$15,000 Awarded for Local Product Development in Tourism
ATHENS, GA - (July 7, 2017) - The Athens Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB), along with The Classic Center and The Classic Center Cultural Foundation are pleased to announce the recipients of the Athens Local Product Development Grant. Award recipients are the State Botanical Garden of Georgia, Ciné and Popfest. Established in 2017, this one-to-one matching grant program assists Athens organizations in developing tourism products and experiences to attract new overnight visitors to Athens-Clarke County. A total of $15,000 will be awarded to these recipients.
"We are excited to be able to make this investment in tourism product development," says CVB Director Chuck Jones. "Each of these events will grow tourism in Athens by attracting visitors to a city to which they may not normally travel by harnessing the unique talents and resources found only in Athens." Jones continues, "By collaborating with local partners, we can make the best use of funds to enhance our tourism products and increase the economic impact through growth in overnight visitors."
The State Botanical Garden of Georgia will be hosting a Garden Travel Series in January, typically a slower travel period for Athens. Ciné plans to develop a three-day, three-night enrichment tourism program entitled "Ciné Filmmaker and Television Artist in Residency." Grant dollars will expand the marketing reach for Popfest, a four-day music festival held in downtown Athens in early August.
An investment in tourism means big dividends for the community: a stronger, more diverse economy, an influx of substantial revenue, increased sales tax collection, and an improved quality of life for Athens residents who share in the variety of restaurants and retail operations, cultural and recreational attractions and entertainment that are supported and sustained through visitor spending.
Funding decisions were made by a grant committee and based on the strength of the applicant's intent and ability to attract visitors and lodging nights from outside of Athens. Grant money will be used by the recipients to supplement existing budgets to grow programs and events, rather than replacing previously committed funding.
About The Athens Convention & Visitors Bureau
The Athens Convention & Visitors Bureau is a proactive sales and marketing organization whose primary goal is to increase the economic impact of the hospitality and visitor industry by attracting individual visitors, group tours and meetings and conventions to Athens. Tourism WORKS for Athens, contributing $281.31 million in spending, 2,664 jobs and $19.04 million in local and state tax revenue in 2015.
About The Classic Center
Located in Athens, Georgia, The Classic Center is a multi-use conference center, performing arts theatre, multi-purpose arena and outdoor, covered pavilion hosting conventions, conferences, meetings, weddings, concerts, sporting tournaments and special events for up to 6,000 people.
About The Classic Center Cultural Foundation
The Classic Center Cultural Foundation’s mission is to provide resources to entertain and educate the Athens community by providing and supporting diverse performing, visual and culinary arts programs, while working to maintain The Classic Center in a state-of-the-art condition.
###
