancock | $20,000.00 |
| Pearisburg | Inn At Riverbend | Inn At Riverbend | $10,000.00 |
| Pennington Gap | Town of Pennington Gap | Town of Pennington Gap | $10,000.00 |
| Petersburg | City of Petersburg Department of Tourism | Discover the Underdiscovered Petersburg | $10,000.00 |
| Portsmouth | City of Portsmouth Department of Parks Recreation and Tourism | 48-Hour Small Town Getaways | $10,000.00 |
| Radford | Radford Visitor’s Center | Visit NRV-Virginia’s New River Valley | $20,000.00 |
| Reston | Reston Historic Trust & Museum | Reston Historic Trust & Museum | $10,000.00 |
| Richmond | Richmond Sports Backers | 2021 Richmond Marathon | $10,000.00 |
| Richmond | Richmond Performing Arts Alliance | #ArtsHuntRVA | $10,000.00 |
| Richmond | Buskey Cider | Drink Scott’s Addition | $10,000.00 |
| Richmond | Preservation Virginia | 100 Miles of History | $8,950.00 |
| Roanoke | Roanoke Outside | Outdoors is in Our DNA | $20,000.00 |
| Roanoke | Blue Ridge Parkway Association | Wander Love Rides | $20,000.00 |
| Roanoke | Visit Virginia’s Blue Ridge | Metro Mountain Mini-Vacations in Virginia’s Blue Ridge | $20,000.00 |
| Roanoke | Milestone Development | New River Valley Sports | $10,000.00 |
| Roanoke | Downshift LLC | Ride the Rockstar! | $9,000.00 |
| Roanoke | Apple Ridge Farm | Experience Apple Ridge | $9,867.68 |
| Rocky Mount | Town of Rocky Mount | Reimagine Rocky Mount | $10,000.00 |
| Roseland | Bryant’s Cider | Bryant’s Cider | $5,000.00 |
| Ruther Glen | County of Caroline Department of Economic Development & Tourism | 301/207 Corridor 301 Things to Experience! | $10,000.00 |
| Saint Paul | Heart of Appalachia Tourism Authority | Heart of Appalachia Tourism Authority | $10,000.00 |
| Salem | City of Salem Tourism Office | Sports is the Hub for Salem Tourism | $10,000.00 |
| Saluda | Middlesex County | Spring Road Trip to VA River Realm (featuring the 4 Middlesex Small Towns) | $10,000.00 |
| Saluda | Middle Peninsula Chesapeake Bay Public Access Authority | Shucking Awesome! Paddle & Pub Crawl | $10,000.00 |
| Smithfield | Smithfield & Isle of Wight Convention and Visitors Bureau | Family Field Trips to Smithfield and Isle of Wight County | $5,000.00 |
| South Boston | Halifax County Tourism | What Makes Your Heart Race Girlfriends Getaway | $20,000.00 |
| South Hill | South Hill Chamber of Commerce | Discover the Unexpected | $10,000.00 |
| St. Paul | Western Front Hotel | Small Town = Big Fun – Live It, Love It, Ride It! | $10,000.00 |
| St. Paul | Town of St. Paul | Come Discover Your Fountain of Youth in Virginia’s Great Southwest | $20,000.00 |
| Staunton | City of Staunton | Less Screen Time, More Play Time – Family Road Trip to Staunton | $10,000.00 |
| Stuart | Patrick County Tourism | Trail Marketing & LoveWorks | $10,000.00 |
| Stuart | Patrick County Chamber of Commerce | Experience Patrick County: Map your own way | $8,500.00 |
| Surry | Surry County, Virginia | A Road Trip to Remember in Surry County, VA | $20,000.00 |
| Swoope | Shenandoah Mountain Music Makers Assoc. Inc. d/b/a Shenandoah Music Trail | Virginia is for Lovers of Mountain Music | $10,000.00 |
| Thornburg | Dominion Raceway & Entertainment | Dominion Raceway & Entertainment | $10,000.00 |
| Troutdale | Blue Ridge Discovery Center | BRDC Grand Opening | $8,545.00 |
| Verona | Augusta County, VA | Beerwerks: Blaze Your Own Trail! | $10,000.00 |
| Vienna | Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts | SOUNDWALK at Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts | $10,000.00 |
| Virginia Beach | Virginia Beach Art Center, Inc. | Getaway to the heART of Virginia Beach | $20,000.00 |
| Virginia Beach | ViBe Creative District | WanderLove: ViBe Creative District | $20,000.00 |
| Virginia Beach | Military Aviation Museum | Warbird Weekends | $10,000.00 |
| Virginia Beach | Zeiders American Dream Theater | Zeiders American Dream Theater | $10,000.00 |
| Warm Springs | Bath County | Bath County WanderLove – Food & Hidden Gems | $10,000.00 |
| Warsaw | Northern Neck Planning District Commission | Northern Neck: Off the Beaten Path | $20,000.00 |
| Warsaw | The Menokin Foundation | Disconnect at Menokin and the Northern Neck | $10,000.00 |
| Waynesboro | Waynesboro Economic Development and Tourism | Work up an Appetite in Waynesboro | $20,000.00 |
| Waynesboro | The Wayne Theatre Alliance | REACH – Rediscovering Excitement for Arts, Culture, and History in the Shenandoah Valley | $10,000.00 |
| Williamsburg | Colonial Williamsburg | Travel through History: A Virginia Road Trip | $20,000.00 |
| Winchester | Encore Event Partners, LLC/ VA Kids Trail | Reconnect and Recharge on a VA Kids Trail Family Vacation! | $10,000.00 |
| Woodstock | Shenandoah County Tourism and Economic Development | Wander and Find Your Way Back to Open Spaces | $10,000.00 |
| Woodstock | Shenandoah Valley Music Festival | SVMF – Your Concert Vacation Destination! | $10,000.00 |
| Woodstock | Shenandoah County Fair Association | Shenandoah County Fair | $10,000.00 |
| Woodstock | Muse Vineyards LLC | Our Bend in the River | $10,000.00 |
| Wytheville | Wytheville Convention & Visitors Bureau | Social Distancing, Naturally | $20,000.00 |
| Wytheville | Edith Bolling Wilson Museum | Museum Marketing & Promotion | $1,750.00 |
| Wytheville | Blue Ridge Travel Association | Rediscovering the Blue Ridge | $8,250.00 |
| Yorktown | County of York | York County Tourism Development – Visit Yorktown | $20,000.00 |
| Yorktown | York County Office of Economic Development | Dining on The Edge | $8,350.00 |