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BOSTON — Secretary Mike Kennealy and Director Keiko Matsudo Orrall were joined by Representatives Matt Muratore, Kathleen LaNatra, and Kipp Diggs and Senator Susan Moran along with other state and local officials to celebrate a total of $4 million in awards to 80 tourism organizations, chambers of commerce, and municipalities as part of the Travel and Tourism Recovery (TTR) Grant Program.
Organizations in the Berkshires received a combined $334,000.
The awards were funded from the TTR Grant Pilot Program and are dedicated to marketing projects that support the My Local MA campaign, enhance tourism recovery, and have the potential to increase non-resident visitation. The program’s goal is to strengthen the Massachusetts economy through the development and enhancement of the state’s tourism industry. The TTR celebration took place at the Plymouth Center for the Arts, which received a $55,000 award to promote increased tourism to Plymouth this spring.
“Our tourism and hospitality industries are key drivers of economic activity in the Commonwealth and this program provides targeted support for initiatives that accelerate these industries’ progress toward recovery,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “Recognizing the pandemic’s impact on these industries, we are excited to continue our support for their recovery through this important grant program.”
Level 1 Grants
Berkshire Scenic Railway Museum, Inc. — $8,000
Increase Hoosac Valley Train Ride ridership in the summer season through targeted marketing to expand and enhance tourism activity in Northern Berkshire County.
ProAdams, Inc. — $49,000
Attract tourists to downtown Adams through a combination of improved website content, signage, literature creation and distribution, and search and social media marketing. Focused on encouraging visitors at three established attractions in Adams.
Southern Berkshire Chamber of Commerce — $35,000
Launch two new tourism and economic recovery projects in 2022: Tour the Berkshires and Southern Berkshire Pay-per-View. Develop marketing content, increase the reach of marketing campaigns, and support implementation including website integration.
Williamstown Chamber of Commerce — $49,000
Create highly compelling video ads that will be used to promote Williamstown and the Northern Berkshires across multiple platforms this spring/summer. Develop a targeted campaign to reach households within a three-hour drive radius of Williamstown.
Sterling and Francine Clark Art Institute — $45,000
Dedicated marketing campaign in Montreal and Quebec to attract visitors from these nearby markets to travel to enjoy vacation experiences in Western Massachusetts. Advertising will focus on the Clark’s upcoming exhibition, Rodin in the United States, on view 6/18-9/18/2022.
Berkshire Scenic Railway Museum, Inc. — $8,000
Increase Hoosac Valley Train Ride ridership in the summer season through targeted marketing to expand and enhance tourism activity in Northern Berkshire County.
Level 3 Grants
Berkshire Regional Planning Commission — $140,000
Berkshire County Collaborative Campaign – focused on 3 themes: downtown shopping/dining, outdoor recreation, and Cultural Districts. Facets include Digital Retargeting, Social Media Promoted Posts, and Lead Generation, all leading to a landing page on berkshires.org with a My Local MA message.
To find out out where the rest of the $4 million landed, view the complete list.
