DOVER, Del.  – The Delaware Division of Small Business (DSB) announced the Spring 2025 winners of the Encouraging Development, Growth and Expansion (EDGE) Grant competition on Wednesday June 4, 2025. Ten awards were presented to Delaware small businesses in a ceremony at Bally’s Resort in Dover by DSB Director CJ Bell, and Secretary of State, Charuni Patibanda-Sanchez.

Awardees in the latest round of the competition include a Kent County gymnastics facility needing equipment for its expansion, a lavender farm asking for funds to build cottages for an agri-tourism expansion project, the State’s first Menopause Clinic, a company making key enhancements to its collaborative AI tools, a company conducting Phase 2 research and development on a cure for a rare pediatric disorder, and a bioscience company developing engineered cell lines for producing sustainable meat.

“I am incredibly excited by the diverse range of small businesses that we were able to support during this round of the EDGE competition,” said DSB Director, CJ Bell. “These companies are contributing to the quality of life of Delawareans in a variety of ways. I’m proud that through this funding we are able to help elevate them to the next level.”

The EDGE Grant Competition was launched in 2019, and including this round, has provided support to 120 small businesses by distributing nearly $8.0 million to them.

“We are thrilled to help these businesses expand and grow,” said Secretary of State Charuni Patibanda-Sanchez. “Small businesses enhance economic diversity in our state by helping create new industries, jobs and markets. When small businesses thrive, we all thrive.”

The EDGE Grant Competition is conducted twice a year. Businesses that are less than seven years old and employ no more than 10 full-time employees (or FTE equivalents), are eligible to apply for an EDGE grant. The grants are awarded through a competitive selection process.

After thorough internal review, up to 16 finalists are selected to pitch their proposals to an outside expert panel of judges. Ten companies are selected each round for awards. Five STEM-based companies each receive up to $100,000 for eligible expenses while five Entrepreneur Class (non-STEM) businesses each receive up to $50,000. Several previous EDGE winners are leaders in the bioscience, astronomy, technology, and food service industries.

Donny Legans, owner of Rail Haus beer garden in Dover and a previous winner from the Fall of 2022, spoke to the most recent round of awardees during the ceremony and told them how pivotal the award was for him.

“Receiving the EDGE grant was a game changer for us. It was the initial push we needed to know we were on the right path and had a viable business we could build on. The EDGE funding itself is the star and is rightfully the focus of the program but an equally great benefit of the program is the planning and research needed to move throughout the application process successfully. It undoubtably made us a stronger business that forced us to look at our weaker areas and address them with a solid strategy. We are forever grateful for the initial investment from the Division of Small Business. They are a big part of who we are today at Rail Haus.”

Since 2019, more than half (54%) of the 120 awardees have been either woman, minority, or veteran-owned small businesses. Another 18% fall into more than one of those categories.

This was the eleventh round of the program. In February, 139 businesses applied for funding—matching the number of applicants from the program’s first year. Of those, 111 were in the Entrepreneur category and 28 in the STEM category. In this round, seven of the ten awardees have businesses located in New Castle County, one in Kent County, and two in Sussex County. To date, the program has supported 79 businesses in New Castle County, 25 in Kent County, and 16 in Sussex County.

Sixteen finalists gave public presentations in early May at the BPG Brandywine Building in Wilmington. From those, the below recipients were selected.

Entrepreneur Awardees:

American Fire Protection (Seaford) – $50,000
American Fire Protection, launched in 2024, is a fully licensed fire protection contractor, providing inspection, service, and maintenance of commercial, industrial, and residential water-based fire suppression systems and fire extinguishers. All of the company’s fire protection specialists are fully licensed, certified, and trained in fire suppression systems and safety. The company will use its EDGE funds to buy a second service vehicle, with interior upfitting and wrapped with their logo, that is exclusively dedicated to providing on-site servicing of fire extinguishers.

Bayside Gymnastics (Milford) – $50,000
Located in Milford, DE Bayside Gymnastics is in the process of building a new facility with a target opening date of January 2026. The EDGE grant award will offset a portion of the $150,000 multi-use equipment which is needed for the expansion of their special needs, gymnastics, ninja warrior, cheer, and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (BJJ) programs. It will enable them to increase their customer base and improve the overall quality and depth of the programs offered.

