Tourism recovery grant awarded

The county Chamber of Commerce and visitor center have received a $10,000 Virginia Tourism Corporation grant.

The WanderLove Recovery Grant Program is a new feature made available to official Virginia destination marketing organizations that have been “heavily impacted” by COVID-19, according to a press release. More than $866,000 was awarded to 90 DMOs.

According to chamber president and county tourism director Rita Surratt, the money will be used to market road trip itineraries, do media marketing, buy magazine ads, printed placemats, rack cards, social media and will also partner with Breaks Interstate Park in marketing road trip destinations.

The chamber and visitor center became a DMO in 2007.