County supervisors put thousands toward supporting local tourism

During today’s budget meeting, the Pima County Board of Supervisors voted to allocate more than $380,000 to tourism-related agencies in response to the COVID-19 pandemic’s economic impacts.

Nine nonprofit organizations will receive funds from the county to promote events and programs that could provide local economic development and improve tourism, according to a press release.

The recipients are the Ajo District Chamber of Commerce, Arts Foundation for Tucson & Southern Arizona, International Sonoran Desert Alliance, Portable Practical Educational Preparation, Southwest Folklife Alliance, Children’s Museum of Tucson, Perimeter Bicycling, Tucson Botanical Gardens and the Tucson Presidio for Historic Preservation.

“Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, attractions are open with limited capacity and events altered to accommodate physical distancing,” said Diane Frisch, the county’s Attractions and Tourism Director. “These nonprofits need our assistance now more than ever as we navigate these unprecedented times.”

While this money will provide new opportunities for tourism, the COVID-19 pandemic is still a relevant factor that could interrupt future plans. If any events funded through the county and produced by these groups are canceled due to risks from the virus, the money will simply carry over to the following year.

The Attractions and Tourism department manages the county’s partnership with outside tourism and cultural organizations in an effort to coordinate the efforts between government and these community groups.

The department’s Outside Agency Citizen Review Committee considered each application and recommended where funding should be allocated.

For more information, visit the Attractions & Tourism website.

This article appears in Jun 18-24, 2020.