Harvey Haven Lavender Farm (Townsend) – $50,000
This farm is a 12.7-acre agritourism venture in Townsend, DE, blending lavender cultivation with immersive tourist experiences. The farm produces lavender-based products like essential oils, lotions, body washes, salts, sprays and soaps. Harvey Haven seeks to be the first lavender farm with integrated overnight accommodations. Part of a nearly half million-dollar agritourism expansion project, EDGE funding will be used for them to launch phase one, the construction of two 450-square foot cottages. Future plans include building an event barn, pavilion, farm cafe and increasing product sales.

Introspection Counseling (Wilmington) – $50,000
Introspection Counseling Center, LLC (ICC) is a telehealth practice founded in September 2021, to meet the increasing demand for accessible mental health support and qualified mental health providers during the global pandemic. Since its establishment, ICC has provided more than 5,600 online therapy sessions to adult residents across Delaware. To meet the rising demand for in-person mental health services, particularly in underserved areas such as Wilmington, the company has secured a medical office condo in the City. The space needs extensive renovations to bring it up to code and make it ADA compliant. ICC will use its EDGE awarded funds to invest in infrastructure, IT systems, marketing, website redesign and equipment. This move will help ICC enhance service delivery, and close accessibility gaps.

Oasis Family Wellness – The Menopause Clinic (Newark) – $50,000
Menopause is a significant yet often overlooked phase in a woman’s health journey, impacting nearly 1.3 million women annually in the United States. In Delaware, over 20% of the female population is aged 45 and older, and the demand for specialized menopause care is increasing. Despite this, access to dedicated menopause care remains limited, leaving many women to navigate complex hormonal health challenges related to menopause without adequate support or treatment. The proposed Menopause Clinic, the first stand-alone clinic in Delaware, seeks to close this critical gap by providing evidence-based, patient-centered services tailored to perimenopausal and postmenopausal women. EDGE funding will support startup costs including medical equipment and supplies, hardware, furniture, marketing and community outreach, and early operational expenses.

STEM Awardees:

AKOS Solutions (Newark) – $100,000
AKOS, founded in September 2023, created a platform called CollabChat AI to address a core gap in collaborative AI. Most AI tools cater to individual users, missing shared perspectives from project managers, specialists, teachers, or students—leading to oversights and unchecked “AI hallucinations.” CollabChat AI allows teams to interact with an AI model together, refining ideas and validating responses in real time. This approach is especially valuable in sectors like healthcare, where novices gather information for experts, and education, where teachers oversee students’ AI usage. AKOS will use their EDGE funding to enable key enhancements of CollabChat’s core capabilities, such as Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) for better accuracy, real-time web search, and shared collaboration tools. It will also support user research, marketing, and infrastructure (including AWS hosting) to ensure a seamless experience for users.

Archie (Georgetown) – $100,000
Archie is pioneering “liquid real estate” – a unique model that gives home sellers the freedom to move forward immediately without sacrificing the value of their home. Traditional selling means months of strangers walking through your house, repair negotiations, and paralyzing uncertainty; Archie eliminates these unpleasant experiences entirely. When homeowners partner with Archie, they receive up to 80% of their home’s verified value within 24 hours of moving out, while maintaining ownership until final sale. Archie then increases the value by enhancing the property, deploying sophisticated marketing technology, and orchestrating the entire sales process. When the home sells, the original owner receives 60% of additional proceeds – creating optimal alignment where both parties succeed when the home achieves its highest potential sales price.

The EDGE Grant will accelerate Archie Home Intelligence – featuring a proprietary AI-powered Automated Valuation Model (AVM) that analyzes over 500 property-specific data points and hyperlocal market trends to achieve accuracy at levels not yet seen in the industry. This technology not only powers Archie’s seller experience but also creates a transparent, certainty-driven buying process where homes come fully inspected, move-in ready, and available to close in as little as 72 hours.

Essence Infusing (Newark) – $100,000
Essence Infusing (“Essence”) is a Delaware based company reimagining how herbal infusions are made at home and in small businesses. The company’s flagship product, ELOH®, uses gentle, precise heat and automated mixing to transform herbs, roots, and botanicals into oils honey and other carriers. It preserves nutrition and flavor while ensuring superior quality and consistency without guesswork or nutrient loss. It also offers easy-to-use presets along with full customization for advanced users and features a built-in potency calculator. Additionally, the company is developing AI tools that will allow users to generate custom infusion recipes and send them directly to the machine. The EDGE award will support the transition from working prototype into early production by funding molds, parts and essential manufacturing hardware.

