BOISE – The Idaho Travel Council (ITC) has announced the allocation of $9,868,470 in tourism marketing funding through the Idaho Regional Travel and Convention Grant Program. The announcement was made following the council’s recent meeting in Sandpoint, Idaho. The grants aim to support non-profit organizations in promoting Idaho’s cities, towns, and regions as premier travel destinations.
Promoting Idaho as a Travel Destination
The grants were awarded to various non-profit local and regional tourism development organizations, including chambers of commerce, convention and visitor bureaus, and regional travel organizations. These grants are intended to be utilized for a variety of marketing strategies, such as print and digital advertising, videography, brochures, attendance at travel shows, public relations, industry research, and website development.
Idaho Commerce Director Tom Kealey expressed his enthusiasm about the tourism industry’s growth, stating, “Idaho’s tourism industry achieved another record year thanks to our travel partners and team members. The funds for new tourism marketing and regional grants will be used to expand awareness of Idaho as a spectacular travel destination and positively impact our communities and businesses across our state.”
Grant Recipients by Region
The 2024 grant recipients are spread across various regions in Idaho:
Region 1:
- North Idaho Tourism Alliance (NITA) – $234,000
- Coeur d’Alene Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) – $1,260,500
- Post Falls Chamber of Commerce – $124,305
- Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce – $235,600
Region 2:
- Visit Lewis Clark Valley – $165,000
- North Central Idaho Travel Association (NCITA) – $71,122.46
- Moscow Chamber of Commerce – $165,000
Region 3:
- Boise Metro Chamber of Commerce DBA Visit Boise – $1,680,000
- Nampa Chamber of Commerce – $162,000
- McCall Area Chamber of Commerce & Visitors Bureau – $480,000
- Southwest Idaho Travel Association (SWITA) – $1,078,000
Region 4:
- Application Re-Opened – Decision Pending Application Review and Scoring
Region 5:
- Southeast Idaho High Country Tourism – $355,750
- Greater Pocatello Convention & Visitors Bureau – $329,570
- Bear Lake Valley Convention and Visitor Bureau – $105,000
Region 6:
- Yellowstone Teton Territory (YTT) – $1,728,840.72
Region 7:
- Hailey Chamber of Commerce Inc – $215,000
- Lemhi County Economic Development Association (LCEDA) – $41,000
- Stanley-Sawtooth Chamber of Commerce – $162,103.11
- Challis Chamber of Commerce – $25,000
- Sun Valley Marketing Alliance Inc – $450,000
Multi-Region:
- Idaho Ski Areas Association (ISAA) – $252,709.30
- Idaho Outfitters & Guides Association (IOGA) – $213,775.65
- Idaho Lodging & Restaurant Association (ILRA) – $91,360.98
Funding and Economic Impact
The Idaho Tourism activities are funded by a 2% tax on travelers, collected by hotels, motels, vacation rentals, and private campgrounds across the state. A significant portion of these funds, 45%, is allocated to statewide programs targeting domestic and international travelers, while another 45% is distributed through the ITC Grant Program. The remaining 10% is used for administrative purposes.
For the fiscal year 2024, the total lodging tax collections amounted to $21,778,515, marking a 2.4% increase from the previous year.
Idaho Tourism, the state’s third-largest industry, remains committed to promoting Idaho’s diverse attractions and growing its economy through strategic and impactful marketing efforts. More information on planning an Idaho vacation can be found at visitidaho.org.
