Maine Office of Tourism awards $112,000 in 'enterprise' grants
Photo / Tim Greenway
Sean Sullivan, the executive director of the Maine Brewers' Guild. The guild is one of eight grant recipients to receive 'enterprise' funding from the Maine Office of Tourism.
The Maine Office of Tourism has awarded eight tourism marketing grants for a combined total of $112,500 in the most recent round of funding.
"Tourism is an integral part of Maine's economy, supporting 99,000 jobs and contributing to quality of life for Maine residents," said Commissioner George Gervais of the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development. "These grants promote the growth of Maine's tourism industry and help keep our downtowns, cultural institutions and outdoors heritage vibrant and alive."
Funding awarded in the fall 2016 grant cycle will support tourism marketing projects planned for 2017.
Recipients are:
Kennebunk-Kennebunkport-Arundel Chamber of Commerce, $10,000, to promote the Launch Maritime Festival celebrating the region’s maritime heritage through a variety of activities and helping to build visitation in the late spring shoulder-season.
Maine Brewers' Guild, $10,000, to support printing, promotion and distribution of the Maine Beer Trail brochure.
Laudholm Trust, $10,000, promote the Summer of Art & Science activities at the Wells Reserve from April through October. The series includes an outdoor sculpture exhibit, lectures, guided walks, workshops and live music.
L/A Metro Chamber of Commerce, $10,000, develop sports tourism marketing materials and website enhancements to position Lewiston/Auburn as a sports event hosting destination.
Freeport USA, $10,000, based on the Maine Office of Tourism's 2015 Annual Report research on Canadian visitors, Freeport will be making a concerted effort to attract Canadians to the Freeport area through media service reaching Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Quebec and Ontario provinces.
Vinalhaven Chamber of Commerce, $2,500, improve the visitor content on the Vinalhaven Chamber of Commerce website as it integrates with the Maine's Mid Coast Chamber Council's regional tourism marketing effort.
Maine Aviation Business Association, $10,000, marketing funds for the Maine Flying Trail Passport, a promotion that reaches a niche audience of nearly 70,000 small aircraft owners within easy flying range of Maine and highlights Maine's small airports as a destination for aviators.
A 2017 Special Event Grant of $50,000 was awarded to Points North Institute/Camden International Film Festival, an internationally recognized film festival that has set goals to achieve 25% growth in non-resident ticket sales and 30% overall growth in attendance.
Deadline for next grant applications
The Enterprise Marketing Grant program was introduced by the Maine Office of Tourism in spring 2014. With the most recent round of grants, the program has awarded over $450,000 in grants to support focused tourism marketing projects that are helping to increase visitor traffic to Maine.
“These grants are a way we can respond to the growing needs of the tourism industry in Maine as the industry grows, and get the word out about the impressive range of experiences Maine offers," said Phil Savignano, senior tourism officer and grant administrator for the Maine Office of Tourism.
Tourism Enterprise Marketing Grants are reviewed and awarded biannually in spring and fall, with awards ranging from $2,500 to $10,000. Eligible non-profit organizations may also apply for Special Event Marketing Grants.
The deadline for applications for the next round of Enterprise Marketing and Special Event grants will be in early May.
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