Higher Medicine (Wilmington) – $100,000
Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) is an inherited pediatric disorder with life-long disability and mortality by middle-age. FA patients have no effective options to treat both neurological and cardiac symptoms, with many drug candidates in development not designed to address the underlying biochemical defect responsible for disease progression.
Higher Medicine (HM) aims to usher in functional cures for Friedreich’s ataxia (FA) through safe molecules and a novel epigenetic platform. Their EDGE funding will be used for Phase 2 research and development and hiring additional staff.

Livestock Labs (Wilmington) – $100,000
This bioscience company is developing new technology to produce sustainable meat without industrial animal farming called Cultivated meat. It is real meat grown directly from animal cells. At a time when avian flu outbreaks are devastating poultry farms, leading to mass culling, price spikes, and food security risks, cultivated meat provides a resilient and scalable alternative. Using cutting-edge biomanufacturing techniques, the company plans to create high-quality meat with the same taste and texture as conventional meat but with up to 90% less land, 66% less water, and 92% fewer emissions. To date, only four companies have successfully launched products, albeit in limited quantities. Livestock Labs will use the EDGE funding to accelerate its efforts in addressing this challenge by developing and delivering process-ready, precision-engineered cell lines designed to meet the specific needs of this industry. This project will position Delaware as a leader in the emerging bioeconomy.

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The Division of Small Business is a state agency committed to helping small businesses start and grow in Delaware through a variety of services it provides. From start-ups to experienced business owners looking to expand, our team of Regional Business Managers can provide you one-on-one assistance and counseling to help you succeed. They can assist with a variety of needs, including: navigating government processes, connecting owners with our many resource partner organizations, and identifying funding opportunities for which you may qualify. See all of the programs and services we offer at business.delaware.gov.

Dover, Del – The Delaware Division of Small Business (DSB) and the Delaware Council on Farm & Food Policy (Council) announced that DSB began accepting grant applications for Cycle 4 of the First State Food System Program on May 5, 2025. Through this program, funding is available to Delaware farmers, small, community and independent grocery retailers offering culturally diverse foods, and a range of other food supply chain businesses and organizations.

Also referred to as the Delaware Grocery Initiative, the goal is to expand access to healthy foods in food deserts in Delaware and areas at risk of becoming food deserts, by provided grants and other forms of financial assistance to eligible food resources. Awarded funds will support expanding supply chain capacity, collaboration between community partners, and entities doing their part to build resilience in Delaware’s food system.

For Cycle 4, DSB and the Council will prioritize projects that address food aggregation, cold storage, or food transportation activities. Grants of up to $12,500 will be awarded. As in prior years, farmers are encouraged to apply. To be considered for funding as a small to mid-sized producer, the farm operation must have an annual sales value of at least $20,000. The farm must actively produce no more than 300 acres of fruits, vegetables, other specialty crops, or other products for human consumption.

Applicants must request funding for a project that can be completed no later than December 31, 2025. Funds may be used to cover various operational or capital expenses. All grant applications must be submitted by 4:00 p.m. Friday, May 30, 2025.

For more information on the program as well as access the application, go to de.gov/foodgrant. For questions, contact DSB at business@delaware.gov or the Council at DDA_farmandfoodpolicy@delaware.gov.

Since 2022, the Council has awarded just over $1.9 million, funding 39 projects across Delaware. Administering this grant program has provided financial resources directly to businesses and non-profit organizations serving rural and urban communities throughout the state. This has also been an opportunity to better understand Delaware’s food system and pinpoint what works and what may be missing. As individual households, small businesses, farmers, and State and local resources face continuing pressures, building capacity across our food supply chain is how Delaware achieves food security.

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The Division of Small Business is a state agency committed to helping small businesses start and grow in Delaware through a variety of services it provides. From start-ups to experienced business owners looking to expand, our team of Regional Business Managers can provide you one-on-one assistance and counseling to help you succeed. They can assist with a variety of needs, including: navigating government processes, connecting owners with our many resource partner organizations, and identifying funding opportunities for which you may qualify. See all of the programs and services we offer at business.delaware.gov.

                                                                                                                                                                                            Photo credit: Rebecca Ashton Parsons

Wilmington, Del. – On Thursday, Governor Matt Meyer joined Division of Small Business (DSB) Director CJ Bell to highlight the urgent need to get $14M in the hands of small business owners before the end of the calendar year and re-launch the program providing these funds, the Small State Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI). The program offers small business owners, access to funding through loans as well as direct investments in high-impact startups.

In 2023, Delaware was awarded $60.9M in federal funding from the U.S. Treasury Department to be provided to the State, in three allocations. It received its first $20M and must spend 80% of that within three years to access its next round. 2025 is year three, and as of early April, just over $2.0M has been distributed. This leaves another $14M to hand out by the end of December.

