Georgia.org Peachbyte 
October 10, 2007 
In this issue... 
1) MARTINEZ HOSTS FIRST CREATIVE ECONOMIES TOWN HALL MEETING 2) THOMASVILLE'S 87TH ROSE SHOW AND FESTIVAL NAMED TO THE AMERICAN BUS ASSOCIATION'S TOP 100 EVENTS FOR 2008 3) TIA'S MARKETING OUTLOOK FORUM WILL FOCUS ON THE FUTURE OF TRAVEL 4) GEORGIA PRESENTS NEW FORM-BASED DEVELOPMENT CODES FOR CULTURAL HERITAGE TOURISM DISTRICTS 5) GEORGIA MUSIC HALL OF FAME LAUNCHES LIVE AT FIVE FALL CONCERT SERIES IN MACON 6) GDEcD & MACON-BIBB COUNTY CVB OPEN CO-OP MARKETING GRANT REFERENCE LIBRARY 7) PRIZED CHINA ROUTE GOES TO DELTA IN ATLANTA 8) CANADIAN "LOONIE" REACHES PARITY WITH U.S. DOLLAR 9) GEORGIA'S GREAT GOLF AND FOOTBALL GETAWAY GIVEAWAY IS UNDERWAY 10) TRAVEL TRENDS - VACATIONS GETTING SHORTER, BUT WE TAKE MORE OF THEM 11) TRAVEL TREND - HOTEL CONCIERGES GET WIRED TO IMPROVE SERVICE 12) BUSINESS TRAVEL TREND - TELECONFERENCING AS PLAN A, WITH FLYING AS A BACKUP 13) AS THE SESQUICENTENNIAL APPROACHES GUIDES CUSTOMIZE CIVIL WAR BATTLEFIELD VISITS 14) NPS LAUNCHES NEW `DISCOVER OUR SHARED HERITAGE' TRAVEL ITINERARY FOR AUGUSTA 15) TRAVEL + LEISURE PICKS TOP 25 TRAVEL WEBSITES 16) FIVE OF GEORGIA'S COURSES RANKED AMONG TOP 100 COURSES IN THE U.S. IN GOLF MAGAZINE 17) RITZ-CARLTON LODGE AT REYNOLDS PLANTATION AWARDED SPOT ON TRAVEL + LEISURE'S 2007 BEST SPA AWARDS LIST 
1) MARTINEZ HOSTS FIRST CREATIVE ECONOMIES TOWN HALL MEETING On September 25 more than 43 artists, art advocates, supporters and entrepreneurs attended the first in a series of nine regional town hall meetings in Martinez to launch Georgia's Creative Economies Initiative. Local chambers of commerce, better hometown, and convention and visitor bureau executives, gallery owners, bed and breakfast gift shop representatives, art educators, museum and symphony staff as well as seasoned and emerging artists were all in attendance. This informational and interactive meeting provided a forum for 
 
 local input into what exists and is needed in this region and statewide, collaborations that are in place, and business-to-business networking. 
Representatives from the Georgia Tourism Foundation outlined the goal of the initiative to engage arts-centric entrepreneurs for the marketing and promotion of Georgia made and Georgia grown products including agribusiness, literary arts, traditional artists, musicians, dancers and the wide array of creative business people that make memorabilia and performances that enrich tourists' visits and the cultural enjoyment of Georgians and travelers alike. 
The next town hall meeting is scheduled for October 23 in Statesboro. RSVP to Lori Hennesy, lhennesy@georgia.org or 912-389-4821. For more information on the Creative Economies Initiative contact please contact Gilda Watters at gwatters@georgia.org or Leslie Breland at lbreland@georgia.org with the Georgia Tourism Foundation. 
2) THOMASVILLE'S 87TH ROSE SHOW AND FESTIVAL NAMED TO THE AMERICAN BUS ASSOCIATION'S TOP 100 EVENTS FOR 2008 The 87th Rose Show and Festival was designated as one of the American Bus Association's Top 100 Events in North America for the year 2008. ABA's Top 100 Selection Committee evaluated hundreds of events and selected the 87th Rose Show and Festival as one of the best events to experience via motorcoach next year. 
The 2008 Top 100 Events in North America is published as a supplement to the September/October issue of Destinations magazine. In addition, the entire Top 100 list and specific event information is available at www.buses.org. 
