To kick off National Travel and Tourism Week, Gov. Glenn Youngkin announced Monday that more than $2.7 million in matching grant and reimbursable sponsorship funds will be awarded to 259 local and regional tourism programs as part of the Virginia Tourism Corporation’s Marketing Leverage and Regional Marketing programs.

These programs are designed to leverage local marketing dollars with matching state funds to increase visitation and traveler spending. This funding cycle, local partners will commit more than $12.4 million to match the VTC funding, providing more than $15 million in new marketing activity. The funding will be awarded to 215 local and regional tourism entities, ultimately impacting 259 programs and more than 1,000 combined partners.

Among grants announced on Monday is $10,000 to the Mathews County Visitor and Information Center for the “Explore our Shoreline” program; $10,000 to the Middle Peninsula Chesapeake Bay Public Access Authority for “Paddlers Gone Wild”; ...