DSB is calling it “The Race to $14M” and Meyer and Bell placed the amount of funding distributed to-date in 2025 on a giant meter which will be displayed in the Division’s offices as a visual reminder of this goal.

“To create quality jobs, small businesses and startups need access to critical funding,” said Delaware Governor Matt Meyer. “I have repeatedly said that we will leverage these federal funds to support entrepreneurs, and we’re determined to get this money into the hands of Delawareans as fast as possible.”

The Division of Small Business is using the SSBCI funds for four programs – two venture capital programs and two which support loans for small businesses. Information on the programs is available at de.gov/ssbci.

“This funding is key to empowering small business owners on two fronts,” said DSB Director CJ Bell. “The loan programs are best for small business owners who have credit challenges. These are what I call the ‘missing middle’ who still struggle to grow and scale. The venture capital programs will help us establish Delaware as a leader in the Innovation economy, where high impact startups bring the future to life.”

The loan programs Bell describes include a Loan Participation Program and a Capital Access program. Funds from these programs are available to all small businesses, especially those in underserved or economically and socially disadvantaged areas and are intended to reach those that need access to capital, but may lack necessary collateral, or have a short credit history.

The Division began issuing loans under both programs in 2024. Instead of lending directly to the small business owner though, DSB provides partial funding to a bank, credit union or Community Development Financial Institution to help them make small business loans. By doing so, the bank is able to make more loans without shouldering all of the risk.

The State’s current participating lenders are Del-One Federal Credit Union, True Access Capital, and Community Bank in Sussex County. The Division is in significant need of additional lenders and asks any interested financial institution to contact them at Business_Finance@delaware.gov to learn more.

Business owners access these programs by working with the Division’s Regional Business Managers (RBM), who will review the program’s minimum qualifications, to determine if they qualify immediately. If so, the RBM will connect the owner with one of our participating lenders, and the lender will work with the Division to finalize the loan.

If the business owner is not quite ‘bank ready’, they are referred to the Small Business Development Center (SBDC), for technical assistance. Once the owner has completed its work with the SBDC, he/she will be referred to the participating lenders.

The Mill in Wilmington, where the event was held, is one of the recipients of a Capital Access program loan but is also a leader for the Innovation Economy.

“When Robert Herrera and I had the shared dream and Vision to create The Mill in Delaware, it was to create a home for entrepreneurs in this economy, a launchpad for them to take off, and a center for the entrepreneurial ecosystem,” said The Mill Co-Founder Chris Buccini. “Having just celebrated our ninth anniversary this month, and having grown from 7,000 sq. ft. to 90,000 sq. ft. and having been the launch pad for many starts up, we are so excited as we look in the rearview mirror and towards the future. The State of Delaware has played a vital role in The Mill’s growth every step of the way, and the Division of Small Business, even more so. We are so excited to be participating in the relaunch of the State Small Business Credit Initiative (SSBCI) program today as it is another powerful tool for our state’s small businesses and entrepreneurs”.

To date DSB has supported 21 loans through these programs. However, Director Bell says in the amounts awarded, “it’s not going to get us to $14 million fast enough. That’s why we are focusing a lot of energy right now on making direct investments in companies.”

The Delaware Seed/Accelerator Capital Program (DASCP) allows the Division to make direct investments of up to $1M dollars to small businesses that are considered “high impact”. The direct investments must be made after the business has completed their “seed round” of funding, which is usually funding from family and friends. The Division will match what they raised.
Companies with fewer than 100 employees are eligible. Most will be tech-focused companies. The owner is required to have a lead negotiator and those that can prove a 1:1 match will be prioritized.

Two of the DASCP funding recipients spoke during the event.

“Being the first investment from Delaware’s Accelerator and Seed Capital Program is a key milestone for Carbon Reform,” said Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer Nick Martin. “This funding will help us expand our IP portfolio in Delaware, develop carbon reduction technologies in our local lab, and create quality jobs by hiring skilled technicians and PhDs. If deployed across all commercial buildings in Delaware, our technology could remove the equivalent of 3,500 cars off the road each year or plant over 730,000 trees.”

