$250K for tourism funding approved for Wicomico Co.

WICOMICO CO., Md. – The pandemic may be winding down but the tourism industry is still recovering from the damages.

As more people feel comfortable getting back outside, the tourism industry is ready with open arms.

But after so many jobs were lost, Wicomico County is helping businesses get back on their feet. “This money that our tourism department will be using to promote Wicomico County and our assets will develop new businesses in the jurisdiction,” says CEO Bill Chambers of the Salisbury Chamber of Commerce.

That’s 250,000 dollars aimed at job recovery. Wicomico County Tourism will help businesses advertise. In connection with existing efforts, they hope to bring back the nearly 350 jobs lost in the pandemic. “Launched a large-scale leisure travel campaign so we targeted folks who would be in drive distance to our market. Most of it was a digital campaign, but now we have that information, we have that data, we’ll be able to source where our marketing was the most efficient, and well be able to use these funds to target those markets,” says Kristen Goller, the Tourism Manager for Wicomico Parks, Recreation and Tourism.

Goller says the tourism industry was one of the hardest hit during the pandemic causing a lot of cutbacks. But with more advertising Salisbury Chamber of Commerce CEO Bill Chambers says businesses will be able to grow. “Any time a new business opens anywhere in our region, it helps every other business in that region, because those other businesses are there to support whatever that particular entity is, whether it’s manufacturing, retail, hospitality, or restaurants, when one opens it benefits the surrounding businesses,” Chambers says.

When business grows that means more opportunities for jobs, however it’s not a quick fix. “I think it will also be a gradual recovery, so as we bring more businesses, restaurants to the market, we’ll see that they need additional staff, stores will need additional staff so I think it will be a slow process, but hopefully it will be visible there,” says Goller.

But Chambers says if we go into an economic recession, using this funding as a cushion businesses can stay in the black. “The more we promote our assets here in Wicomico County and in our region, the more outside folks recognize that this is a place to spend whatever disposable income they may have even in a recession the better our economy will do,” Chambers adds.

Bill Chambers says this funding is nice to have but $250,000 dollars is not enough. If the County continues to apply for funding like this, it will open the door for more businesses to come into the area, driving tourism up.

The funding will be rolled out over the next 3 years. Tourism officials expect it to be available starting next fiscal year.