Two Lawrence-area tourism groups get $10,000 in marketing grants from Kansas Tourism to promote culinary scene

A pair of Lawrence-area tourism groups have received two marketing grants from Kansas Tourism worth a total of $10,000 that are aimed at enhancing visitor engagement and promoting local culinary experiences.

The Northeast Kansas Tourism Association and the Lawrence Restaurant Association won grants of $1,600 and $9,520, respectively, and were presented with the awards Friday morning.

Bridgette Jobe, the director for Kansas Tourism, said part of the aim of the grants was to help get new marketing initiatives off the ground. She said groups in Lawrence faced distinct challenges this year because the renovation of David Booth Kansas Memorial Stadium means there are no University of Kansas home football games. New programs, therefore, were “something needed” to provide a boost to area tourism, she said.

Kim Anspach, the executive director for Explore Lawrence, said her group helped the two groups in the grant application process.

The grant for the Northeast Kansas Tourism Association will help the group develop and promote a “cultural food passport” with the help of a platform called Bandwango. Visitors can sign up to the platform to redeem exclusive offers and accumulate points toward rewards and giveaways.

The grant for the Lawrence Restaurant Association will enhance the marketing efforts of the Lawrence Cocktail Trail and Lawrence Restaurant Week. The cocktail trail will take place Oct. 17-20, while restaurant week is slated to happen in January 2025.

Codi Bates, the vice chair of the Lawrence Restaurant Association, said she was thrilled the group was able to win the competitive grant. Similar to the food passport for the Northeast Kansas Tourism plan, Bates said the cocktail trail will use an interactive pass to help add to visitors’ experiences.