“As a lifelong Delawarean, this moment means the world to me—not just as a founder, but as someone deeply proud of where I come from and my unwavering conviction that the state of Delaware is THE hidden gem for high growth technology companies like WhipFlip to grow,” said Roger Clappe, Founder and CEO of WhipFlip, which is housed at the Mill. “This investment from the State of Delaware is more than funding—it’s a vote of confidence in the future we’re building together to further drive Delaware’s emerging ecosystem of tech and entrepreneurial talent. I’m incredibly thankful to Governor Meyer, Mayor Carney, CJ Bell, Chris Buccini and Robert Herrera of The Mill Space, and many others that have supported us in our journey thus far. With their support, we’re not only scaling WhipFlip—we’re putting Delaware on the map as a serious player in the AI and automotive technology space. That is a core mission we are proud to advance every day.”

For more information about SSBCI and its programs, visit de.gov/ssbci.

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The Division of Small Business is a state agency committed to helping small businesses start and grow in Delaware through a variety of services it provides. From start-ups to experienced business owners looking to expand, our team of Regional Business Managers can provide you one-on-one assistance and counseling to help you succeed. They can assist with a variety of needs, including: navigating government processes, connecting owners with our many resource partner organizations, and identifying funding opportunities for which you may qualify. See all of the programs and services we offer at business.delaware.gov.

Delaware Office of Supplier Diversity Launches Online Portal for Diverse Business and Small Business Certifications

Wilmington, Del. – Today, the Delaware Office of Supplier Diversity (OSD) launched a new online portal to streamline the application process for diverse business and small business certifications. OSD, which falls under the Delaware Division of Small Business (DSB), works to enhance economic opportunities for the diverse & small business communities through certifications, advocacy, and other services such as training and support for doing business with the State of Delaware.

This portal, which can be accessed at de.gov/osd, will make it easier for business owners to submit application materials and information. Previously, applicants had to submit paper copies to OSD for consideration. The new system will also capture additional data to allow for more accurate reporting on the state’s certified vendors.

“A big emphasis for our team is creating a more user-friendly experience when interacting with government. The launch of this new online portal addresses that head on,” said DSB Director CJ Bell. “I really want to commend Director White for leading this effort and look forward to identifying additional ways to service small businesses throughout our state.”

“This is an exciting day for OSD and our vendor community,” said OSD Director Shavonne White. “I’ve heard from small business owners for years that they wish our application process was automated, and now I’m thrilled to let them know we heard them and to be able to give them this tool. We should be exploring any opportunity that can make it easier for businesses to become certified and advance their opportunities to obtain contracts with the state.”

OSD offers two types of certifications. The first is the Diverse Business Certification which includes Minority, Women, and Veteran, Service-Disabled Veteran, and Individuals with Disabilities-Owned Business Enterprises. The second is the Small Business Focus Certification which applies to small businesses of a unique size.

Obtaining OSD certification helps increase a firm’s visibility among State agencies and other prospective clients, documents a firm’s status as a certified diverse and/or small business and enhances a firm’s competitive advantage.

Delaware boasted 1,536 OSD certified vendors, including 1,035 Diverse Business vendors and 501 small business vendors at the end of FY ’24.

After a competitive RFP process, vendor Coolsoft, LLC, was awarded the contract to create and manage the electronic portal. OSD has been working with both Coolsoft and Delaware’s Department of Information Technology to implement the project.

“Coolsoft is excited to collaborate with the State of Delaware’s Office of Supplier Diversity (OSD) on the initiative to streamline the certification process for small and diverse businesses,” said Coolsoft, LLC CEO Anand Krishnamurthy. We would like to thank Shavonne White from the OSD team and Delaware Department of Technology and Information (DTI) team, including Daniel McGonigle, Steve Bailey and Patrick Godonu for the incredible support and dedication to complete this project.”

“DTI is incredibly proud to partner with the Office of Supplier Diversity in creating a modern, user-friendly platform that will enhance the online experience for all who engage with the Certification Application Portal,” said DTI Chief Information Officer Greg Lane. “This collaboration showcases the power of teamwork and innovation in delivering online services that benefit Delaware’s employees, residents, and businesses. I’m incredibly proud of the DTI team — Daniel McGonigle, Sarah Denison, Steve Bailey, Patrick Godonu, Daniel Cook, and Sai Chathripally — whose expertise and dedication helped bring this project to life.”

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The Division of Small Business is a state agency committed to helping small businesses start and grow in Delaware through a variety of services it provides. From start-ups to experienced business owners looking to expand, our team of Regional Business Managers can provide you one-on-one assistance and counseling to help you succeed. They can assist with a variety of needs, including: navigating government processes, connecting owners with our many resource partner organizations, and identifying funding opportunities for which you may qualify. The Division also oversees the Delaware Office of Supplier Diversity and the Delaware Tourism Office. See all the programs and services we offer at business.delaware.gov.

