Georgia tourism monthly e-newsletter, June 2009

June 2009 Issue
In This Issue:
2010 GEORGIA GOVERNOR'S TOURISM CONFERENCE TO TAKE PLACE AT LAKE LANIER ISLANDS RESORT - AUGUST 31SEPTEMBER 2, 2009 GDEcD'S PAT PIERSON, LAVONIA VISITOR INFORMATION CENTER SPECIALIST, WINS APPALACHIAN PHOTO CONTEST GEORGIA TOURISM FOUNDATION PARTNERS WITH GEFA AND STS WWW.GAMADEGAGROWNPRODUCTS.ORG RECEIVES NATIONAL RECOGNITION GDEcD SALES TEAM UPDATE GDEcD RESEARCH UPDATE GDEcD's GREAT GPS GIVEAWAY SWEEPSTAKES GEORGIA MUNICIPAL CEMETERY ASSOCIATION ANNUAL CONFERENCE HISTORY AND HERITAGE TOURISM CONFERENCE: DISCOVERING GEORGIA'S COMMUNITY LANDMARKS BOYHOOD HOME OF WOODROW WILSON DESIGNATED A NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK ALPHARETTA CVB FIRST IN STATE TO RECEIVE ACCREDITATION BRUNSWICK GOLDEN ISLES CALENDAR WINS CALENDAR MARKETING ASSOCIATION AWARD SAVANNAH CVB DEBUTS NEW TECHNOLOGY WITH THE SAVANNAH TAP CIVIL WAR PRESERVATION TRUST WEB SITE REDESIGNED KEY INGREDIENTS AMERICA BY FOOD EXHIBITION MOVES TO TIFTON PRESS RELEASE: NEW ATTRACTIONS UNVEILED THIS SUMMER IN GEORGIA PRESS RELEASE: UNEARTH GEORGIA'S EARLIEST CIVILIZATIONS

TRAVEL TRENDS: SURVEY: WITH GAS UP, JULY 4 WILL BE A STAY-AT-HOME HOLIDAY FOR MANY
TRAVEL TRENDS: EXAMINING CURRENT INDUSTRY TRENDS
TRAVEL TRENDS: GOOGLE TAKES ITS MAP CAM FOR A SPIN ON BIKING, HIKING TRAILS
TRAVEL TRENDS: TRAVELOCITY ISSUES FIRST-EVER 'TRAVELER CONFIDENCE' REPORT
TRAVEL TRENDS: NEW LAND AND SEA TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS TAKE EFFECT JUNE 1
TRAVEL TRENDS: PACO SALDAA VOTED WINNER OF NATIONWIDE 'FACES OF TRAVEL' CONTEST
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2010 GEORGIA GOVERNOR'S TOURISM CONFERENCE TO TAKE PLACE AT LAKE LANIER ISLANDS RESORT AUGUST 31- SEPTEMBER 2, 2009
Make your plans now to attend one of Georgia's most highly anticipated events held exclusively for the state's tourism industry. Take this opportunity to become informed and energized by dynamic speakers and build relationships with industry leaders. Sessions Include: Peter Yesawich - What Lies Ahead: Destination Marketing in Times of Uncertainty; Susan Sweeney - Past, Present and Future Trends of Online Marketing; Podcasting - Part of the New Marketing Mix?; Facebook, YouTube, Twitter..oh my! Social Media seems to be everywhere! What's a Marketer to do?; and Great Online Gadgets, Tools, Resources. Panels include Gubernatorial Candidate Forum; Accommodations Tax 101 & Best Practices; Georgia's 2010 Tourism Marketing Plan; Update on Georgia's State Parks and much more!
Visit www.georgiagtc.com to register, get lodging information, view schedule and agenda. Sponsorship opportunities are also available.
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GDEcD'S PAT PIERSON, LAVONIA VISITOR INFORMATION CENTER SPECIALIST, WINS APPALACHIAN PHOTO CONTEST
The Twelve aspiring photographers received honors on Wednesday, May 27, as the winners of the first Appalachian Photo Contest were announced in the Visual Technology Atrium of North Georgia Technical College. Amateur photographers could submit pictures in one of four categories: nature, people, abstract, and youth (limited to those ages 17 and under). Third place winner included Pat Pierson in the Nature category.

