Athens invests in tourism

The Athens Convention & Visitors Bureau, The Classic Center multi-use conference venue and The Classic Center Cultural Foundation have joined forces to award $15,000 in Athens Local Product Development Grants to three organizations. Receiving the awards are The State Botanical Garden of Georgia, art-house theatre Ciné and Athens Popfest, a four-day summer music festival. The one-to-one matching grant program is new this year and is designed to help organizations develop tourism products and experiences that will attract visitors to Athens-Clarke County.

The botanical garden will use its funds to present a Garden Travel exhibit in January, while Ciné is working on a three-night program called Ciné Filmmaker and Television Artist in Residency. The Popfest grant will support marketing for its early August festival.

Photo of the State Botanical Garden of Georgia courtesy of the Athens Convention & Visitors Bureau.