The Delaware Office of Supplier Diversity’s mission is to enhance economic opportunities for the diverse business community of minority, women, veteran, service-disabled veteran and individuals with disabilities owned businesses as well as small businesses of a unique size and assist them in competing for the provision of commodities, services, and construction to State departments, agencies, authorities, school districts, higher education institutions and all businesses.

DOVER, Del. – Marking a new Delaware record, the Delaware Tourism Office announced today that the “First State” received 29.3 million visitors, including day, overnight, business, and leisure travelers, in 2023. This is a 2.4% increase above 2022 visitation levels, according to reports from Rockport Analytics and Longwoods International.

“Tourism is a cornerstone of our economy, bringing growth and opportunity to communities across the state,” said Governor Matt Meyer. “People visit Delaware for the best beaches in the country, scenic landscapes, and vibrant cultural destinations—but what keeps them coming back is the experience of a welcoming and inclusive state of neighbors that has something for everyone. As more visitors discover all that Delaware has to offer, our state’s future becomes even brighter.”

Visitor spending in Delaware topped $7 billion in 2023, a 7% increase from 2022 numbers. The average amount spent per Delaware visitor was $238 in 2023. For every $1 spent by Delaware visitors, the state’s economy retained about 66 cents. Tourism contributed $4.7 billion to the state Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in 2023, accounting for more than 5% of the state GDP. In addition, there was $724 million in tourism, state, and local tax revenue generated by the tourism industry in the state. Without tourism, each Delaware household would pay an additional $1,826 in state and local taxes.

“The tourism industry employs our family members, friends, and neighbors, playing a crucial role in the economic development of our state,” said Delaware Secretary of State Charuni Patibanda-Sanchez. “From the front desk managers of our hotels and the servers in our restaurants to the tour guides at our museums, Delaware offers tourists a memorable visit unlike any other. We are grateful to all of our tourism industry workers for their commitment to providing a first-class experience to visitors.”

As the fourth largest private employer, tourism supported 55,240 tourism industry jobs in Delaware in 2023. In addition, the tourism industry accounted for 14% of all new jobs created in Delaware in 2023.

Visitors to Delaware enjoy a wide range of activities. The most popular were outdoor activities, followed by entertainment and cultural activities in 2023. When surveyed, 71% of overnight travelers were “very satisfied” with their overall trip experience, favoring Delaware’s cleanliness, friendliness of people, safety, quality of accommodations, and more. 85% of overnight travelers to Delaware were repeat visitors.

“These numbers are important to our office and speak volumes about the significant contribution the tourism industry makes to our state’s economy and overall quality of life,” said Jessica Welch, director of the Delaware Tourism Office. “It comes as no surprise that our hotels, restaurants, attractions, and small businesses continue to provide a memorable and unique experience for our visitors. Our office would not be successful without the support of our many wonderful partners, and I thank all of them for their efforts in making Delaware a desirable destination for millions of visitors each year.”

In 2023, the Delaware Tourism Office launched several initiatives to drive visitation. Efforts included a national, multimedia ad campaign on platforms like Hulu, Amazon, Atlas Obscura, and Travel + Leisure, attendance at national consumer and travel industry trade shows, and partnerships with organizations throughout Delaware including the Developing Artist Collaboration, Delaware Restaurant Association, and Freeman Arts Pavilion.

The process of gathering Delaware’s tourism statistics requires time and several data sources, including public and private. While many of these sources publish earlier results in mid-to-late summer, the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), a critical input to county-level estimates, does not publish until mid-November, which results in calendar year data being delayed by several months to a year.

For more information, visit Tourism Statistics at VisitDelaware.com.

Rockwood Analytics is a research and analytics consulting firm providing high quality quantitative and qualitative research solutions to business, government, and non-profit organization clients across the globe. Rockwood Analytics provides fast, nimble service in a completely transparent environment.

Longwoods International began tracking domestic American travelers in 1985 and has conducted large-scale syndicated visitor research quarterly since 1990. It is currently the largest ongoing study conducted of American travelers, providing clients with more reliable data and greater ability to home in on key market segments of interest.

The Delaware Tourism Office, a division of the Delaware Division of Small Business, promotes tourism and economic growth in Delaware. For more information, visit the official Delaware Tourism website at www.visitdelaware.com or call toll-free at 866-284-7483.

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Media Contact:
Allyson Ennis
Allyson.Ennis@Delaware.gov