The Visitor Information Center is one of the projects that will continue to be funded by the city's Tourism Promotion Fund, with $200,000 allocated for next year.
The Visitor Information Center is one of the projects that will continue to be funded by the city's Tourism Promotion Fund. The City next year will contribute a little over $200,000 to two-dozen projects aimed at bringing tourist dollars into the city's economy.
The source of the Tourism Promotion Fund is the city's share of sale taxes collected on hotel and motel room rentals within the city. The program is open to virtually any public or private non-profit entity with a "demonstrated capacity to accomplish the proposed project."
Last year, the city funded projects totalling $232,099. The available money varies from year-to-year as hotel stays vary.
The Chamber of Commerce will get $163,000 to fund three projects: $100,000 to promote the international ferry run to Sydney, BC, $60,000 to fund the Visitor Information Center, and $3,000 for a new Anacortes Film Festival.
Other recipients include:
- An-O-Chords, $1,000
- Anacortes Antique Machinery Show, $1,700
- Anacortes Arts Foundation (Garden Arts Fair), $2,500
- Anacortes Farmers Market, $3,500
- Anacortes Museum Foundation, $7,884
- Anacortes Women of Today, $2,100
- Carroll Meek (Hedgehog Gathering), $300
- Fidalgo Island Quilters, $1,800
- Majestic Glass Corvette Club, $1,000
- Magic City Center (Annual What the Heck Fest), $4,200
- Sister Cities Association, $2,200
- Skagit Valley Tulip Festival, $1,700
- Skagit Symphony, $1,000
- Snohomish Artist Guild, $3,000
- Anacortes Planning Dept, $2,500