........................................................................................................................................................................ GEORGIA TOURISM FOUNDATION PARTNERS WITH GEFA AND STS
The Georgia Tourism Foundation has partnered with the Georgia Festivals and Events Association (GEFA) and the Southeast Tourism Society (STS) to further promote the Georgia Made Georgia Grown Products website to artisans and festival planners. This partnership will provide tremendous grass roots outreach to Georgia micro enterprises, small business owners, and festival and event professionals to further populate this free online marketing tool connecting creators with consumers. Now planners and vendors can register using the link on www.georgiafestivals.org. Stay tuned for more exciting developments that result from this partnership.
................................................................................................................................................................... WWW.GAMADEGAGROWNPRODUCTS.ORG RECEIVES NATIONAL RECOGNITION
The Creative Economies Initiative was named a finalist for the 2009 Economic Development Administration's Excellence in Economic Development Awards by the U.S. Department of Commerce. The Initiative's efforts, specifically its Georgia Made Georgia Grown Products programming, is being recognized and acknowledged for its innovativeness and contribution to local economic sustainability. Based on the judges scoring and evaluation, the www.GaMadeGaGrownProducts.org site was one of the top three applicants for this prestigious award. We encourage all of Georgia's local artists, entertainers, musicians, farms, theaters, museums, festivals, galleries, unique restaurants, inns and related creative businesses to register today! The website is free to artisans and business owners. The site had 5,492 total visiting users in May 2009. The average user per day was 177.16.

.................................................................................................................... GDEcD SALES TEAM UPDATE
GROUP SALES:
Katie Baasen attended Travel Alliance Partners annual TAP Dance event May 31 - June 3, 2009 in Rapid City, SD. GDEcD participated in scheduled business appointments with TAP members as well as networking opportunities with other southeastern state representatives. Travel Alliance Partners, LLC is a partner-owned organization of the 36 premiere tour operators in the United States and Canada. The group consists of regional experts with new and unique itineraries. Georgia is a featured destination in the TAP catalogue through our marketing cooperative agreement with the organization. Please contact Katie Baasen at kbaasen@georgia.org for more information. Group Tour Boot Camp took place June 18-19, 2009 in Macon at the Georgia Music Hall of Fame. The boot camp focused on itinerary building within the motorcoach market. 51 state partners attended to learn about new ideas and strategies in the group tour market. The next session will be held in December 2009 in Macon. Information will be posted as soon as the dates are confirmed. Please contact Katie Baasen at kbaasen@georgia.org for more information.
Katie Baasen will be attending the North American Journeys East Coast Summit from June 21-23, 2009 in New York, NY. NAJ Summit brings tour operators looking for new product for their packaged travel clients face to face with a select group of suppliers and destinations with new and interesting products to sell. North American Journeys is a key organizer of the NAJ-West Summit and the Active America series for international receptive operators. Please contact Katie Baasen at kbaasen@georgia.org for more information.
Motorcoach tracking program with the Visitor Information Centers - the VIC staff is working to gather information from companies/coaches that stop in Georgia at the centers. A monthly listing with information for motorcoach groups who stop at our state VICs is being sent out through the regional tourism representatives. Please note - the listing only includes information of the motorcoaches who are willing to share information and those who stop during operating hours. Thank you to the VIC staff for their efforts on this program. Please contact Katie Baasen at kbaasen@georgia.org for more information.
GDEcD has launched a new e-newsletter targeted towards tour operators. "FYI from the Peach State" will be sent quarterly to tour operators around the country. If you have any updates or special offers for the tour market and would like to have the information included in the e-newsletter, please contact Katie Baasen at kbaasen@georgia.org. The next newsletter is scheduled to go out in July.
Thank you to all who responded to the short questionnaire regarding the Family Reunion Market. The information you provided will help GDEcD in the planning and strategy process on how to better serve our partners within varied tourism markets. We received more than 100 responses. Please feel free to submit your "two cents" about this market. Please contact Katie Baasen at kbaasen@georgia.org for more information.
Gas Card Sponsorship - GDEcD is once again asking each Travel Association to participate in our Tour Operator giveaway program to take place at several of the Motorcoach Association Annual Meetings. We completed this program last year at the GA, AL, SC, NC, VA, MD, FL, and South Central Motorcoach Associations Annual Meetings with much success. The key message is "Your business is good business for Georgia". Please contact Katie Baasen at

