Virginia Tourism Authority (320)

Authority: Title 2.2, Chapter 22, Article 8, Code of Virginia.

A.1. The Department of Transportation shall pay to the Virginia Tourism Authority $1,100,000 each year for continued operation of the Welcome Centers. The Department of Transportation shall fund maintenance at each facility based on the agreed-upon service levels contained in the Memorandum of Agreement between the Virginia Tourism Authority and the Department of Transportation.  Included in the amounts in this paragraph is $100,000 each year for maintenance of the Danville Welcome Center.  

2. To the extent necessary to fund the operations of the Welcome Centers, the Virginia Tourism Authority is authorized to collect fees paid by businesses for display space at the Welcome Centers.

B. Upon authorization of the Governor, the Virginia Tourism Authority may transfer funds appropriated to it by this act to a nonstock corporation.

C. Prior to July 1 of each fiscal year, the Virginia Tourism Authority shall provide to the Chairmen of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committees and the Director, Department of Planning and Budget a report of its operating plan. Prior to September 1 of each fiscal year, the authority shall provide to the Chairmen of the House Appropriations and Senate Finance Committees and the Director, Department of Planning and Budget a detailed expenditure report and a listing of the salaries and bonuses for all authority employees for the prior fiscal year. All three reports shall be prepared in the formats as previously approved by the Department of Planning and Budget.

D. The State Comptroller shall disburse the first and second year appropriations in twelve equal monthly installments. The Director, Department of Planning and Budget may authorize an increase in disbursements for any month, not to exceed the total appropriation for the fiscal year, if such an advance is necessary to meet payment obligations.

E. Out of the amounts for Tourist Promotion shall be provided $2,700,000 the first year and $2,700,000 the second year from the general fund to promote the Virginia tourism industries.  These funds shall be used, among other purposes, to initiate strategies to expand growth tourism industries such as Virginia history tours, wine and epicurean tours and other packaged travel itineraries.

F. Out of the amounts for Tourist Promotion shall be provided $2,200,000 the first year and $2,200,000 the second year from the general fund for grants to regional and local tourism authorities and other tourism entities to support their efforts.  From the grants provided from the amounts included in this paragraph, priority consideration shall be given to funding for up to $500,000 each year for the City of Portsmouth for a regional tourism entity, and funding for the Coalfield Regional Tourism Authority, the Daniel Boone Visitor Center, and events sponsored by Special Olympics Virginia.

G. The Virginia Tourism Authority shall place a high priority on marketing rural areas of the state.

H. Out of the amounts for Tourist Promotion, $900,000 the first year and $900,000 the second year from the general fund shall be used to expand electronic marketing of Virginia tourism and conduct major media events with travel industry partners and maintain Welcome Center operations.

I. Out of the amounts provided for Tourist Promotion shall be provided $3,100,000 in the first year and $3,100,000 in the second year from the general fund to supplement appropriations to promote Virginia's tourism industries through an enhanced advertising campaign.  Of these amounts, at least $1,000,000 the first year and $1,000,000 the second year shall be used to support a cooperative advertising program to partner with private sector tourism businesses and regional tourism entities to advertise Virginia as a tourism destination.  The state dollars shall be used to incentivize private and regional tourism marketing funds on a $1.00 for $1.00 basis whereby the Virginia Tourism Corporation shall enter into agreements to undertake joint advertising purchases to promote Virginia and specific facilities with private sector and regional partners.

J. Out of the amounts provided for Tourist Promotion shall be provided $405,012 the first year and $405,012 the second year from the general fund to promote and advertise tourism in Virginia through a competitively awarded public-private partnership program, matched on at least a three to one basis by each recipient.  These amounts include $130,012 in the first year and $130,012 in the second year for "See Virginia First," a partnership operated by the Virginia Association of Broadcasters to advertise Virginia Tourism, provided the Association contributes a total of at least $240,036 in television and radio advertising value to promote tourism in Virginia in the first year and $240,036 in the second year.  Also included in these amounts is $100,000 the first year and $100,000 the second year to promote Virginia Parks, $100,000 the first year and $100,000 the second year to promote Virginia's wineries, and $75,000 in the first year and $75,000 in the second year for outdoor advertising.

K. Of the amounts provided for Tourism Promotion shall be provided $497,544 the first year and $497,544 the second year from the general fund to purchase media in the Washington, D.C.,  Virginia, and Baltimore, Maryland markets through the "See Virginia First," a partnership operated by the Virginia Association of Broadcasters, in association with its affiliates in other states in the region, provided that the Association can obtain contributions of at least $1,492,632 in television, radio and station-related internet advertising value to promote tourism in Virginia.