$202Ok in Somerset County tourism grants awarded | Information

SOMERSET – Twenty tourism-focused businesses in Somerset County – including bed and breakfasts, outdoor recreational groups, and Jennerstown Speedway – received a $ 202,649 share to market themselves to visitors at a time when many of them need help .

Almost a year on the trend of COVID-19 shutdowns, restrictions and hardships that has kept much of the nation at home compared to previous years, Somerset County and Go Laurel Highlands – the longtime Laurel Highlands Convention and Visitors Bureau – have a total of Tourism grants award $ 30,000 to $ 20 for groups “at a critical time,” said Commissioner Pamela Tokar-Ickes.

Through a County Grant Selection Committee, Somerset works annually with the Laurel Highlands Group to distribute county hotel tax funds – overnight stay fees – to support local tourism efforts.

The biggest recipients this year included Seven Springs Mountain Resort, which operates three ski areas, as well as Jennerstown Speedway and the Lodge on Indian Lake.

Seven Springs plans to use its $ 30,000 to market itself in the Pittsburgh area this winter.

The $ 30,000 Jennerstown Speedway award will be used to debut podcasts on events in 2021, TV and digital advertising, while the Lodge at Indiana Lake, which has been rebooting in recent years, continues its grant in $ 25,000 will be invested in marketing their facility and targeting a bride, Ann Nemanic, executive director of GO Laurel Highlands, said there should be more bookings in the area.

Destinations like the Quecreek Mine Rescue Site ($ 5,000) and Mountain Ridge Trails Resort ($ 23,061) also received promotional support.

“As we all know, the tourism sector has been very hard hit by the pandemic,” she said.

The awards give everyone an opportunity to welcome people to a beautiful region that has a lot to offer, added Nemanic.

All 20 qualified applications were awarded funds this year, she said.

Two of these were bed and breakfasts – the Levi Deal Mansion ($ 2,500) and Yoder’s Guest House ($ 5,000) – while three historical groups were from the area, including the Somerset Historical Center, Springs Historical Society, and Meyersdale Area Historical Society $ 10,000 with which the group can continue occupying the facility.

Somerset County Rails to Trails received $ 3,730 to continue to employ staff at its Rockwood Welcome Center on Great Allegheny Passage.

Everyone needs to have a 25% match with the funds, Nemanic said.

Since Somerset’s hotel tax-based grant program began in 2002, more than $ 5.5 million has been awarded nationwide. The program also helps finance the maintenance of hiking trails.

The Tourism Scholarship Program awarded $ 585,000 after a record year in 2020, making this year’s award a fraction of that amount. But Nemanic said Somerset County was also the only county in the Laurel Highlands area to grant tourism grants in 2021.

While annual hotel stays in the county fell last year, it wasn’t as severe as many other counties, she said.

Nemanic said the winter recovery was likely a reason and early reports show the start of 2021 is looking good for the same reason too.

“The snow helps,” said Walker. “I know some of our companies rely on it.”

David Hurst is a reporter for The Tribune-Democrat. He can be reached at (814) 532-5053. Follow him on Twitter @ TDDavidHurst and Instagram @ TDDavidHurst.