August 31, 2018
By:
The Tennessee Department of Tourist Development recently awarded $1 million in Tourism Marketing Grants to 84 organizations for tourism marketing.
Smithville-DeKalb County Chamber Director Suzanne Williams and Jamboree Marketing Director Shan Williams worked together to write the grant to benefit both the Chamber and the Smithville Jamboree. A total of $5,000 was awarded – $2,500 for the Chamber and $2,500 for the Smithville Jamboree.
Project 1 will be a Smithville Fiddlers’ Jamboree and Crafts Festival Billboard on I-40. This vinyl billboard will be up for the duration of 12 months. The first 6 months will include a “thank you for a successful 2018 Jamboree event” along with featuring upcoming 2019 festival dates. The next 6 months, leading up to the event, will feature a new vinyl graphic inviting potential attendees to join us for our 48th annual bluegrass and old-time Appalachian music and crafts festival.
Project 2 will update our Chamber Website (dekalbtn.org) to include “Day-cation, Stay-cation, and Vacation” opportunities to the existing website.
The marketing award is a 50% reimbursable match grant which provides tourism organizations such as CVBs, chambers of commerce or regional tourism organizations a way to expand their marketing message. The partnership is designed to increase visitation to a community and travel-generated revenue, while leveraging TDTD’s brand “The Soundtrack of America. Made in Tennessee.” through marketing initiatives. Partnerships awarded were competitive in nature and limited to available funds, as well as the number of requests received.
“These marketing grants create an opportunity for our partners across the state, especially in rural areas, to double their resources for a project to promote their area,” said TDTD Commissioner Kevin Triplett. “We are glad we can make this program available.”
In 2017, the Tourism Marketing Grant budget increased from $855,000 to $1 million in funds. The grant has allowed tourism organizations across Tennessee to expand marketing efforts, thus expanding exposure for the entire state.