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December 31, 2002

Virginia Tourism Corporation Announces Awards
In African American Cooperative Marketing Program

RICHMOND, Va. Ñ Nine African American tourism programs have
been awarded a total of $165,000 from the Virginia Tourism
CorporationÕs African American Marketing Program. The fund,
authorized by the General Assembly in 2000, is designated for use
by Virginia communitiesto assist in the specific promotion of
African American tourism marketing efforts.

The award-recipients are Richmond
Metropolitan Convention and Visitors Bureau, $20,000;
Hampton Convention and Visitors Bureau, $18,000;
Martinsville City Public Schools and the City of
Martinsville, $10,000; Norfolk African American Heritage
Campaign, whose partners are the Virginia Zoological
Society, the Norfolk Botanical Garden, Nauticus
The National Maritime Center;
Dave Iwans & Associates Marketing Advertising
Public Relations and Bruce Williams & Associates, $20,000;
Virginia Pepper Bird Pathway, whose partners are Virginia
Beach Department of Convention and Visitor Development
and A. Bruce Williams & Associates, $17,000; Roanoke
Valley African American Marketing Campaign, whose
partners are the Booker T. Washington National Monument,
the Harrison Museum of African American Culture, the Salem
Museum, Virginia's Explore Park and the Virginia Museum of
Transportation,
$20,000; the Virginia Arts Festival, $20,000; the African
American Heritage Sites & Cultural Travel Program, whose
partners are Wintergreen Partners Inc., Nelson County
Department of Tourism, Traveling America and Theater
at Lime Kiln, $20,000; and the
Hampton African American Heritage Marketing Partnership,
whose partners are the Hampton Arts Commission, Hampton
University Museum, Hampton History Museum, Hampton
Coliseum/Hampton Jazz Festival, Hampton
Convention & Visitors Bureau and Holiday Inn Hampton
Hotel & Conference Center, $20,000.

The awards are made on the basis of 100 percent (1:1) cash
match to private- or public-sector entities. Applicants can request
matching funds in any amount between $5,000 and $20,000;
all applications must pledge a minimum of $5,000 in applicant funds.

Forty-eight African American Cooperative Marketing awards
have been made totaling $519,240 in the past two years.
Virginia ranks seventh nationally in percentage of visitors
who are African American, having 11.3 percent in 2001 as
compared to 9.8 percent in 2000. The Commonwealth has
seen an increase in visitation from 2.8 million in
2000 to 3.4 million in 2001.

Much information on African American tourism initiative,



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