Photo by Layne Miller
Carbon County Office of Tourism Press Release
Carbon County Office of Tourism secures tourism funding once again in the amount of $33,500.00 thanks to the Utah Office of Tourism Co-Op Marketing Grant.
The Utah Cooperative Marketing Program was established in 2005 and has since successfully funded 803 applications totaling $43,562,974 to local non-profit tourism organizations, extending the state’s brand to $87,125,948 in out-of-state marketing dollars. The Co-op fund creates a partnership between the Utah Office of Tourism (UOT) and Utah’s local destination marketing organizations, including convention and visitor bureaus, chambers of commerce, events, festivals, and regional tourism organizations, to increase visitor spending in the state through marketing.
“A lot of time and effort goes into writing a grant and we are very excited to have been awarded 100% of our application,” said Tina Henrie, Tourism Specialist.
In an effort to jumpstart the state’s economy following the COVID 19 Pandemic, the Traditional Co-op Program will now allow a portion of every 2020 application to include either 15% of the total project cost or up to $35,000, whichever amount is greater, to go towards in-state marketing. “Our industry has been challenged to innovate new ways to serve customers in order to survive. I was inspired by the optimism and creativity of this year’s applicants,” said Kym Buttschardt, UOT Co-op Marketing Committee Chair. “I am excited to see how Utah’s destinations implement their plans to welcome visitors to our remarkable places.”
Henrie goes on to explain the project; “With this money, we plan to curate an innovative audio tour along 9 Mile Canyon, purchase and install a digital visitor kiosk in the center of Price City, promote and showcase our destination to Utah travelers using KSL.com and lastly, we will partner with Miles Partnership using Google to help local businesses be more present online and where they are easy to find and locate.”
Carbon County was also awarded $37,500 from the Coal Country Strike Team to be used on Tourism Enhancement projects. The Coal Country Strike Team is an initiative based in Carbon and Emery Counties with support from the Kem C. Gardner Institute, its mission is to help raise local incomes in the area. The county chose to use this funding award for a 1:1 match of the Co-Op Marketing Grant from the Utah Office of Tourism.