SANDPOINT — The Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce has received a $205,000 tourism grant from the Idaho Department of Commerce, Tourism Division.

The chamber’s tourism group, Visit Sandpoint, applies for an annual grant through the Department of Commerce which provides funds specifically for marketing the greater Sandpoint area as a destination for visitors of all types. The funding is derived from the 2-percent hotel-motel room tax collected by the state of Idaho. The Department of Commerce’s Idaho Travel Council then awards funds to non-profit organizations throughout the state.

Applications are due in the beginning of April each year, followed by an in-person presentation from the requesting organization in May. Awards are given in early August.

“The grant requires us to use the dollars for advertising outside of the area. The closest advertising for Sandpoint is Spokane,” said chamber president and CEO Kate McAlister.

Grant funds are used to create the annual Visitors Guide featuring all the area lodging, the chamber’s Visit Sandpoint members, maps, events, and attractions for the greater Sandpoint area. It is also used to maintain the Visit Sandpoint website, create digital, print, and radio advertising of our events, attend travel shows, and create digital campaigns and giveaways through Visit Sandpoint.

“We are lucky to have Schweitzer Mountain Resort as a major partner in our advertising efforts and regularly create joint campaigns featuring both the resort and Sandpoint,” McAlister said.

“We also have local partnering businesses who provide in-kind items to create our giveaway packages, host national travel writers and familiarization tours, and other promotional opportunities to market Sandpoint.”

For more information on the Greater Sandpoint Chamber of Commerce and Visit Sandpoint, visit them at 1202 N Fifth Avenue, at sandpointchamber.org, and visitsandpoint.com.