Amherst Area Chamber Of Commerce Wins Travel & Tourism Recovery Grant

Source: Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce
 
The Amherst Area Chamber of Commerce has been awarded a Massachusetts Office of Travel & Tourism (MOTT) Marketing Travel & Tourism Recovery Grant of $116,655.  The grant will support a comprehensive marketing campaign to attract visitors to the Amherst area, 

In her letter of support for the grant application, State Senator Jo Comerford said “Amherst’s economy has been disproportionately impacted by the changes COVID has brought to higher education institutions. Amherst area businesses depend on revenue directly tied to the institutions of higher learning. Lack of graduation ceremonies, sporting events, and family weekends, as well as the severe decrease in the number of students in the area has had a crippling effect on the Amherst economy.”

Claudia Pazmany, Execxutive Director of the Chamber said, “Tourism, the third largest economic sector in our region, has been decimated by the pandemic. . This grant will allow the Town to showcase the Amherst area as a hub for culture, education, global dining, agriculture and local business. We have long been a destination for tourists to experience Western Massachusetts and these funds will allow us to deploy tourism assets we would not otherwise have the means to do, and will enhance our region’s tourism recovery, amplify our ‘destination Amherst’ focus in tandem with the State’s MyLocalMa and ‘Put your money where your heart is’ campaigns.

The comprehensive marketing campaign will leverage and focus on Amherst’s regional assets: the natural beauty and outdoor recreational points of interest in our region, our iconic and internationally known art and cultural institutions including museums and historical sites, and our rich gastronomy culture where local farm-to-table sourcing meets global flavor in order to draw visitors to Western Mass and enhance visitor’s experience once they arrive. The campaign will use photography, video production, and creative content to tell the story of the Amherst aream the local businesses, institutions, and the people who call it home.

The Chamber will partner with the Amherst Business Improvement District (BID), Downtown Amherst Foundation (DAF), along with the Amherst Center Cultural District, Five Colleges Consortium and its affiliate Museums,  the Hampshire Regional Tourism Council, Towns of Amherst and Sunderland on this project. Business and civic leaders from Amherst, Belchertown, Hadley, Leverett, Pelham, Shutesbury, and Sunderland as well as members of the Five College Consortium and various Chamber members will be invited to participate in the strategizing and brand development phase.

Tigerweb, a local marketing firm, will be responsible for the marketing. Tigerweb is a Digital Marketing Firm based in Amherst that helps businesses and organizations establish and grow their brands online. “You have a story– let us help tell it.” The marketing campaign will run through September 1, 2021.

Inquiries can be directed to Claudia Pazmany, Executive Director, for any inquiries at claudia@amherstarea.com.