Tourism Industry News: Highgate Border Crossing Expansion Plan

Highgate Border Crossing Expansion Plan

The US General Services Administration (GSA) is holding a public meeting on Thursday, January 12 to discuss expansion of the Highgate border crossing that sits at the northern end of Interstate 89.

This first public meeting is to discuss the project timeline and the process for public feedback. GSA will consider three project alternatives and seek public input multiple times over the next 18 to 24 months. No project plans or designs are currently available for review or being decided on at this meeting. As more information on the project becomes available it will be updated at the GSA website.

Highgate Border Public Meeting
When: January 12, 2023 - 5:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.
Where: St. Albans City Hall Auditorium
100 N Main St.
St. Albans City, VT 05478

The meeting is in person only, there is no virtual option. If you are unable to attend, but have initial feedback on public engagement for this project, you can email [email protected] and reference “Highgate Springs LPOE EA” in the subject line.

Register for Discover New England Tourism Summit

What you should know

Discover New England’s 25th Annual Tourism Summit and International Marketplace will be held on March 30-31, 2023 at the Boston Marriott Copley Place.

Registration for the Discover New England (DNE) Summit is now open and early bird registration closes on January 13.

Two million overseas visitors explored destinations throughout New England, in 2019. The DNE summit and International Marketplace is your opportunity to learn how to increase business and attract overseas travelers to your property, or attraction.

Attending the DNE summit allows you to:

• Meet directly with international tour operators and receptive operators who arrange and book trips for tens of thousands of international travelers each year.
• Network with New England state tourism representatives and other colleagues in the region.
• Attend DNE's presentation on International Market Updates to learn the latest trends and interests.
• Showcase your business/organization in front of 250+ New England travel suppliers and the tour/receptive operator community.
• Participate in one-on-one meetings with international buyers.

More information: key dates and deadlines and the full schedule.

If you have additional questions about the summit or working with international visitors, please email Sara DeFilippi at [email protected].

Arts Council Creative Futures Grants

The Vermont Arts Council is now accepting applications for round two of Creative Futures Grants to help the creative sector recover from economic losses due to the pandemic. Grants of up to $200K will be available to nonprofit and for-profit entities based on 2019 operating revenue. The deadline for Round 2 applications is February 28. Find more information about grant guidelines, an application preview, and the program FAQs on the Creative Futures page.

Vermont State Parks Modernization Study

Vermont State Parks is seeking public input as part of a modernization study that will provide a comprehensive assessment of the state park system and identify key challenges and resources needed to meet current and future demands.

The Department of Forests, Parks and Recreation is collecting feedback from the public in multiple ways including open dialogue and a survey. Find out more about the survey and how to deliver feedback at the Vermont State Parks modernization study page. Feedback is due by February 15.