City Receives Check To Promote Tourism

July 20, 2009
Tourism grew by 12% in 2008, despite the economic downturn experienced during the last half of 2008, according to Lisa Socha, Executive Director of the Marshall County Convention and Visitors Bureau.  Socha hopes that tourism will at least reach the same levels in 2009.  Socha was at the Arab City Council meeting Monday night to present a $2,000 check to the City from the Convention and Visitors Bureau.  The money is part of a plan to promote tourism in Marshall County cities during the 2010 Year of the Small Town and Downtowns.

Socha said that the City of Arab had responded positively when the Bureau asked all Marshall County cities to add a $1 per night surcharge to hotel stays in 2004.  Money from the surcharge is used by the Bureau in promoting tourism across the county.  Socha told the council that the money had helped to bring a lot of events to the county.

Mayor Beam said the growth of tourism and the work done by the Convention and Visitors points out the importance of all the cities and citizens working together to promote our area.