DOC Announces 2002 MDCP Grant Award Competition Details

Today, the U.S. Department of Commerce released the schedule for this year's Market Development Cooperator Program (MDCP) grant award competition. This year, the applications will be due on July 1, 2002. For further information on the schedule or for an application, please go to the MDCP website at: http://www.ita.doc.gov/td/mdcp/.

An MDCP kick-off meeting is planned for May 20 at 10:00 am in Washington D.C. to discuss the program and application preparation. Your participation is highly recommended. For more information on this meeting please refer to the MDCP website.

The tourism industry has benefited by more than a million dollars from hese grants in the past. In 1998, Travel South USA was an award recipient, and in 1999 the Los Angeles Convention and Visitors Bureau was awarded a grant from the MDCP.

The Office of Travel and Tourism Industries would like to encourage travel and tourism organizations to apply for this year's awards as well. OTTI will keep you posted on any new developments in the MDCP program.

For Further Information Contact:

Brad Hess, Manager,

Market Development Cooperator Program

U.S. Department of Commerce

14th & Constitution Ave. N.W., Room 3209

Washington, DC 20230

Telephone: (202) 482-2969

Fax: (202) 482-4462

http://www.ita.doc.gov/td/mdcp/

The Office of Travel and Tourism Industries, along with the U.S. Commercial Service will be happy to assist you with market background and plan suggestions in applying for this grant, as long as it is within the official MDCP guidelines. You are encouraged to use these resources to show the public/private partnership links. Please visit the ITA web sites as well when developing your proposals. OTTI suggests you go to:

http://tinet.ita.doc.gov/

http://www.usatrade.gov/

http://www.ita.doc.gov/td/td_home/tdhome.html

http://www.ita.doc.gov/

Tourism Industries, International Trade Administration

U.S. Department of Commerce, Room 7025

Washington, D.C. 20230

(202) 482-0140, fax: (202) 482-2887

E-mail: info@tinet.ita.doc.gov