Tourism board OKs co-op marketing funds

The Utah Board of Tourism Development has approved almost $900,000 in funding for the state's tourism Cooperative Marketing Program.

Those receiving funding are:

• 2007 Rotary International Convention, $168,150.

• Bear River Association of Governments, $11,840.

• Daggett County, $16,060.

• Dinosaurland Travel Board, $15,150.

• Friends of the Moab Folk Festival, $17,000.

• Mt. Pleasant City/Heritage Highway 89, $25,000.

• Ogden Valley Business Association, $3,805.

• Park City Chamber of Commerce, $9,396.

• Park City Performing Arts Foundation, $47,405.

• Piute County, $20,000.

• Salt Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau, $88,645.

• Sportsmen for Habitat, $100,000.

• The Downtown Alliance, $25,000.

• Utah Festival Opera, $50,000.

• Ski Utah, $250,000.

• Utah Symphony and Opera, $30,000.

• Wasatch Western Heritage Inc./Cowboy Poetry, $12,000.

• Zion Canyon Art and Flute Festival, $5,000.

The first year of the new program provided nearly $2 million to local tourism entities for out-of-state advertising projects. Those eligible for the co-op program include cities, counties, nonprofit destination marketing organizations and similar public entities that have been established as a nonprofit for at least one year. The Utah Office of Tourism will match up to half of the cost of a marketing project. All projects must use the state brand.

The next cooperative marketing application deadline is Aug. 4. During the next fiscal year, $2.2 million will be available. All of the monies will be awarded in September. The application and guidelines can be downloaded at travel.utah.gov/co-opmktg.htm.