Eastern Shore of Virginia Tourism Commission receives Virginia Tourism Corporation Grant for Tourism Marketing 

Governor Glenn Youngkin announced that Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC) awarded more  than $2.7 million for 259 local and regional tourism marketing programs across the state to help increase visitation and revenue for Virginia’s localities through tourism.  

The Eastern Shore of Virginia Tourism Commission received a $20,000 grant under the Regional  Marketing Program for its project, “On a wing and a beach”, which will promote off-season and  low impact tourism, encouraging visitors to experience the Shore in a whole new way, with a  focus on birding, biking, and artisans. The Tourism Commission also received $7550 to promote  Stories of the Shore, which will help visitors connect to our people, heritage, and what sets us  apart as a region. For both of these programs, the Eastern Shore of Virginia Tourism  Commission has partnered with some incredible members of the community, including: 

• Eastern Shore of Virginia Chamber of Commerce 
• Birding Eastern Shore 
• Cape Charles Main Street Organization 
• Chincoteague Chamber of Commerce 
• Chincoteague Comfort Suites 
• Eastern Shore Rail Trail 
• Eastern Shore Artisans Guild 
• Bay Haven Inn of Cape Charles 

The team at the Tourism Commission is excited to share these projects with the Shore! Robert  Sabbatini, Executive Director of the Tourism Commission, said, “These grants will continue to  strengthen the Eastern Shore of Virginia, and I am very grateful to the Virginia Tourism  Commission. The Eastern Shore of Virginia’s culture, outdoors, and, most importantly, people  will continue to attract visitors from all over and these grants will help make that possible. Our  team here at the ESVA Tourism Commission is ready and willing to be a resource for all here on  the Shore!” 

The VTC Marketing Leverage Program is designed to increase visitor spending by leveraging  limited marketing dollars, stimulating new tourism marketing through partnerships, and  extending the “Virginia is for Lovers” brand. A minimum of three Virginia entities must partner  financially to apply for a grant. Partners may consist of Virginia cities, towns, counties,  convention and visitors bureaus, chambers of commerce, other local or regional destination  marketing organizations, private businesses, museums, attractions, cultural events, and other  tourism-related businesses. 

The VTC Regional Marketing Program aims to help Destination Marketing Organizations  (DMOs) drive overnight visitation and to supplement funding for economically significant  special events and festivals in order to increase overnight visitation. The DMO funding is  projected to drive more than 125,000 room nights over the next 18 months. 

There are many grant opportunities through the Virginia Tourism Corporation for small  businesses and organizations that promote tourism. More information on VTC’s Regional  Marketing Program can be found at vatc.org.