kbaasen@georgia.org for more information.
CONSUMER SALES:
AARP Life@50+ Expo - Las Vegas, NV - October 22 -24, 2009 They are expecting more than 25,000 members and others from all over the United States and abroad to attend the event. The AARP Vegas@50+ event is a great opportunity for your organization to collaborate with AARP and to reach the 50+ audience. It is an opportunity to increase Georgia's visibility among baby boomers; a demographic comprising 26 percent of the U.S. population and a driving force in the market place. Consumer Sales Manager Pam Kruseck (pkruseck@georgia.org) will attend.
Snowbird Extravaganza - Lakeland, FL - January 26 - 27, 2010 They are expecting 30,000 to 35,000 attendees of which 60% are Canadian Snowbirds and 40% are American Winter Residents. Last year attendees enjoyed the excitement, education, information and variety of activities. Consumer Sales Manager Pam Kruseck (pkruseck@georgia.org) will attend.
Southern Women's Show - Savannah, GA - February 5 - 7, 2010 The Southern Women's Show attracts more than 12,000 women over a 3-day period. These consumer shows target women with give-a-ways and tips on beauty, cooking, fashion, health & well-being, shopping, travel and much more! Consumer Sales Manager Pam Kruseck (pkruseck@georgia.org) will attend.
AAA Travel Marketplace - Foxboro, MA - March 5-7, 2010 AAA Travel will target 12,000 vacation-seeking leisure travelers and travel agents from Boston, Providence, Worcester and Cape Cod. Information about the show is included in the AAA Club publication, Horizons, which is mailed out to 1.2 million households. In 2009 attendance was up 8% from last year - 15,111 in total in attendance. Consumer Sales Manager Pam Kruseck (pkruseck@georgia.org) will attend.
................................................................................................................................................................... GDEcD's RESEARCH UPDATE
Georgia's online Tourism Satellite Account (TSA) platform is live and has been posted on the industry section of www. MarketGeorgia.org. This online platform includes both county and statewide information. It shows in full detail the economic contribution by industry and the composition of tourism. The TSA allows for the true comparison of the tourism industry to other industries. The data is consistent with the way other industries are measured.
Consumer Confidence Index continues to rise and posted another gain for the month of May. The index now stands at 54.9 up from 40.8 in April.
What are the experts saying about summer travel? We have compiled information from some of the leading experts in the tourism field and posted the results below.

