PEDC Announces Applications are Open for up to $20,000 Texas Travel Industry Recovery Grants

Palestine Economic Development Corporation (PEDC) is pleased to share details about the newly launched Texas Travel Industry Recovery Grant Program (TTIR Program). 

One-time grants of up to $20,000 will be issued to reimburse eligible costs to qualifying Texas entities negatively impacted by COVID-19 in the tourism, travel, and hospitality industry. TTIR Program funds, totaling $180 million, were received from the Coronavirus State Fiscal Recovery Fund, established under the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) of 2021.

Applications will be accepted in phases through the TTIR Grant Program Portal following timelines sorted by industry groupings identified by NAICS codes. Only privately-owned for-profit and nonprofit entities which fall into the qualifying NAICS categories are eligible for TTIR Program funding. If funds remain after the first four phases, a fifth phase will revisit any unfunded applications to award the remaining funds. 

TTIR Program Application Timelines 

(Dates are subject to change; please check the Program Portal for updates):

• Category 1 – July 6 to August 7, 2022 
  • NAICS 312120, 312130, 312140, 5615, 561920, and 7212
  • Breweries, microbreweries; Wineries; Distilleries
  • Travel Arrangement and Reservation Services; Convention and Visitors Bureaus
  • Convention and Trade Show Organizers, Event and Meeting Planning Services
  • RV Parks and Recreational Camps; Campgrounds
• Category 2 – August 15 to September 4, 2022 
  • NAICS 71
  • Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation
• Category 3 – September 6 to September 25, 2022 
  • NAICS 7211
  • Traveler Accommodation: Hotels and Motels, Bed and Breakfast
• Category 4 – September 26 to October 16, 2022 
  • NAICS 722
  • Food Services and Drinking Places
• Category 5 
  • If funds remain after the first four phases, a fifth phase will revisit any unfunded applications to award the remaining funds.

TTIR Program Eligibility and Application

Please refer to https://www.naics.com/search/ to determine whether your particular organization or business qualifies in one of the relevant NAICS codes.

Each application is evaluated and scored based on established criteria. Applications with tie scores will be further assessed for grant approval via timestamp data for submission order. 

Even if an entity received Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funding, it may still be eligible for funding through the TTIR Program. Businesses that have not received any or have received minimal federal aid due to COVID-19, including the PPP, Shuttered Venues Grant, the Restaurant Revitalization Fund, or SBA Debt Relief, will be scored higher than businesses that have received more than minimal federal aid of this type.

The TTIR program application requires all applicants to submit supporting documents along with their application to demonstrate compliance with grant and eligibility requirements. For a list of those required documents and the application, please refer to the Program Portal.

TTIR Program Priority Groups

Priority groups, assuming the relevant entity meets all other eligibility requirements, include:  

• Businesses demonstrating the largest negative financial impact as determined by total Texas sales;  
• Businesses that have not received any or have received minimal federal aid due to COVID-19, including the Paycheck Protection Program, Shuttered Venues Grant, the Restaurant Revitalization Fund, or SBA Debt Relief;  
• Veteran-owned businesses;  
• Businesses located in a Qualified Census Tract (QCT), Difficult Development Area (DDA), or nonmetropolitan (nonmetro) area as determined by the Office of Management and Budget (OMB);  
• Small businesses (no more than 500 employees, or, if applicable, the size standard in number of employees established by the Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) for the industry in which the business concern or organization operates; or is a small business concern as defined in section 3 of the Small Business Act (15 U.S.C. 632)); and  
• For-profit entities, Destination Marketing Organizations (DMOs), and Convention and Visitor Bureaus (CVBs).

TTIR Application Assistance

• Visit the TTIR Grant Program Portal To apply for a grant and learn about eligibility and grant application details, deadlines, and more.
• View the application video tutorial for a detailed walkthrough of the application process.
• Visit the FAQs for more information about priority groups, eligibility, and more. 
• Contact the TTIR staff at tourismrecoverygrant@gov.texas.gov for any other questions. 

TTIR Program Webinars

The Texas Economic Development & Tourism Office will host a series of webinars for specific industry groups to provide more information and answer questions on the program and application process.

Upcoming Webinars

Thursday, August 11 | 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m., CT
Traveler Accommodation Webinar (NAICS 7211)
(Registration for this webinar opens on August 2)

Thursday, September 1 | 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m., CT
Food Services and Drinking Places Webinar (NAICS 722) 
(Registration for this webinar opens on August 2)

Prior Webinars

Watch the playback of the July 12, 2022, webinar for businesses in the following industries and NAICS codes: Breweries, Microbreweries (312120); Wineries (312130); Distilleries (312140); Travel Arrangement and Reservation Services, Convention and Visitors Bureaus (5615); Convention and Trade Show Organizers, Event and Meeting Planning Services (561920); RV Parks and Recreational Camps; and Campgrounds (7212).

Watch the playback of the July 20, 2022, webinar for businesses in the Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation category (NAICS 71).

Texas Travel and Tourism Industry Recovery

The Texas travel and tourism industry is vital to the state's economy, creating jobs and injecting dollars into local communities. In 2019, travelers spent $83 billion on travel in Texas. While the industry was greatly affected by the travel and in-person gathering limitations imposed by the pandemic, the industry is starting to see a strong return in Texas. 

According to Travel Texas stats for year-over-year change (updated in April 2022), direct travel spending is up 35.7 percent, industry employment is up 5.8 percent, earnings are up 7.0 percent, and related tax revenue is up 33.2 percent.

The intention of the TTIR Program is to aid the industry in its continued recovery and further expansion.

Palestine Economic Development Corporation

The mission of Palestine Economic Development Corporation is to promote and facilitate responsible commercial and industrial business retention and growth that expands, diversifies, and strengthens the local tax base while enhancing local amenities and destination attractions throughout the City of Palestine. 

To learn more about incentives and opportunities in Palestine, Texas, contact the PEDC at 903-729-4100 or by email. We are prepared for growth and ready to provide immediate and customized assistance. Explore our available properties here.

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