Today, U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo announced that the Department’s Economic Development Administration (EDA) is awarding a $2.4 million CARES Act Recovery Assistance grant to the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development, Augusta, Maine, to boost the state’s tourism industry through promotion and marketing. This EDA grant, to be matched with $600,000 in local funds, is expected to retain 1,225 jobs.
“President Biden is committed to supporting our nation’s tourism industry as it not only recovers from this pandemic but builds back stronger,” said Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo. “This EDA investment in the Maine Department of Economic and Community Development will support statewide tourism recovery efforts through the retention of critical tourism and hospitality jobs and the restoration of visitor spending.”
“The Economic Development Administration plays an important role in supporting community-led economic development strategies designed to boost coronavirus recovery and response efforts,” said Linda Cruz-Carnall, Director of EDA’s Philadelphia Regional Office. “Through this investment, Maine will implement a comprehensive tourism marketing and promotion program designed to position the state as a safe, premier, four-season vacation destination.”
“The tourism and hospitality industry in Maine ensured that our state remained a world-class destination even during a world-wide pandemic,” said Governor Janet Mills. “I thank the Biden Administration for their investment in the tourism industry in Maine, which will support hospitality businesses and preserve critical jobs to welcome new visitors safely to our state and support our short and long term economic recovery from the coronavirus pandemic.”
“The COVID-19 public health and economic crisis has taken a toll on communities and small businesses across Maine, particularly those that are linked to our state’s hospitality and tourism industry,” said Senators Susan Collins and Angus King, and Representatives Chellie Pingree (ME-01) and Jared Golden (ME-02) in a joint statement. “We welcome this investment, which will support Maine jobs by assisting with the development of a comprehensive marketing strategy to encourage visitors to enjoy year-round recreational opportunities in our state.”
This project is funded under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act (Public Law 116-136 PDF), which provided EDA with $1.5 billion for economic assistance programs to help communities prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus. EDA CARES Act Recovery Assistance, which is being administered under the authority of the bureau’s flexible Economic Adjustment Assistance (EAA) (PDF) program, provides a wide-range of financial assistance to eligible communities and regions as they respond to and recover from the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic.
About the U.S. Economic Development Administration (www.eda.gov)
The mission of the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) is to lead the federal economic development agenda by promoting competitiveness and preparing the nation’s regions for growth and success in the worldwide economy. An agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce, EDA invests in communities and supports regional collaboration in order to create jobs for U.S. workers, promote American innovation, and accelerate long-term sustainable economic growth.