3) TIA'S MARKETING OUTLOOK FORUM WILL FOCUS ON THE FUTURE OF TRAVEL Marketing Outlook Forum, TIA's annual strategic forecasting conference for the U.S. travel industry, will take place in Charlotte October 22-25. The conference will feature enhanced programming this year, including early results of a major new study on the Chinese travel market, major presentations by high-level speakers plus an additional half-day of free professional development seminars. A number of new research studies will debut this year at the Forum, including data on the golf travel market and the second-phase of the Ideal American Vacation: Leisure Travel Planning report. For more information, please visit http://www.tia.org/industrymeet/mof/index.html. 
4) GEORGIA PRESENTS NEW FORM-BASED DEVELOPMENT CODES FOR CULTURAL HERITAGE TOURISM DISTRICTS The Georgia Department of Economic Development and the Georgia Department of Community Affairs are pleased to present a new form-based model code for use in cultural heritage tourism districts. Training workshops on this new tool are intended for community leaders and tourism, economic development and 
 
 planning professionals interested in building "creative economies" and attracting tourists. Protecting and enhancing cultural, historic and natural tourism assets is the key to creating vital, pedestrian-friendly places to attract visitors and inspire local citizens. The basic model code is designed to be adapted to address each community's unique cultural and historic assets, architectural landmarks, topography and natural setting. It includes illustrations and style sheets to help promote compatible infill development. This model can work for any mixed-use activity center, incorporated or not, and should be easily integrated with existing land use regulations and redevelopment plans. The code is designed to be userfriendly and simple for any local government to administer. Form based codes are popular with developers and building owners because they focus on the appearance and form of buildings while allowing great flexibility in regard to their uses. This code also includes optional incentives for creative developers who provide extra public amenities or preserve landmark assets. The code can also be used to protect unique natural and environmental features that are critical components of a community's tourism asset base. 
Dates and Locations October 25  Dahlonega November 8  Warm Springs February 7  St Marys March 4  Washington 
Registration Information Registration fees are $75 per person for Main Street / Better Hometown staff, volunteers and elected officials; $100 for ODD Affiliates, Regional Development Center and local government employees; and $150 for consultants and private sector professionals. 
For more information or to register, please contact Cindy Eidson at (404) 6793101 or ceidson@dca.state.ga.us. 
5) GEORGIA MUSIC HALL OF FAME LAUNCHES LIVE AT FIVE FALL CONCERT SERIES IN MACON The Georgia Music Hall of Fame recently announced the fall 2007 season of the Live at Five happy hour concert series at the Cox Capitol Theatre. The concert series began on Tues., October 2, and will continue every Tuesday throughout the month of October. Tickets can be purchased for the entire series or for individual concerts. 
Upcoming Performances October 16 / Ben Tucker October 23 / Swimming Pool Q's with Hank Vegas October 30 / Francine Reed and the Shadows 
Showtimes and Admission 
 
 Cox Capitol Theatre will open its doors at 5:00 p.m. with performances starting at 5:30 p.m. Member rates are $5 for individual shows and $25 for series tickets. Non-members tickets are $7 for individual shows and $35 for series tickets. 
Tickets can be purchased at the Georgia Music Hall of Fame during regular business hours (Mon. - Sat. 9 - 5 p.m., Sun. 1 - 5 p.m.). Tickets are also available at the door on the day of the event. For more information on the Georgia Music Hall of Fame, contact Katie Roberts at (478) 751-3334 or kroberts@georgia.org. Visit our website at www.georgiamusic.org. For information on other event programming at the Cox Capitol Theatre, visit www.coxcapitoltheatre.com. 
6) GDEcD & MACON-BIBB COUNTY CVB OPEN CO-OP MARKETING GRANT REFERENCE LIBRARY The Co-Op Marketing Reimbursement Grant Reference Library will open at the new Macon-Bibb County Convention and Visitors Bureau on October 15. The Georgia Department of Economic Development has received numerous requests from around the state for an opportunity to see funded Co-Op Reimbursement Grant applications and final reports. 
Beginning October 15 at the new Macon Welcome Center, you will be able to read selected applications and final reports from FY 2006-2007 and selected applications from FY 2007-2008. Final reports for FY 2007-2008 are not due until May 2008. 
