Arizona awards $9.4M in statewide tourism recovery grants

PHOENIX — More than 40 Arizona businesses and organizations will receive about $9.4 million in grant funding as part of a partnership between the governor’s office and the state’s tourism office.

The Visit Arizona Initiative Partnership will provide funds for the relaunch or expansion of various festivals, arts and culture, and community events across the state for organizations rebounding from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Eighteen metro Phoenix businesses will receive $3.7 in funding.

“The Visit Arizona Initiative is boosting tourism in every part of Arizona and helping Arizonans recover from the effects of the pandemic,” Gov. Doug Ducey said in a press release Tuesday.

“Today’s announcement is exciting news for dozens of events, destinations and organizations both large and small and rural and urban.”

About half of the grant money — $4.6 million — will go to 11 Tucson and southern Arizona organizations.

Northern, north central and western Arizona businesses will divide the remaining $1 million grant money.

“With tourism being the hardest hit industry and still working to recover, we were really focused during this initial round on getting funds to communities that needed it most,” Debbie Johnson, director of the Arizona Office of Tourism, said in the release.

“We worked diligently through this process to provide support statewide and I’m proud to say we achieved that goal.”

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