PORT ANGELES — The Olympic Peninsula Visitor Bureau has $30,000 available for grants for organizations to encourage overnight visits by tourists.
“The efforts of our local partners is vital in drawing visitors to our area,” said Diane Schostak, executive director of the bureau.
Dedicated stakeholders
“We look for dedicated groups of stakeholders to share these funds with, to support economic development through creating tourism products and promotions.”
Applications will be reviewed at the January, March, May, September and November meetings of the bureau board.
Recipients in 2009 included the Dungeness Crab Festival, Piecemakers Quilt Show, Juan de Fuca Festival of the Arts, Neah Bay Chamber of Commerce, Olympic Peninsula Bed and Breakfast Association, North Olympic Discovery Marathon, Olympic Culinary Loop and the Juan de Fuca Scenic Byway Association.
Part of hotel/motel tax
The funds are a portion of a 4 percent hotel and motel tax on lodging facilities, Schostak said.
Clallam County’s tax receipts were about $290,000 for the year, Schostak said.
“We do a great deal of tourism marketing with those funds, and we choose to use a portion of that for these grants,” she said.
Tourism-related
The funds must be used for tourism-related projects and events that result in overnight destination guests, she said.
For an application form, visit www.visitolympic peninsula.org.