The American Express Travel A new survey of more than 600 American Express Travel agents suggests that while Americans continue to book summer vacations, they are being savvier travelers and making smart tradeoffs to help offset their travel costs. According to agents, other popular money-saving strategies among travelers include booking vacations closer to dates of travel to take advantage of last-minute deals, taking closer-to-home trips, and choosing destinations where the dollar goes further. Agents (66%) say that their clients simply feel that their summer vacation is too important to their mental health to give up all together, in spite of the economy. In fact, 45% of agents say that travelers are booking about the same length summer vacation this year as in the past, and one in four agents report hearing from their clients that they are sacrificing other luxuries in order to go on their summer vacation.
However, a key determining factor to take that trip is their ability to find a good value and deal. Eighty-nine percent of agents report receiving more inquiries about deals this year than in the recent past.
Harris Poll Many people are looking to travel closer to home. Industry experts advise that you should market to larger group activities. People are looking to reduce vacation cost by sharing costs with family and friends.
Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc. In a recent press release, John A. Challenger, CEO of the company, said, "Destinations that rely heavily on tourists who live more than a day's drive away will probably see a drop in business this summer. Meanwhile, tourist attractions that rely mostly on local and regional visitors could thrive."
Roger Dow, President and CEO of U.S. Travel "We are forecasting summer travel down 2.2 percent and the average family will be taking two trips this summer, the longest one being seven nights," he said. "The family will spend about $900 dollars a trip. The interesting thing, however, and we will see how this plays out is that the intent to travel is 54 percent this year when last year it was only 50 percent. "What we think is going to happen, and we don't know," Dow said. "Is that price and value are going to be very important."
.................................................................................................................... GDEcD's GREAT GPS GIVEAWAY SWEEPSTAKES
GDEcD is sponsoring the Great GPS Giveaway sweepstakes. Every month through October 2009, visitors and residents alike are invited to submit their Georgia vacation photos on www.ExploreGeorgia.org. All submitted photos will also be considered for use state publications and collateral materials, including the state's official 2010 Travel Guide. The submitted photos will be featured
on ExploreGeorgia.org, and a new winner will take home the grand prize each month: a brand-new Garmin GPS. Contestants can upload as many photographs as they wish: the more times they enter, the greater their chances of winning. Visit www.ExploreGeorgia.org for full contest rules and entry forms.
May's Winner: Moccasin Creek Park, Clarkesville, Habersham County

.................................................................................................................... GEORGIA MUNICIPAL CEMETERY ASSOCIATION ANNUAL CONFERENCE
The Georgia Municipal Cemetery Association Annual Conference will take place September 17 - 18 in Rome, GA. Please contact Stan Rogers at 706-236-4534 for more information. The conference is being co-sponsored by HPD-DNR and GDEcD's Tourism division.
.................................................................................................................................................................. GDEcD, HISTORY AND HERITAGE TOURISM CONFERENCE: DISCOVERING GEORGIA'S COMMUNITY LANDMARKS
The History and Heritage Tourism: Discovering Georgia's Community Landmarks will take place March 25-26, 2010 in Warm Springs, GA. For more information, click here.
....................................................................................................................................... BOYHOOD HOME OF WOODROW WILSON DESIGNATED A NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK
The Boyhood Home of Woodrow Wilson, located in Augusta, was recognized as a National Historic Landmark (NHL) on May 15th. Coinciding with the Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation's Annual Meeting and Spring Ramble, the event was attended by preservationists from across the state. Built in 1859, the home was occupied by the Wilsons for 11 years that included the Civil War and the beginnings of Reconstruction. It is now operated by Historic Augusta as a house museum. In addition to the Boyhood Home, Augusta contains five other NHLs. For more information, click here.
Woodrow Wilson Boyhood Home photo credit: Rebecca Rogers
........................................................................................................................................ ALPHARETTA CVB FIRST IN STATE TO RECEIVE ACCREDITATION
The Alpharetta Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) is the first CVB in the state to be awarded the status of Georgia Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus (GACVB) Destination Marketing Organization Accreditation. A brand-new program established in January through a partnership between GACVB and Columbus State University's Cunningham Center for Leadership Development provides official Accreditation to destination marketing organizations (DMO) throughout the state in an effort to make evident to stakeholders these organizations and the people who lead them have attained a well-defined set of standards recognized in the industry. Visit www.AwesomeAlpharetta.com for more information.

