NORTH ADAMS - Berkshire County tourism received a boost last week with $672,575 in regional tourism grants from the Massachusetts Office of Travel and Tourism, including $489,954 to the Berkshire Visitors Bureau.
"The economy of the Berkshires is very much tied to tourism and visitors coming to the area. With other states spending five or six times as much as we do on tourism, anything we can get is money well spent," said state Rep. Denis E. Guyer, D-Dalton, on Friday.
Based on a data-driven formula that calculates how the region is impacted by travel and tourism. According to Beth White, director of communications for MOTT, organizations are evaluated both quantitatively and qualitatively. The criteria for evaluation include both private revenue and the amount gained from lodging tax revenue and a review of a detailed marketing plan submitted by each tourism agency.
"The marketing plan submitted by the Berkshires' organizations were very impressive. They were very focused, very targeted, very clear about who the customers are and it had a lot of momentum around it," said White.
The grants must be used for future marketing purposes and must be matched 1 to 1 by nongovernmental funding from each tourism agency.
According to Ray Smith, acting president and CEO of the Berkshire Visitors Bureau, marketing is critical to the success of travel and tourism in the Berkshires.
"We can never compete with the lodging tax revenue in places like Boston or Cape Cod. Our only competitive advantage is our marketing plan," Smith said, who also noted that 70 to 75 percent of the BVB’s fiscal budget is spent on marketing.
"The Berkshire Visitors Bureau does a great job of marketing the region’s recreational, cultural, culinary and lodging attractions. Ray Smith and his team are constantly updating their programs and their creativity is both impressive and effective," said Betsy Wall, executive director of MOTT.
Tourism is an integral part of the state’s economy, generating more than $833 million in state and local taxes and nearly $13.1 billion in travel-related expenditures. The industry supports 125,200 in-state jobs.
In a statement released Monday, Gov. Deval Patrick described what it is that draws visitors to the commonwealth.
"We have it all in Massachusetts. Each region offers a unique variety of attractions for visitors and residents, from the cultural and arts community in the Berkshires to the sparkling beaches of Cape Cod," he said.
Keep reading iBerkshires.com to find out about the $182,621 grant given to the Mohawk Trail Association.
If you would like to contribute information on this article, contact us at info@iberkshires.com.
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iBerkshires.com Sports
MONTPELIER, Vt. -- Four Vermont pitchers combined to strike out 11 and allow four hits Tuesday as the Mountaineers beat the North Adams SteepleCats, 11-0, in New England Collegiate Baseball League action.
Evan Meier, Bobby Stang, Tonny Woodie and Chris Diaz each had a hit for the SteepleCats, who used five pitchers in the loss.
North Adams (0-2) comes home Tuesday to host the Mystic Schooners at 6:30 p.m. at Joe Wolfe Field.
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