$180 million grant from federal funds is now available to Texas businesses in the tourism, travel, and hospitality industries that were negatively impacted by the pandemic.
Gov. Greg Abbott and the Office of Economic Development and Tourism announced Tuesday that applications would open Wednesday for the Texas Travel Industry Recovery Grant Program (TTIR). The TTIR will administer $180 million in funds from the Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.
Gov. Abbott believes travel and tourism are critical components of the state and local economies. “After record expansion of Texas jobs supported by tourism, the travel industry was among the hardest hit by the pandemic,” Abbott said. “While direct travel spending in Texas is recovering at a faster rate than national averages, allocating these grant funds paves the way for a more prosperous, brighter future for all Texas communities.”
Applicants in the following industries are eligible for a one-time grant of up to $20,000: arts, entertainment, and recreation; food services and drinking places; traveler accommodation; R.V. parks and recreational camps; traveler arrangement and reservation services; convention and tradeshow organizers; breweries; wineries; and distilleries.
U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Roger Dow spoke about his vision for the U.S. travel industry in March at the association’s 2022 annual State of the Travel Industry address. “Things will improve sooner than what the projections from economists are predicting,” said Dow. “We have a robust policy agenda and a clear strategy to revive America’s travel industry, but Congress and the Biden administration must continue to work closely with the travel sector to help the industry bounce back quickly.”
All applicants for the grant must submit supporting documents with the application to demonstrate compliance with eligibility requirements.
The Governor’s Office of Economic Development and Tourism will host a series of webinars for specific industry groups to provide more information and answer applicant questions. The webinar times are as follows:
Breweries, Wineries, Distilleries, Travel Arrangement & Reservation Services, Convention & Trade Show Organizers, and R.V. Parks & Recreational Camps Webinar: Tuesday, July 12, 1 p.m. – 2 p.m.
Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation Webinar: Thursday, July 21, 1 p.m. – 2 p.m.
Traveler Accommodation Webinar: Thursday, August 11, 1 p.m. – 2 p.m.
Food Services and Drinking Places Webinar: Thursday, September 1, 1 p.m. – 2 p.m.
To view eligibility, application details, and deadlines to register for a webinar, visit the TTIR homepage.Â
