Appalachian Mountain Club among Maine Office of Tourism grant recipients
The Maine Office of Tourism announced more than $1.7 million in grants have been awarded to five Maine organizations through the Tourism Marketing & Development Recovery Program.
The grant recipients are Appalachian Mountain Club – $248,000; Maine Museum of Innovation, Learning and Labor – $500,000; Main Street Skowhegan – $484,500; Maine Development Foundation – $331,050; and Frances Perkins Center – $165,830.
These sub-awards are funded through the US Economic Development Administration American Rescue Plan Travel, Tourism, and Outdoor Recreation State Grant as consistent with the State of Maine’s scope of work and approved grants administration plan for this award.
Funding will support a range of tourism marketing, product development, and training programs designed to attract and increase visitation to areas impacted by the pandemic.
The grants will be administered by the Maine Office of Tourism, an office within the Department of Economic and Community Development. Awardee projects must be completed by Jan. 10, 2025.
“We’re enhancing the Moosehead Lake visitor experience with creative and exciting visual tools,” said Jenny Ward, director of brand experience at the Appalachian Mountain Club. “Thanks to the Maine Office of Tourism Marketing & Development Recovery Program, in collaboration with Destination Moosehead Lake, Moosehead Lake Region Economic Development Corp., and the Town of Greenville, AMC will create videos, infographics, and animations to address common visitor questions. This project showcases AMC’s commitment fostering the enjoyment and understanding of the outdoors.”
“The EDA grant funding to the State of Maine will support the state’s visitor economy through the creation, improvement, and marketing of our tourism assets,” said Heather Johnson, commissioner of the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development. “This will lay the foundation for the continued strength and resilience of Maine’s tourism and outdoor industry sectors in the coming decades.”
“Partnering with organizations and municipalities on tourism projects expands our impact on Maine’s travel and tourism economy by coordinating the promotional efforts of the private sector with those of the Maine Office of Tourism,” said Hannah Collins, deputy director, Maine Office of Tourism.
The Tourism Marketing & Development Recovery Program sub-award recipients successfully demonstrated their projects’ potential for long-term transformational impacts; campaigns that reach underrepresented, new and diverse communities of visitors; and the creation and/or improvement of tourism assets that will live on beyond the life of the grant term.
Other industry support grant programs administered and funded by the Maine Office of Tourism include Maine Communities Grants, Tourism Enterprise Marketing Grants and Special Events Grants. More information regarding MOT grant programs is available at MOTPartners.com.