Tourism in review [Oct. 2004]

Tourism

October '04 in review . . .

Volume 31 October

12 members from Thomas Cook United Kingdom

INTERNATIONAL/ SALES
Twelve members from Thomas Cook United Kingdom, including travel agents and new product staff joined Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) Director of Global Sales Bob Harris, UK Georgia Representative Anne Young and Georgia Tourism Regional Representatives Becky Morris and Carey Ferrara on a familiarization tour October 12-17. Thomas Cook UK, one of the largest tour operators and travel agency companies in England, is currently featuring Atlanta and Savannah in their catalogue. Also due to recent increases in demand for information, the tour included visits to Macon and Jekyll Island, as well as Atlanta and Savannah.
While in Atlanta the group toured the Martin Luther King National Historic Site, Stone Mountain Park, Centennial Olympic Park, and Krispy Kreme on Ponce de Leon. The group also visited Lenox Mall and the North Georgia Premium Outlet Mall to gather information for their new "Atlanta Christmas Shopping Break" package featured on the back cover of their client newsletter and seasonal catalogues.

"Gone With The Wind" by Margaret Mitchell

On October 7-11, GDEcD hosted internationally recognized journalist Patrick Humphries of London, England who is working on an article focusing on the book "Gone With the Wind" and Civil War in the Atlanta area for the Sunday Magazine of the Express newspaper. While in Georgia, Humphries toured the Margaret Mitchell House and Museum; Southern Museum of Civil War and Locomotive History; Scarlett on the Square - GWTW Museum in Marietta; Stately Oaks; Road to Tara Museum in Jonesboro; Blue Willow in Social Circle; Driving Tour of Madison; the MLK National Historic Site; Jimmy Carter Presidential Library and the Georgia Music Hall of Fame in Macon. Humphries also writes on famous musicians and singers and is a movie critic.

Road to Tara - Jonesboro, GA

Tourism

October '04 in review . . .

Volume 31 October

Georgia - top tourism destinations in national, regional and local puublicatins.
Cloister at Sea Island

PUBLIC RELATIONS
The latest statewide media coverage figures have been released showcasing Georgia as a top tourism destination in national, regional and local publications.
* (Impressions represent the number of articles produced and distributed. Media value indicates what it would have cost to purchase advertising for the same space in each publication.)
Georgia Media Coverage by the Numbers
Calendar Year 2004 (January June 2004) Media Impressions: 454,360,686 Value: $6,436,433
GEORGIA TRAVEL MEDIA MARKETPLACE 2004 Travel Media Marketplace (March 19-24, Athens)*
Media Impressions: 2,983,847 Value: $100,397 *Several journalists who attended the 2004 event are in the process of writing or awaiting publication of their articles.
2003 Travel Media Marketplace (February 19-22, Savannah) Media Impressions: 6,950,224 Value: $520,076
Highlights... to name a few.... USA Today's feature of "Gold Rush Days" as one of the 10 best October festivals in America; Conde Nast Traveler Magazine's 2004 "The Best in the World Readers Poll" ranked the Cloister at Sea Island as the number one resort in the United States; and Bartow County and the Tourism division worked together with Georgia Public Broadcasting to provide broadcast footage for the Travel Channel's new "Vacation Challenge" series featuring Barnsley Gardens Resort in Adairsville in an upcoming episode.

Barnsley Gardens Resort

Tourism

October '04 in review . . .

Volume 31 October

Larry King

The International Conference for the Public Relations Society of America was held Oct. 23-27 in New York. GDEcD Director of Communications Kevin Langston and Tourism Division Communications Manager Trish Taylor attended the event that brought together over 3,500 public relations professionals from around the country and 100 from international destinations. There were over 150 breakout sessions. Topics included everything from branding to crisis management to media relations. Several included meetings with media from the New York Times, U.S. News and World Report, Business Week, Newsweek, Reuters, The Wall Street Journal, Associated Press, etc. Opening and closing speakers included Larry King and Donald Trump..

Jeff Stubbs, Moultrie Sunbelt Agriculture Exposition

VICS
Tourism shined during South Georgia's annual Moultrie Sunbelt Agriculture Exposition. The Southwest Georgia/GDEcD booth was one of 1,200 exhibitors and volunteers from the Plantation Trace travel region, Cathy Sasnett, Angel Odom, and Regional Representative Jeff Stubbs promoted tourism attractions during the event. Over 2,000 maps, 1,000 travel guides, 300 calendar of events and 100 golf guides were distributed.

Georgia National Fair - Perry, GA

EVENTS
The 15th annual state sponsored Georgia National Fair in Perry on October 8-17 had record breaking attendance this year of almost 400,000 people. This is nearly a two percent increase over last year. The increase in number is in part attributed to great weather and a rise in student educational tours, senior citizens, military and children.
The Georgia National Fair has become a homecoming for many people throughout Georgia," said Michael A. Froehlich, executive director. "The Fair offers its visitors an excellent chance to reunite with family and friends."

Tourism

October '04 in review . . .

Volume 31 October

The October 13 & 14 Appalachian Regional Commission's Annual Conference was held in Abington, Virginia, where GDEcD Northeast Georgia Mountain Regional Tourism Representative Cheryl Smith was a guest speaker. The focus of the conference was "Building on Appalachia's Assets." Cheryl, who represents Georgia on the Appalachian Regional Commission's Tourism Council, presented a history of the formation of the Tourism Council and a brief overview of the current projects the Tourism Council is working on, The National Geographic Appalachian Map Guide featuring 13 states.

Ribbon cutting ceremony at Hills and Dale Estate - LaGrange, GA
Arrowhead Pointe Golf Course - Elbert County, GA

WHAT'S NEW
Hills and Dales Estate in LaGrange held a ribbon cutting ceremony for their new Visitor's Center in October. Once the home of textile magnate Fuller E. Callaway Sr., Hills and Dales Estate is now open to the public for tours. This historic, 31-acre estate includes Ferrell Gardens, which date to 1832 and consist of an elaborate blend of extensive boxwood plantings, fountains, descending terraces, a greenhouse and more. The centerpiece is the Italian-villa style house designed by the noted architectural firm of Hentz and Reid.
The Grand Opening for Arrowhead Pointe Golf Course in Elbert County was held Oct. 20. The new golf course at Richard B. Russell State Park held a soft opening in July 2004. Ten of the course's 18 holes skirt the shoreline of the scenic, 26,500-acre Lake Richard B. Russell. The course was named Arrowhead Pointe because of the many Native American sites that were excavated near the park in 1980 before the lake was filled, indicating that Paleo-Indians lived in the area more than 10,000 years ago.

REGIONAL UPDATE
For information about what is happening in Georgia Tourism's Nine Travel Regions go to: http://www.georgia.org/tourism/market_ga/media/regional_ updates.asp