Events and programs that bring tourism to San Diego are encouraged to apply
San Diego County CA— The San Diego Tourism Marketing District (SDTMD) will begin accepting applications for funding for Fiscal Year 2020 on Oct. 9. Organizers of major athletic, cultural and other high-profile tourism initiatives in the City of San Diego are encouraged to apply.
The online application is available through the SDTMD website at www.sdtmd.org/applications. Applications must be submitted to SDTMD by 5 p.m. on Nov. 16.
Additionally, SDTMD is hosting two applicant workshops on Oct. 9 and Oct. 18. Workshops will provide an overview of the application process and insight on criteria used to select events for funding. Both workshops will be held in the Coronado conference room at the SDTMD office at 750 B Street, San Diego. The Oct. 9 workshop will be held from 10 a.m. to noon; the Oct. 18 workshop from 1 to 3 p.m. Registration is not required, but encouraged by emailing Executive Director Colleen Anderson at canderson@sdtmd.org. More details can be found on the SDTMD website.
“It’s important to the SDTMD Board of Directors to have as many qualified applicants as possible, so we encourage all events and programs that may be suitable for our grants to attend a workshop and find out more,” said Anderson. “Funding decisions are straightforward based on SDTMD’s mission, which has always been to accelerate the tourism economy by supporting programs that are compelling enough to stimulate an overnight visit to our City.”
The SDTMD Board of Directors reviews each application submitted and awards funding to the marketing and sales programs likely to generate the most room night sales at assessed properties and the maximum return on investment (ROI) on TMD dollars. Over the past five years, ROI from its grants has averaged roughly 26:1 while also generating $933 million in City revenue from Transient Occupancy Tax (TOT) during the same period. A sample of past programs funded by SDTMD include California State Games, Navy vs. Notre Dame Game, Red Bull Air Races, San Diego Bowl Games, San Diego Bayfair Thunderboats, San Diego Bay Wine and Food Festival, and Surf Challenge.
About San Diego Tourism Marketing District
The San Diego Tourism Marketing District (SDTMD) is a nonprofit, mutual-benefit corporation dedicated to improving lodging room night consumption in the City of San Diego. SDTMD’s assessment of all City hotels with 70 rooms or more provides a funding vehicle to stimulate City of San Diego lodging room demand through tourism promotion, marketing and advertising programs. The judicious allocation of these resources creates a positive economic, fiscal and employment impact on lodging businesses in the City of San Diego. For more information, please visit: www.sdtmd.org.