Virginia Mountain Vineyards and the Bedford-Botetourt Wine Festival received $4,500 from the Virginia Tourism Corporation Marketing Leverage Grant Fund program. Botetourt and Bedford Tourism offices will partner with seven Bedford and Botetourt wineries to give $4,500 in matching funds that will be used to market and advertise the wine festival. VTC funds are part of a state effort to increase economic development through tourism.

Here is the press release from Botetourt County Office of Tourism.

Botetourt-Bedford Wine Festival in May of 2013- Governor Bob McDonnell has announced that Virginia Mountain Vineyards and the Bedford-Botetourt Wine Festival have received $4,500 from the Virginia Tourism Corporation Marketing Leverage Grant Fund program. In total, the VTC has awarded more than $543,000 for 37 tourism marketing projects across the state to help increase visitation and revenue for Virginia’s localities through tourism.

Governor McDonnell had earlier increased funding for the program as part of his administration’s effort to increase economic development through tourism.

The Botetourt and Bedford Tourism Offices will partner with Blue Ridge Vineyard, Fincastle Vineyard & Winery, Virginia Mountain Vineyards, Hickory Hill Winery, Peaks of Otter Winery, Savoy-Lee Winery, and White Rock Winery to supply $4,500 in matching funds to advertise the event. The wine festival will bring together these seven wineries to celebrate great wine, delicious food, music, local crafters, family and friends. The festival is scheduled for May 11, 2013. A partnership with Susan G. Komen for the Cure, Virginia Blue Ridge Affiliate has been formed and the festival titled “Uncork the Cure” will provide a percentage of the admission price back to Susan G. Komen. The festival is in the developmental stages and additional details regarding the event will be announced in the new year.

“The hopes are that this event will become an annual festival to promote the wine trails of each county, and also expand awareness to tourism related attractions and businesses.” said Catherine Herlocker, Event Coordinator for Botetourt County Tourism. “Botetourt County is excited about building stronger marketing partnerships with Bedford and promoting our areas on a larger regional scale.“

The VTC Marketing Leverage Program is designed to stimulate new tourism marketing through partnerships by leveraging limited marketing dollars, resulting in increased visitor spending. A minimum of three entities must partner financially to apply and may consist of Virginia towns, cities, counties, convention and visitors bureaus, chambers of commerce, other local or regional destination marketing organizations, private businesses, museums, attractions, cultural events, and other not-for-profit entities.

“Grants such as these enable our localities to more effectively market themselves to potential visitors,” said Governor McDonnell. “When more visitors come to Virginia, the Commonwealth and the localities realize increased tax revenue, businesses prosper, and new jobs are created.”

“These grants help enable local tourism partners to undertake projects that might otherwise be beyond their fiscal reach, “said Rita McClenny, president and CEO of the Virginia Tourism Corporation. “I see our Marketing Leverage Grants program as something that creates opportunity and breeds the kind of success that can only be achieved by people working together.”

In 2011 tourism generated $20.4 billion in revenue, supported 207,000 jobs and provided $1.32 billion in state and local taxes. Dollars invested in tourism are proven to provide a 5:1 return in tax revenue for Virginia, and the grant awards and matching funds provide a stimulus to localities seeking to increase tourism visitation and revenue.

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