State boosts local tourism efforts

The local chamber of commerce is getting some help promoting Boulder City thanks to a grant from Travel Nevada.

Recently, the Boulder City Chamber of Commerce received $5,570 for three projects.

“One is for brochures in welcome centers in Arizona, Utah and California,” said Jill Rowland-Lagan, chamber CEO. “One is for the Nevada Magazine ad for the year, and the last one is for our website business.”

The funds come through Travel Nevada’s rural grant program that works to help communities market themselves in order to bring in more overnight visitors. This year, it dispersed approximately $730,000 to communities throughout the state.

“The partnerships the chambers around the state have with Travel Nevada are essential to helping them with their marketing programs each year,” said Rowland-Lagan. “Without these great funds, our advertising opportunities would be severely limited.”

According to Travel Nevada, grants were awarded to nonprofit groups for tourism marketing projects that will result in overnight stays, which generate room tax revenue for the state. The grant recipients must provide a 50-50 match in funds or volunteer hours.

“Travel Nevada’s Rural Marketing Grants program is a key factor in how we support Nevada communities as they grow their economies,” said Brenda Scolari, director of the Nevada Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, in a press release. “We are proud to support the efforts of our dedicated tourism partners in rural Nevada.”

Travel Nevada is a division of the Nevada Department of Tourism and Cultural Affairs. It is responsible for promoting and marketing Nevada as a travel destination to domestic and international travelers.

Money for the program comes from Travel Nevada’s operating budget that is funded by a portion of the state’s room tax.

Contact reporter Celia Shortt Goodyear at cgoodyear@bouldercityreview.com or at 702-586-9401. Follow her on Twitter @csgoodyear.