State Tourism Board Approves Co-op Marketing Projects Program Targets Out-of-State Visitors

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Members of the Utah Board of Tourism Development have approved nearly $209,000 in state spending in the second round of the first $1 million dollar cycle of applications for Utah’s new Cooperative Marketing program. Non-profit tourism entities are eligible to apply for the $2 million appropriated by the legislature for the current fiscal year to promote Utah to out-of-state visitors.
At its monthly meeting in Salt Lake City, the board considered 22 applications totaling more than $976,000 in requests for the state funding. The following applications received approval:
Utah Shakespearean Festival, $65,061
Canyonlands Field Institute, $2,000
City of Green River, $23,000
Davis Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, $13,013
St. George Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, $32,500
Thanksgiving Point Institute, $15,000
Utah Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau, $33,850
Carbon County Travel Bureau, $4,482
SUU Outdoors, $5,000
Kane County Office of Tourism, $15,000
Total $208,906
“The board has completed the first $1 million funding cycle and our tourism partners should be delighted to see the great projects funded all around the state that should help fulfill our mission to bring in more out-of-state visitors,” said Leigh von der Esch, managing director of the Utah Office of Tourism, Governor’s Office of Economic Development.
Those eligible for the co-op program include cities, counties, non-profit destination marketing organizations (DMO’s), and similar public entities that have been established as a non-profit for a minimum of one year. The Utah Office of Tourism will match up to 50 percent of the cost of a marketing project. All projects must utilize the state brand and have a call to action.
The next application deadline in the second funding cycle is Feb. 1. The application and guidelines can be downloaded at http://travel.utah.gov.
For additional information on the co-op guidelines and application form, contact the Utah Office of Tourism, 300 North State Street, Salt Lake City, Utah, 84114, (801) 538-1900.