Tourism Grants Tight This Year Marketing Groups Had To Settle For Less Than Requested

If state officials had any doubt about North Idaho’s willingness to pursue the tourism market, they need look no farther than promotion groups’ open palms.

On Tuesday, the Idaho Travel Council divvied up grants to nonprofit groups, chambers of commerce and regional marketing groups. Almost every group in North Idaho received less than requested.

Panhandle groups asked for a total of $790,000 - more than double the amount made available from a regional hotel-motel sales tax.

Silver Valley Resort Association requested $264,000 and received only $24,820 after it made a pitch to promote the Kellogg and Wallace area as a snowmobiler’s destination spot.

Even the North Idaho Tourism Alliance, created by Travel Council member Bob Templin, had to take a 30 percent cut from its request.

“Everyone throughout Idaho had to take a cut,” said Georgia Smith, spokeswoman for the Idaho Department of Commerce. “The council made the attempt to meet everyone’s immediate needs.”

Because the grant money is generated from hotel and motel taxes in each region, more money is available when each region earns more.

Over the past few years, North Idaho tourism revenues have remained flat, due partly to bad weather and the poor Canadian exchange rate, which keeps most over-the-border visitors at home.

However, it is a strong industry.

In North Idaho, tourism ranks second behind the timber industry, according to the Idaho Department of Labor.

That means a strong willingness by business owners to promote this region the best they can.

“We believe you stand tall for what you are. While we’re not the best place in the world for skiing and golf, we are the leading (snowmobile) trail system in the world,” said Tom Magnuson, president of Silver County Inc., a Silver Valley marketing group.

The Silver Valley has marketed its 1,000-mile snowmobile trail network nationally and has enlisted support from major corporations such as Coca-Cola and Yamaha, he said.

This year the area plans to build an additional 100 miles of trails, allowing access from Coeur d’Alene to Montana.

The lack of state funds won’t discourage them. They will just look for more money from corporations, he said.

“We look at this business as an amusement business, one has to build a bigger roller coaster than the guy across the street. We’re planning to build the biggest roller coaster this year,” Magnuson said.

You can’t blame them for trying.

“They’re energetic people trying to make a difference,” Smith said. “They’re very ambitious.”

, DataTimes