CVB receives grant for promoting Cape tourism

Business Today

The Missouri Division of Tourism has awarded a $31,203 grant to the Cape Girardeau Convention and Visitors Bureau to promote tourism.

Chuck Martin, bureau director, said the CVB will match the grant dollar for dollar with motel and restaurant tax money.

Martin said the grant will allow the bureau to better carry on its "Where the River Turns a Thousand Tales" marketing campaign.

The grant will allow the CVB to do more advertising in various state and regional magazines, attend more travel shows and print 150,000 visitor guides. Many of those guides will be mailed to potential travelers in the St. Louis area, Martin said.

Martin said bureau staff plan to attend 10 group travel shows starting this fall and running through early summer 2005. The travel shows will be large Midwest cities including Chicago, Kansas City, Indianapolis and St. Louis.

Such shows are important because they allow cities to reach group travel organizers.

"It is all about meeting people, getting to know them, letting them get to know you and selling your community," Martin said.