T-L Photo/GAGE VOTA Executive Director of Belmont County Tourism Council Jackee Pugh speaks to the Belmont County Board of Commissioners about the newly unveiled Belmont County Tourism Guide.

ST. CLAIRSVILLE — An additional $100,000 is available to market a 10-county region of Ohio that includes Belmont County.

A $50,000 grant was awarded through the Governor’s Office of Appalachia to the Ohio Mid-Eastern Governments Association Tourism Partnership, which must provide a $50,000 match. Each of the 10 counties involved in that partnership, including Belmont County, will provide a portion of the matching funds.

According to Jackee Pugh, executive director of the Belmont County Tourism Council, the money will be used for marketing the 10 OMEGA counties. It is a two-year grant with the first year to develop the branding and a logo, along with photo and video content to use as promotion. The second year will be to implement the marketing strategies and materials that the first year sets up.

“I think it is a huge win for our area. Not only will it help us build a stronger brand, but we know that when people travel they don’t care about county lines. If we can get them to the region and tell them what we offer, it’s better for us in the long run,” Pugh told county commissioners at their Wednesday meeting.

She mentioned that the tourism council had already budgeted its share of matching funds in anticipation of receiving the grant.

“It’s a real small investment on the return that we’ll get,” she noted. “The money that tourism brings in truly is an economic driver. Locally, in Belmont County, it helps relieve the tax burden for our residents.”

The Belmont County Tourism Council also unveiled its new visitors guide that is printed by Great Lakes Publishing.

“It’s very editorial, it’s not just a resource directory anymore. It truly tells the story of Belmont County. The pictures and illustrations really showcase the best of what we have to offer,” Pugh said.

The same publisher who does the Belmont County Tourism guide also publishes the state of Ohio tourism guide. Pugh believes that the publisher learning about what Belmont County has to offer has led to Belmont County receiving more attention in the state’s tourism guide this year than ever.

Kirke’s Homemade Ice Cream, the Barnesville Pumpkin Festival, Barkcamp and the Great Stone Viaduct in Bellaire were all mentioned in this year’s State of Ohio Official Tourism Guide.

“Back in the January and February issue, they did a full page editorial on our Bigfoot Geo Tour, so that’s free promotion that we are getting because now they’re aware of the really great things that we are doing,” Pugh said when speaking on the relationship Belmont County Tourism and Great Lakes Publishing are building.

One statewide promotional effort is the “Ohio Ice Cream Trail.” Kirke’s Homemade Ice Cream in St. Clairsville is one of the stops listed on this year’s trail, which crosses the entire state and has 54 stops.