Tourism Promotion Grant
Promoting Haywood as a premier destination
The Tourism Promotion Grant puts Occupancy Tax dollars to work promoting Haywood County as a destination. It funds marketing campaigns, events, and market research that help bring visitors here and enrich the lives of locals. When these projects succeed, the whole community benefits from the powerful positive impacts of tourism.
Program details
Minimum request of $2,000. Maximum depends on available funding.
Minimum 50% match for nonprofits and municipalities; 100% for all other organizations. See grant program guidelines for more details.
Three sub-categories: Advertising, Events, and Market Research. Advertising and Events share the same application. Market Research uses a separate application.
The FY 26-27 application period is now closed. The next cycle opens in late 2026.
What this grant funds
Projects should demonstrate the potential to draw overnight visitors from beyond a 50-mile radius, extend the tourism season, and enhance the quality of life for local residents, not just promote an individual business.
North Carolina state law defines "tourism promotion" as: advertising or marketing an area or activity, publishing and distributing materials, conducting market research, or engaging in similar promotional activities that attract tourists or business travelers to the area.
Supports paid marketing campaigns and promotional efforts designed to attract overnight visitors from outside the region. Eligible advertising activities include:
- Marketing campaigns: Multi-channel efforts targeting HCTDA's destination audiences
Promotional materials: Brochures, visitor guides, and event websites - Paid advertising: Targeted online campaigns, print ads, and media buys aimed at visitors from beyond a 50-mile radius
- Digital storytelling: Content creator campaigns that highlight Haywood's events, attractions, and experiences to drive overnight visitation
Funds new or existing festivals, activities, and attractions open to the public that bring visitors to the county. Events should prioritize drawing overnight visitors from outside the region, extending the tourism season, and delivering strong visitor and local community value.
Funds the creation, production, and execution of new events or festivals, as well as enhancements to existing events that attract visitors to the County. Eligible event types include:
- Heritage tourism events
- Agritourism and agri-culinary events
- Outdoor recreation events
- Events attracting niche audiences
- Sporting events and tournaments
A separate funding category for organizations conducting research that informs tourism strategy and development. There are three types of eligible projects:
- Insights gathering: Research to understand market trends, visitor preferences, effective promotional strategies, and economic impact. Applies to one-time research projects and one-year data tool memberships.
- Master plans: Long-term strategic planning that guides tourism development, including downtown or district revitalization plans, heritage or trail system master planning, and recreation master planning.
- Feasibility studies: Research assessing the viability of proposed tourism projects, events, or capital improvements. Includes outdoor recreation infrastructure planning, cultural site activation studies, lodging demand analysis, and event venue feasibility.
Advertising & events application documents
The FY 26-27 application period has closed.
Stay tuned for future grant opportunities.
Market research application documents
The FY 26-27 application period has closed.
Stay tuned for future grant opportunities.
Grant coaching
Your success is our success. The HCTDA offers individual 30-minute grant coaching sessions each cycle to help applicants talk through their ideas before they apply. Sessions are free and scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis.
The FY 26-27 coaching window has closed.