Though not every funded application will be included, we hope those selected will illustrate ways of presenting information that may relate to your circumstances. Materials cannot be removed from the reference library. For more information or to schedule an appointment, contact Leslie Breland at lbreland@georiga.org. 
7) PRIZED CHINA ROUTE GOES TO DELTA IN ATLANTA Delta Air Lines won one of the coveted new air routes to China's financial and manufacturing capitals. The announcement was part of an agreement signed in July with China to double the number of daily flights between the U.S. and China within five years. Delta will fly a route from Atlanta to Shanghai available in April. Delta's flight to China's financial hot spot is the first to China by a U.S. airline from the Southeast. Delta CEO Richard Anderson said the announcement was a "watershed event in terms of opening the Southeast United States to the Chinese marketplace." An additional route was announced for United Airlines to provide service between San Francisco to Guangzhou, starting in 2008; two other routes for 2009 are in the proposal stage. To find out more, visit http://www.newsobserver.com/print/wednesday/business/story/716324.html. 
8) CANADIAN "LOONIE" REACHES PARITY WITH U.S. DOLLAR Thanks to a sinking U.S. dollar and soaring commodities prices that benefit oilrich Canada, the "loonie"  named for the Canadian bird depicted on the onedollar coin  could be exchanged 1-for-1 with the U.S. dollar, as of last week. The 
 
 U.S. currency also plummeted to a new low last week against the 13-nation euro, which traded above $1.40 for the first time since it was introduced in 1999. A lower U.S. dollar diminishes the spending power of American tourists while attracting foreign visitors who seek cheaper accommodations and shopping. Canadians will be making more cross-border shopping trips to the U.S. to buy clothes, shoes and electronic gear. Most goods in Canada haven't been reduced yet to reflect the rising Canadian dollar. To find out more, visit http://www.miamiherald.com/business/AP/story/244047.html. 
9) GEORGIA'S GREAT GOLF AND FOOTBALL GETAWAY GIVEAWAY IS UNDERWAY Come take a tour of the Georgia State Park Golf Course's website at www.GeorgiaGolf.com. You'll discover award-winning courses where the experience is worth more than you pay. You'll see that the eight courses, located around the state, are the best value and quality in golf and you'll have a chance to register win Georgia's Great Golf and Football Getaway. The prize package includes four tickets to the college football game in Athens on November 17 versus Kentucky; two nights in a cottage which sleeps four at Hart State Park near Hartwell; and a round of golf for four at Arrowhead Pointe at Lake Richard B. Russell in Elberton and at Highland Walk at Victoria Bryant in Royston, all of which are located about 35 minutes from Athens. The drawing will be held on November 5 and the getaway prize package will take place on November 16-18, 2007. To register and for more information, log onto www.GeorgiaGolf.com. 
10) TRAVEL TRENDS - VACATIONS GETTING SHORTER, BUT WE TAKE MORE OF THEM According to a recent article in the Orlando Sentinel, the "great American vacation" is just a memory for a slow-growing number of working people who are increasingly forgoing one- and two-week annual travels for far shorter escapes. There are myriad reasons for shorter vacations. The bigger workloads that have accompanied productivity gains are making it harder for employees to get away for long stretches. The large number of dual-income households makes it more difficult for couples to schedule time away. The trend spans a generation. Spikes in fuel prices and the trauma that followed the 2001 terrorist attacks led to sudden downturns in travel and shorter trips. But the winnowing of the average vacation length has been more gradual and shows no sign of reversing. Dr. Suzanne Cook, the TIA's senior vice president of research, said the trend toward shorter trips is glacial but significant. It has altered the way Americans think of time off, turning what was once a long weekend into the typical vacation. "It's hard to even imagine how vacations can get much shorter than they are now and still resemble vacations," she said. Cook said destinations that want to continue drawing longer-staying, bigger-spending travelers should study their demographics. The working-age population isn't likely to begin taking longer trips, she said, but retiring baby boomers with savings and free time are a good market to pursue. To find out more, visit http://www.orlandosentinel.com/orlshorterxx07oct01,0,1964716.story. 
