Black River Area Chamber of Commerce Receives TRAVEL Stimulus Grant
Wednesday, October 21st, 2020 -- 8:06 AM
-The Black River Area Chamber of Commerce received a $38,000 Tourism Relief to Accelerate Vitality and Economic Lift (TRAVEL) Stimulus Grant from the Department of Tourism.The Black River Area Chamber of Commerce is one of 158 recipients of TRAVEL grant funds totaling nearly $12 million. The TRAVEL grant program was designed to help Wisconsin’s tourism promotion and tourism development organizations resume business operations and restore economic activity stemming from the COVID-19 public health emergency. The effort is funded through the state’s discretionary federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act dollars. The funds will provide relief from the impacts of COVID-19 and support marketing to promote a safe and healthy experience for travelers and resident consumers amid the COVID-19 public health emergency. “Thank you to Governor Evers and our federal decision makers for allocating these CARES Act dollars to support the tourism industry,” said Amanda Gunn, Executive Director “These much-needed funds are a critical step in our recovery.” Tourism is an important pillar of Wisconsin’s economy and the industry saw its biggest year on record in 2019.
Over 113.2 million visits statewide generated an estimated $22.2 billion, including $1.6 billion in state and local tax revenue. The tourism industry supports 202,217 full- and part-time jobs in Wisconsin and last year, the state achieved a return on investment of $95 in visitor spending per $1 of promotional spending. At a more local level in Jackson County, travelers spent $35 million in 2019 and supported 525 full and part-time jobs. While this data underscores that tourism is one of Wisconsin's most financially valuable industries, the impact of tourism advancement activities upon Wisconsin's economy stretches well beyond the tourism industry. The halo effect of tourism's advertising and attraction of travelers is a significant asset in recruiting entrepreneurs, workers, students, retirees and investors.
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