The Advertising Reimbursement Grant Program, offered by the City of Marfa, Texas, is designed to directly promote tourism and the hotel and convention industry. Rooted in state law, the program utilizes revenue from the Hotel Occupancy Tax (HOT) collected from local lodging facilities. The core mission alignment is to stimulate economic growth within Marfa by increasing overnight visitors, thereby supporting local businesses and enhancing the city's tourism profile. The grant functions on a reimbursement basis, not as a direct cash donation, and focuses on specific events and activities, including advertising, solicitations, and promotions.
The target beneficiaries of this program are groups and businesses that host events capable of generating overnight visitors to Marfa. The primary impact goal is to boost hotel night activity and overall tourism. Priority is given to events and entities that can demonstrate a clear potential to attract guests who will stay in Marfa's lodging facilities. This is evidenced through historical data on room nights, current room block reservations, guest attendance records, or detailed marketing plans designed to draw visitors from outside the local area.
The program's priorities and focuses are clear: generating overnight visitors and encouraging advertising in external media markets. Events that do not significantly contribute to hotel night activity are ineligible. Furthermore, organizations that rent the Tourism/USO Building or Marfa Activity Center for their events receive preferential treatment. A significant focus is placed on advertising directed outside the Tri-County area, which is eligible for 100% reimbursement. Local newspaper ads are reimbursed at varying rates based on their out-of-area subscription ratios, with KTRS radio advertising specifically considered as outside Tri-County.
The expected outcomes and measurable results revolve around increased tourism, higher hotel occupancy rates, and greater economic activity within Marfa. The maximum grant award is $3,500, provided on a reimbursement basis only. To receive reimbursement, organizations must provide copies of invoices and a completed Post-Event Report Form within thirty days of their event. This reporting mechanism allows the City of Marfa to track the effectiveness of the funded advertising and verify its impact on generating tourism, aligning with the strategic priority of using HOT revenue solely for tourism promotion and the hotel and convention industry.
