Kansas Tourism Announces 15 Tourism Marketing Grant Award Recipients

October 7, 2022

Topeka, KS– Kansas Tourism has announced the Tourism Marketing Grant Program recipients for 2022. The Tourism Marketing Grant is an ongoing grant program designed to assist tourism organizations or businesses with new and innovative advertising and marketing projects. Kansas Tourism Director Bridgette Jobe, along with Tourism staff, spent this week visiting each awardee’s location and congratulating them with a large, ceremonial check.

Kansas Tourism will provide a total of $87,708 in Tourism Marketing Grant funding for 15 tourism marketing projects to attract new visitors to Kansas and local communities.

“Getting assistance into the hands of local communities has been a priority for the Department of Commerce,” Lieutenant Governor and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said. “It is critical that we support start-up projects that highlight outstanding community assets and bring new visitors to Kansas.”

In total, the 15 grant recipients will invest more than $350,000 in new marketing endeavors that will enhance visitation to the state.

The 2022 grant recipients include:

Audubon of Kansas, Inc., Ellis County, $4,500 – Print, digital and radio campaign for the Kansas Prairie Chicken Festival.
Downtown Overland Park Partnership, Johnson County, $3,350 – Website enhancements.
Fulton Valley Farms, Butler County, $4,300 – Advertising for Fulton Valley Farms Country Christmas campaign.
Hodgeman County Economic Development, Hodgeman County, $1,200 – Addition of new and updated promotional materials.
Humanities Kansas, Shawnee County, $5,000 – Promotion of “Voices and Votes: Democracy in America,” traveling exhibit to six Kansas communities.
Lenexa Convention & Visitors Bureau, Johnson County, $5,000 – Development of electronic visitor’s guide.
Lindsborg Convention & Visitors Bureau, McPherson County, $10,000 – Regional digital billboard campaign for Wichita and Lindsborg.
Luray Community Foundation, Russell County, $858 – New event advertising startup.
Music Theatre Wichita, Sedgwick County, $10,000 – Digital marketing campaign for two large-scale musicals.
Olathe Chamber of Commerce, Johnson County, $10,000 – Search engine optimization website upgrades.
Tanganyika Wildlife Park, Sedgwick County, $10,000 – Digital and print campaign for “Best Day Bundle.”
The Museum of Art & Light, Riley County, $10,000 – Website development and public relations campaign in preparation for the grand opening.
Strataca, Reno County, $3,000 – Advertising for a new walking trail.
Visit Topeka, Explore Lawrence, Visit Emporia, Visit Manhattan, $10,000 – Development of the METL Ale Trail with participating breweries in Topeka, Lawrence, Emporia and Manhattan.
Wahlmeier Farms Vineyard, Decatur County, $400 – Print advertising campaign.

“Marketing of our tourism assets and communities is crucial to bringing new visitors to the state,” Jobe said. “This grant supports our tourism partners throughout Kansas by encouraging them to enhance and expand their advertising efforts with new marketing initiatives.”

Funding through this partnership with Kansas Tourism is intended to increase travel to tourism destination sites while enhancing the state’s image. This grant leverages Kansas Tourism’s resources and extends the marketing reach of Kansas tourism communities. For more information, click here or contact Kansas Tourism Grant Program Manager Taylor Hartshorn at taylor.hartshorn@ks.gov.

About the Kansas Tourism Division

The mission of the Kansas Tourism Division is to inspire travel to and throughout Kansas to maximize the positive impacts that tourism has on our state and local communities. Kansas Tourism is a division of the Kansas Department of Commerce and works hand in hand with other Commerce community programs to elevate and promote Kansas as a tourist destination. Kansas Tourism oversees all tourism marketing and PR for the state, produces travel publications and advertising, manages state Travel Information Centers, manages the Kansas By-ways program and the Kansas Agritourism program, approves tourist signage applications, produces KANSAS! Magazine, and provides financial and educational support to the tourism industry in Kansas through grants, education, and support.

About the Kansas Department of Commerce:

As the state’s lead economic development agency, the Kansas Department of Commerce strives to empower individuals, businesses and communities to achieve prosperity in Kansas. Commerce accomplishes its mission by developing relationships with corporations, site location consultants and stakeholders in Kansas, the nation and world. Our strong partnerships allow us to help create an environment for existing Kansas businesses to grow and foster an innovative, competitive landscape for new businesses. Through Commerce’s project successes, Kansas was awarded Area Development Magazine’s prestigious Gold Shovel award in 2021 and 2022, and was awarded the 2021 Governor’s Cup by Site Selection Magazine.