Idaho Travel Council Annual Grant Awards Meeting

7/29/2009
Contact:Kellie Kluksdal, Public Relations
Idaho Division of Tourism
208-334-2470 x 2152
kellie.kluksdal@tourism.idaho.gov  

Idaho Travel Council Annual Grant Awards Meeting

Boise, Idaho (July 29, 2009)-The Idaho Travel Council will meet next week, August 3-5, at Schweitzer Mountain Resort in Sandpoint for their annual ITC Grant Awards meeting.

More than $3 million in tourism marketing money will be awarded through the Idaho Regional Travel and Convention Grant Program. Eligible award recipients include non-profit local and regional tourism development organizations such as chambers of commerce and convention and visitors’ bureaus. Other organizations applying this year include the Idaho Ski Area Association, Idaho Outfitters and Guides Association and the Idaho RV and Campground Association. 

“We are pleased to be able to put money back into communities to help with local marketing efforts, and are especially pleased at the sustained level of tourism dollars brought into the state this past year, given the current economic situation. Idaho experienced a tenth of a percent growth in national market share, in no small part due to leveraged marketing dollars that helped to spread the word about what a great value an Idaho vacation is,” said Karen Ballard, Administrator for the Division of Tourism Development.

Other agenda items include an update from the division’s advertising agency, Drake-Cooper, on the 2010 marketing plan, travel guide cover selection, and the Idaho Golf Trail Partnership.  

Building Idaho’s economy by increasing visitor expenditures throughout the state is the goal of the Idaho Travel Council and the Tourism Development Division. The division's activities are funded by a two percent lodging tax, paid by travelers and collected by the state's hotel, motel and private campground owners. Forty-five percent of the funds are used for statewide programs targeted to international and domestic consumers, tour operators, travel agents, travel journalists, and film industry marketing. Another forty-five percent is distributed back in the grant program. The remaining ten percent is used for administration of the division. Total, the tourism industry contributes over 3 billion dollars to the state economy.

Total bed tax collections for fiscal year 2009 were just under 7 million.

To see the entire agenda, click here.

For a complete list of ITC Members, click here.

News tag(s): Travel