MARGATE Mayor Michael Becker Thursday, Oct. 18 announced that the city is the recipient of a grant from the New Jersey Division of Travel and Tourism that will help Margate promote the city as a travel destination for tourists.
Administrator Dawn Marie Baselli said the city received a $16,000 grant from the department's 2019 Cooperative Marketing Program, which is a collaboration between the NJ Department of State, the Division of Travel and Tourism and the travel industry.
Margate will collaborate with the Margate Business Association to market the city as a premier vacation destination, and promote the city's natural resources, arts and cultural organizations and recreational and leisure activities, according to the grant program handbook.
In addition to the world famous Lucy the Elephant and premier community events such as Beachstock and the Fall Funfest, Margate is seeing a surge in recreational activities, including the addition of a miniature golf course and an aqua park that could open on the bayfront in 2019.
The partner agency will be required to provide a 25 percent match to help fund marketing materials, production costs and TV, radio and social media marketing.
Baselli said she applied for the grant in February with the intent of identifying areas of interest, such as upgrading the city's website and establishing a Facebook page.
It's not a tremendous amount of money but if it's focused well, it can really be good for the city, Baselli said.
Becker commended Baselli for applying for the grant.
When I got the letter the other day, the acting commissioner of travel and leisure was born and raised in Margate, so we have a friend up there I hope, he said.
Resident Nick Palmisano said the grant could provide an opportunity to promote Margate as a year-round destination for families looking for good schools as well as a shore lifestyle.
It's an opportunity to do some targeted market to people who may be in the market for homes in the general Atlantic County area and put ads out there that says, here's what we have in Margate, we've got Blue Ribbon schools, in addition to living by the beach and having a walkable town and a walkable
Several Atlantic County organizations received funding last year to promote the ShopRite LPGA Classic, and Eagle Theater and other cultural organizations in the Town of Hammonton.