 
 11) TRAVEL TREND - HOTEL CONCIERGES GET WIRED TO IMPROVE SERVICE According to an article in USA Today, adjusting to a new wave of Internet-age travelers in search of unique and authentic travel experiences, hotels are revolutionizing their information desks. High-end brands are upgrading concierge operations and training staffs to improve their neighborhood knowledge. Other brands are looking for better ways to share information with guests electronically about local restaurants, events and attractions. Hotel experts say guests have become more knowledgeable about their destinations because of the Internet and the growing number of information sources. They want to escape from the harsher post-9/11 world and better connect with the places they're visiting and the people who live there. They want experiences that provide lasting memories and give them something to brag about at cocktail parties. To find out more, visit http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/travel/2007-10-01conciergechange_N.htm. 
12) BUSINESS TRAVEL TREND - TELECONFERENCING AS PLAN A, WITH FLYING AS A BACKUP According to a recent article in the New York Times, business travel accounts for about $165 billion of the roughly $700 billion spent each year on domestic travel. Since overall travel began recovering in 2003, spending on business travel has been increasing. Until now. Although no hard data is available, it appears that business travel will be slowing over the next year. The main reasons corporate travel managers cite are the extensive flight delays this year and rising costs. Therefore, teleconferencing  with its improved technologies  is increasingly popular. To find out more, visit http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/02/business/02road.html. 
13) AS THE SESQUICENTENNIAL APPROACHES GUIDES CUSTOMIZE CIVIL WAR BATTLEFIELD VISITS According to USA Today, as the 150th anniversary of the War Between the States approaches, starting with John Brown's 1859 prewar raid at Harpers Ferry, W.Va., customized tours for people fascinated by the conflict are multiplying. As little as $50 buys a two-hour, private guided tour of Antietam, site of the bloodiest day of the war, or Gettysburg National Military Park, the highwater mark of the Confederacy, in neighboring Pennsylvania. Those thirsting for more knowledge can join multistate bus tours of up to six days led by scholars including James McPherson, whose 1988 book "Battle Cry of Freedom" won a Pulitzer and helped rekindle interest in the conflict. To find out more, visit http://www.usatoday.com/travel/destinations/2007-09-25-battlefieldguides_N.htm. 
14) NPS LAUNCHES NEW `DISCOVER OUR SHARED HERITAGE' TRAVEL ITINERARY FOR AUGUSTA The National Park Service (NPS) has announced the launch of a new online travel itinerary for Augusta, Georgia - the 45th in its ongoing Discover Our 
 
 Shared Heritage Travel Itinerary Series. The itinerary is available on the NPS website at www.nps.gov/history/nr/travel/augusta/ and visitors can print it as a guide. The Augusta itinerary is part of the Department of the Interior's strategy to promote public awareness of history and encourage visits to historic places throughout the country. 
15) TRAVEL + LEISURE PICKS TOP 25 TRAVEL WEBSITES The Web is an essential tool for travelers, but as booking engines and trip forums evolve and multiply, you have to know where to look--and whom to trust. To help you, Travel + Leisure has assembled the ultimate online guide, from our picks of the top travel Web sites to jargon decoders. From the wacky to the innovative, you'll enjoy reviewing the list at http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/tls-top25-travel-websites/page/1/print. 
16) FIVE OF GEORGIA'S COURSES RANKED AMONG TOP 100 COURSES IN THE U.S. IN GOLF MAGAZINE Augusta National, East Lake, Peachtree in Atlanta, Ocean Forest on Sea Island and Sea Island on St. Simon's Island were all ranked among the "Top 100 Courses in the U.S." by Golf Magazine. In the September 2007 issue of the magazine, courses were voted on based on playability, strategic options and charm. The complete list of Golf Magazine's Top 100 courses is available at http://www.golf.com/golf/courses_travel/article/0,28136,1650520,00.html. 
17) RITZ-CARLTON LODGE AT REYNOLDS PLANTATION AWARDED SPOT ON TRAVEL + LEISURE'S 2007 BEST SPA AWARDS LIST The Ritz-Carlton Lodge at Reynolds Plantation was ranked #24 in the Top 25 Hotel Spas in the U.S. and Canada in Travel + Leisure's 2007 Best Spa Awards. The full article is available at www.travelandleisure.com/worldsbest/2007/results.cfm?cat=spasusca.