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Prince Edward County received some good news this week, in the form of a $20,000 check. That money will go to the county’s department of economic development and tourism, where it will be used on a marketing campaign.

The money comes from the Virginia Tourism Corporation, which gives out grants to help local communities promote themselves. This specific grant will fund “A Wonderful Week(end): Wellness, Working Remotely, Working Out”. The goal of the new Prince Edward campaign is to attract wellness-minded visitors to the county, to take advantage of its local businesses and experiences that contribute to overall health.

“Prince Edward County is honored to receive this grant,” said Prince Edward County Director of Economic Development and Tourism Chelsey White. “Our project will inspire visitors to discover the county by promoting attractions such as High Bridge Trail State Park. This place is the perfect hub to lead visitors to local businesses.”

White says the project’s goals reflect marketing trends that arose from the pandemic.

“People’s lives are shifting to seek more wholesome experiences at a schedule that works better for them,” said White. “Visitors to Prince Edward can discover a new place, book overnight stays, work remotely, and work out, all according to their preferences. Whether for a week or a weekend, visitors can make their next trip wonderful by exploring Prince Edward County.”

Prince Edward will run a digital campaign between May and July of 2023 to advertise local partners and drive visitation to the county. A limited number of welcome gifts will be awarded to those who book overnight stays during the campaign. For information and updates on the event, interested parties can visit the Virginia’s Heartland Regional Visitor Center located at 121 East 3rd Street in Downtown Farmville or visit its website at ExplorePrinceEdwardVA.com.

MORE MONEY HANDED OUT

The Virginia Tourism Corporation (VTC) awarded more than $2.7 million for 259 local and regional tourism marketing programs across the state to help increase visitation and revenue for Virginia’s localities through tourism.

“These grant funds provide an important opportunity for communities across the Commonwealth to accelerate recovery efforts and continue with their best-in-class marketing initiatives to attract new travelers,” said Rita McClenny, president and CEO of Virginia Tourism.

“Increased visitation translates directly into revenue generation, underscoring tourism’s important role in stimulating economic growth and expansion.”

The VTC Regional Marketing Program aims to help Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs) drive overnight visitation and to supplement funding for economically significant special events and festivals in order to increase overnight visitation. The DMO funding is projected to drive more than 125,000 room nights across Virginia over the next 18 months.