The Halifax County Department of Tourism, The Prizery and the Southern Virginia Higher Education Center have received a $10,000 grant from the Virginia Tourism Corporation Leverage Grant program.
Grants are designed to help local and regional tourism entities attract more visitors by leveraging local marketing dollars. In all, Governor Bob McDonnell awarded more than $543,000 in matching grant funds to 37 local tourism initiatives.
The local grant will be used to promote a marketing campaign entitled "Halifax County: Your Meeting Destination."
Tourism Director Linda Shepperd points out the campaign will bring an increased awareness to meeting planners throughout Virginia and surrounding areas.
Pointing to the amenities and facilities available at both The Prizery and the Southern Virginia Education Center, she noted that both have successfully hosted-day long meetings. Now the hope is to attract meetings that include an overnight stay, she said.
Such events would benefit the entire community through increased spending and tax revenues, Shepperd added.
Another grant for $1,549 was awarded to the Roanoke River Rails to Trails, Inc., which is establishing a trails system in Halifax, Mecklenburg and Brunswick counties. The money will be used to make the trail's web site more user friendly and interactive, according to Heather Susee of the Virginia Tourism Corporation.
McDonnell said in a statement that because of the grants, localities are able "to more effectively market themselves to potential visitors. When more visitors come to Virginia, the Commonwealth and the localities realize increased tax revenue, businesses prosper and new jobs are created."
He called Virginia's tourism "an instant revenue generator" and claimed that the state generated over $20.4 billion in revenue in 2011 and supported 207,000 jobs and provided $1.32 billion in state and local taxes.
