The division of tourism of the Kansas department of commerce is hereby authorized and empowered to:

(a) Encourage and promote the traveling public to visit this state by publicizing information as to the recreational, historic and natural advantages of the state and its facilities for transient travel and to contract with organizations for the purpose of promoting tourism within the state;

(b) request other state agencies such as, but not limited to, the Kansas water office the department of wildlife and parks and the department of transportation, for assistance and all such agencies shall coordinate information and their respective efforts with the department to most efficiently and economically carry out the purpose and intent of this subsection; and

(c) solicit and receive moneys from any public or private source and administer a program of matching grants to provide assistance to those entities described in Kan. Stat. Ann. § 32-1420, and amendments thereto, in the promotion of tourism and the development of quality tourist attractions in this state.