Visit Pensacola Grant Program Paused, Will Resume Oct. 1, 2021

Media Contact:

Nicole Stacey
Visit Pensacola
(850) 434-2142
nstacey@visitpensacola.com

Pensacola, Fla. (Wednesday, June 24) -The Visit Pensacola Board of Directors voted Wednesday to pause the Visit Pensacola grant program for fiscal year 2021 beginning Oct. 1, 2020. The grant program will resume for fiscal year 2022 beginning Oct. 1, 2021. For events taking place between Oct. 1, 2021 – April 30, 2022, workshops will begin April 2021.

“In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, we don’t know the future of events right now and our highest priority is the health and safety of those in our community,” Grant Committee Chairman Tish Patel said. “Following Phase II of the governor’s plan for the state, groups over 50 are discouraged and groups under 50 are advised to practice social distancing by maintaining a distance of at least six feet from each other and wearing a face covering. That’s really difficult to do and we do don’t want to put anyone at risk.”

Developed in 2016, the Visit Pensacola grant program was established to aid local organizations that coordinate events with a demonstrated history or significant potential of visitor impact to the area. Visit Pensacola allocates funds from its annual budget to the grant program in an effort to increase the tourism development tax and spending within the Escambia County community.

“Due to the pandemic, we know that our annual budget will be impacted. We have to take that into consideration when thinking about the future of the grant program,” Director of Marketing and Communications Nicole Stacey said. We want to ensure that by allocating these dollars from our budget that we’re being good stewards of the tourist development tax and getting the highest return on investment.”

Over the next year while the grant program is paused, Visit Pensacola will be continuing its efforts to market destination events that are already taking place. Events in Escambia County are encouraged to take part in the organization’s free marketing opportunities starting with submitting to the calendar of events on the website at www.visitpensacola.com/events/submit-your-event/.

For more information on the Visit Pensacola grant program, contact Director of Marketing and Communications Nicole Stacey at nstacey@visitpensacola.com.

About Visit Pensacola

Visit Pensacola is the destination organization for Escambia County which includes Pensacola, Pensacola Beach and Perdido Key. With over 450 years of rich history and 18 miles of sugar-white sand beaches bordered by the emerald-green waters of the Gulf of Mexico, visitors from all over the world are lured to our pristine shores every year. Visit Pensacola supports the community vision of tourism by serving as the central body responsible for building tourism as an economic engine for our community through leadership, connection, collaboration and communication.