GDEcD Commissioner Craig Lesser Orange Hall in St. Marys TOURISM in review . . . JANUARY 2005 Volume 34 EVENTS The Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) unveiled the state's 2005 Georgia On My Mind Travel Guide during a special ceremony held at Orange Hall in St. Marys on January 5. GDEcD Commissioner Craig Lesser was the keynote speaker along with guest speakers GDEcD Tourism Committee Chairman Anna Cablik, Orange Hall Foundation President Beth Mercier and GDEcD Deputy Commissioner of Tourism Janis Cannon. St. Marys' Mayor Deborah Hase presented Commissioner Lesser with a key to the city and thanked the state for including Orange Hall on the cover of new travel guide. The 2005 Georgia On My Mind (GOMM) Travel Guide is an example of industry collaboration. The top-ranked guide is assembled using information contributed by tourism industry partners. It is one of the primary marketing tools GDEcD uses to showcase Georgia attractions and destinations. The state produces 75,000 guides each year. "The GOMM Travel Guide is an important tool for visitors planning their vacations and is an easy-to-read book that serves as the tourism yellow pages," Cannon said. "The guide is continually growing, with helpful information that describes what there is to see and do in the state. This is illustrated through articles, photography, regional recipes, contact information and much more." GDEcD Deputy Commisioner of Touirsm, Janis Cannon On January 31, Janis Cannon spoke about the importance of the Georgia Sea Turtle Center at the Nature Based Tourism Association meeting. The theme was based on the center's achievments and the association's mission goals of conservation and commerce. A comprehensive marketing and public relations plan has been designed to build awareness and excitement for the center and to encourage donations by individuals and others. INTERNATIONAL AND GROUP SALES Georgia was promoted as a top travel destination during the January 18 - 21 Receptive Services Association of America Trade Show in New York City. U.S.-based receptive tour operators who package product for international tour operators and wholesalers were informed about Georgia and its varied travel destinations. GDEcD continued on page 2 U.K. & German Georgia On My Mind Travel Guide TOURISM in review . . . JANUARY 2005 Volume 34 Tourism Division Director of Global Sales Bob Harris also joined Brandon Barnes and Jenny Munn with the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau to conduct sales calls with New York-based receptive operators. Also promoting Georgia internationally in January is tourism representative for the United Kingdom and Ireland Anne Young and Germany tourism representative Marcel Bodenbenner. Anne pitched Georgia during three consumer shows in London, Glasgow and Dublin. Marcel attended a show in Stuttgart, Germany. Both Marcel and Anne have copies of the new 32-page U.K. and German Trade Show Guides as well as a larger version of the Georgia On My Travel Guide used to promote Georgia. Public Relations Georgia's 2004 "Year In Review" general tourism media coverage shows over 1.5 billion in media impressions generated throughout the state, with an advertising value of over $22 million. The GDEcD Tourism Division-generated media coverage is broken out by top initiatives and shows media impressions and value per initiative. General Tourism Coverage (Jan. 04 Dec. 04) Calendar Year 2004 Media Impressions: 1,554,536,418 Value: $22,250,127 2004 Georgia Travel Media Marketplace (March 19-24, Athens)* Media Impressions: 10,150,804 Value: $182,739 *Several journalists who attended the 2004 event are in the process of writing or are awaiting publication of their articles. New York Media Tour (May 2004)* Media Impressions: 2,337,243 Value: $270,602 * As a result of GDEcD's New York editorial tour in May 2004, Conde Nast Traveler included a five-page article on Cumberland and Amelia islands entitled "A Tale of Two Islands" in its November 2004 issue. continued on page 3 Golf Press Tour Travel Guide Press Conference Chateau Elan TOURISM in review . . . JANUARY 2005 Volume 34 Golf Press Tour (November 2004)* Media Impressions: 2,265,786 Value: $672 *Several journalists who attended the 2004 event are in the process of writing or are awaiting publication of their articles. Travel