Recovery grants of up to $20K available for Texas tourism businesses
The application process for a piece of $180 million in grants aimed at boosting tourism across the state opened Wednesday, July 6, the Governor’s Office of Economic Development and Tourism announced. The Texas Travel Industry Recovery Grant Program supports tourism, travel, and hospitality industries in the state by making grant funds available to businesses negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Established by Senate Bill 8 during the 87th Texas legislative session last year, the program uses money received from the Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Funds under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.
“Travel and tourism is a critical component to both the state and local economies,” Gov. Greg Abbott stated in a July 5 media release. “Visitor spending at Texas destinations brings new money into communities and spurs local job creation across industries in every region of the state.
One in 10 Texas jobs have been supported by tourism over the past 10 years, Abbott continued.
“The travel industry was among the hardest hit by the pandemic,” he said. “While direct travel spending in Texas is recovering at a faster rate than national averages, allocating these grant funds paves the way for a more prosperous, brighter future for all Texas communities.”
Applicants in the following industries are eligible for a one-time grant of up to $20,000:
- arts, entertainment, and recreation
- food services and drinking places
- traveler accommodation
- RV parks and recreational camps
- traveler arrangement and reservation services
- convention and trade show organizers
- breweries
- wineries
- distilleries
Those interested must submit supporting documents along with an application to demonstrate compliance with grant and eligibility requirements.
INFORMATION WEBINARS
A series of webinars for specific industry groups will be held to provide more information and answer questions on the application process. All webinars are from 1-2 p.m. on the following dates:
- Tuesday, July 12 — Breweries, wineries, distilleries, travel arrangement, and reservation services; convention and trade show organizers; and RV parks and recreational camps
- Thursday, July 21 — Arts, entertainment, and recreation
- Thursday, Aug. 11 — Traveler accommodation
- Thursday, Sept. 1 — Food services and drinking places
To register and for eligibility and grant application details, deadlines, and more, visit ttir.gov.texas.gov.
The Governor’s Office of Economic Development and Tourism is tasked with marketing and promoting the state of Texas as a premier business location and travel destination.