ATLANTA - The Georgia Department of Economic Development's (GDEcD) Tourism Division has awarded co-operative tourism marketing grants to 41 communities, convention & visitor bureaus, regional travel associations and other non-profit tourism entities across the state, including five in northeast Georgia. A total of $500,000 was awarded.
The program assists communities in reaching a larger audience through marketing projects they may not be able to fund on their own. Awardees must submit a final report showing that their program has met the State s funding criteria prior to their reimbursement.
"The co-op marketing program is a great example of the private and public sectors working together to leverage one another s assets," said Kevin Langston, GDEcD Assistant Commissioner for Tourism. "By combining our resources, we are able to attract additional visitors to our communities thereby generating private sector revenues along with additional sales and lodging tax revenues."
This year, the Georgia Department of Economic Development received 82 applications with grant requests totaling more than $1.3 million. Funding for the co-op marketing grants program decreased from $1 million in fiscal year 2009 to $500,000 in fiscal year 2010. Independent judges scored the applications based on several factors, including economic impact, project goals and objectives, benefit to the community, positive impact and the ability to attract and service visitors.
Recipients of the 2010 co-op marketing grants are:
Alpharetta Convention & Visitors Bureau
Altamaha River Partnership
Antebellum Trail
Athens Convention & Visitors Bureau
Atlanta Metro Travel Association
Augusta Canal Authority
Augusta Convention & Visitors Bureau
Classic South Travel Association
Clinch County Tourism Team
Columbia County Convention & Visitors Bureau
Columbus Convention & Visitors Bureau
Coweta County Convention & Visitors Bureau
Dahlonega-Lumpkin County Chamber of Commerce
Darien-McIntosh Chamber of Commerce
Downtown Cartersville
Fannin County Chamber of Commerce
Forsyth-Monroe County Chamber of Commerce
Friends of Georgia State Parks - Sam Shortline
Georgia Coast Travel Association
Georgia's Lake Country
Golden Isles Parkway Association
Greater Augusta Sports Council
Historic Heartland Travel Association
Historic High Country Travel Association
Hospital Authority of Valdosta & Lowndes County
Jekyll Island Foundation
Macon Convention & Visitors Bureau
Magnolia Midlands Travel Association
Milledgeville Convention & Visitors Bureau
Museum of Arts and Sciences, Macon
Parks at Chehaw, Albany
Presidential Pathways Travel Association
Rabun County Convention & Visitors Bureau
Richmond Hill Convention & Visitors Bureau
Savannah Music Festival
Thomson-McDuffie County Convention & Visitors Bureau
Toccoa-Stephens County Chamber of Commerce
Upson County Chamber of Commerce
Vidalia Area Convention & Visitors Bureau
Monday
June 30th, 2025
6:04AM