Guide Press Conference (January 2005)* Media Impressions: 3,975,145 Value: $32,741 * Does not include awaited broadcast TV station information Over 20 travel writers from throughout the Southeast gathered in Georgia, January 21 - 22, for a media marketplace coordinated by associate members of the Society of American Travel Writers and hosted by Chateau Elan Corporate Director of Public Relations Larry Mayran. GDEcD Tourism Division Communications Manager Trish Taylor and Patrick Saylor from the Brunswick Golden Isles represented Georgia, and pitched story ideas highlighting Georgia's golf, wineries, arts and entertainment and "What's New" throughout the state. Civil Rights in Sumter County will be part of a PBS documentary February 27. Briars in the Cottonpatch, The Story of Koinonia Farm, a documentary by Faith Fuller, daughter of Millard Fuller (Habitat for Humanities), will be broadcast on PBS TV in Georgia. "The film follows Koinonia Farm, located in Sumter County, from its humble beginnings in 1942 to the present. The residents of Koinonia Farm radically believed in the equality of all people. Whites and blacks worked and lived together as equals on the farm when segregation was the law. During the late 1950s, residents faced acts of violence, persecution and terrorism." To learn more go to http://www.briarsdocumentary.com/. The Weather Channel's "Road Crew" taped four story segments in Brunswick and the Golden Isles on January 12 and 13. Each story discussed a different aspect of local life, with a weather tie-in. The segments aired Jan. 20 - 23 and will be posted for a brief time on The Weather Channel's website, at www.weather.com . TOURISM in review . . . JANUARY 2005 Volume 34 RESEARCH According to the latest Smith Travel Research Standard Historical TREND Report, Georgia hotel revenues are up 9.55% for 2004 over 2003. This equals an increase of $216 million in revenue. All travel regions showed an increase of at least 6%, with Southern Rivers showing the largest increase of 13.12 % and Atlanta Metro at 9.99%. For the month of November, Georgia hotel revenues were up 7.73% statewide over November 2003. This equals an increase of $13 million in revenue. The Southern Rivers region showed the highest increase of 13.12%. The Georgia Mountains showed the second-highest increase of 10.92%. For the month of December, Georgia hotel revenues were up 11.95% statewide over December of 2003. This equals an increase of $16 million in revenues. The Southern Rivers region showed the highest increase of 15.58 %. The Atlanta Metro region showed the second-highest increase of 13.05 %. Sylvania VIC VICS Sylvania's Visitor Information Center (VIC), the oldest VIC in Georgia and the nation, celebrated its 43rd anniversary in January. Tourism partner Donna's Bakery & Deli donated a cake to share with visitors like Dr. and Mrs. Don Smith from West Virginia and Bob and Helen Smith from North Carolina. The Sylvania VIC was the first state visitor center to open in Georgia in 1962. Today, it serves approximately 90,000 visitors annually. AWARDS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS Pinnacle Living Magazine has named Dahlonega and Dalton, Georgia in its first annual list of "Top Southern Mountain Towns for Relocation, Retirement and Second-Home Living." The three-year-old magazine covers the Appalachian regions of North Carolina, Virginia, Tennessee, Georgia, West Virginia, and South Carolina. Twenty-three towns in the Southern Appalachians were chosen out of a list of 200. www.foodnetwork.com TOURISM in review . . . JANUARY 2005 Volume 34 Thanks to everyone who voted online in January for Hans Rueffert. Your votes counted, and now this Georgia chef at the Woodbridge Inn in Jasper is on his way to the semi-finals in New York. The Food Network reviewed thousands of applications and the winners from each round will go head to head in the final week. Hans was the only Southerner in the finals of the competition whose prize is a show on the TV's Food Network. Thanks to a coordinated PR effort by North Georgia Mountain tourism representatives and media exposure, Hans received the most online votes. PLEASE NOTE: The Georgia Coast Travel Association has changed its name to the Georgia Coast Travel Association, Inc. 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