................................................................................................................................................................... BRUNSWICK GOLDEN ISLES CALENDAR WINS CALENDAR MARKETING ASSOCIATION AWARD
A limited edition calendar commissioned by the Brunswick and The Golden Isles Convention and Visitors Bureau has been recognized in national and international competition by the Calendar Marketing Association. The calendar, created by international calendar artist and St. Simons Island resident Pilliard Dickle, received a Gold Award for "Most Original Promo" in the 2009 World and National Calendar Awards. The calendar was created especially for travel writers, meeting planners, and group tour operators, as a unique reminder to consider Brunswick and The Golden Isles as a subject for travel articles, and as a destination for meetings, tours, reunions and other gatherings. For more information, visit www.ComeCoastAwhile.com.
....................................................................................................................................................................... SAVANNAH CVB DEBUTS NEW TECHNOLOGY WITH THE SAVANNAH TAP
A new Savannah, Georgia will soon make a bold step in combining its extensive tourism offering with state-of-the-art and environmentally friendly touch-screen kiosks called the Savannah TAP. The TAP (Tourist Assistance Portals) has been developed and is being introduced by the Savannah Area Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) and Savannah-based technology company Blue Focus Media. Visitors will have the ability to have information sent directly their cell phones by entering the number into the TAP which will then text walking or driving directions to their destination. For more information on the Savannah TAP kiosks, please contact Erica Backus at 912.644.6405 or ebackus@savannahvisit.com.
........................................................................................................................................................................ CIVIL WAR PRESERVATION TRUST WEB SITE REDESIGNED
The Civil War Preservation Trust (CWPT) has completely redesigned their Web site. New content includes maps of famous battles, historic and modern images, and expanded lesson plans. The redesigned site can be viewed at www.civilwar.org.

........................................................................................................................................... KEY INGREDIENTS AMERICA BY FOOD EXHIBITION MOVES TO TIFTON
The Key Ingredients America by Food exhibition is at the Agrirama in Tifton from June 20 - August 2, 2009. The Agrirama is Georgia's official agriculture and living history museum. Key Ingredients is a project of the Georgia Humanities Council, in partnership with the Museum on Main Street program of the Smithsonian Institution and Federation of State Humanities Councils. The exhibit takes a look at the evolution of American food and America's food traditions and culture. For exhibit hours, related events and a list of "must eat" restaurants near Tifton visit Key Ingredients in Georgia online at http://www. georgiafoodtour.org.
........................................................................................................................................................................ PRESS RELEASE: NEW ATTRACTIONS UNVEILED THIS SUMMER IN GEORGIA
New wineries, museums, and outdoor activities are cropping up all across Georgia. If you haven't stopped to appreciate your surroundings in a while, then it's time to take a break and see what's new in the Peach State. For the complete press release, click here.
Photo: Horse Creek Winery
..................................................................................................................................................................... PRESS RELEASE: UNEARTH GEORGIA'S EARLIEST CIVILIZATIONS
What was Georgia like 1,000 years ago? Take a rare glimpse into Pre-Columbian Georgia by visiting some of the state's Native American heritage sites that chronicle indigenous activity here from as early as 900 A. D. For the complete press release, click here.
Photo: Funk Heritage Center
............................................................................................................................................ TRAVEL TRENDS: SURVEY: WITH GAS UP, JULY 4 WILL BE A STAY-AT-HOME HOLIDAY FOR MANY
With gas prices up and the economy still struggling, more Americans plan to celebrate the Fourth of July closer to home this year, according to a National Retail Federation survey released Monday. NRF's nationwide annual "Independence Day Consumer Intentions and Actions Survey" shows that 62.6 percent plan to host or attend a cookout, barbecue or picnic, compared to 61.2 percent in 2008. More people than last year say they'll attend a local fireworks or community celebration -- 42.7 percent this year versus 40.2 percent in 2008. To read the complete Atlanta Business Chronicle article, click here.

............................................................................................................................................ TRAVEL TRENDS: EXAMINING CURRENT INDUSTRY TRENDS
Positive indicators continue to accumulate, though it is still too soon to herald a recovery. On the plus side, gasoline prices are down significantly from last July's highs, housing demand has started to stabilize, and U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy F. Geithner said recently that "the financial system is starting to heal". Consumers are becoming more optimistic, with many surveys showing improvement in May. For more information, click here.
............................................................................................................................................ TRAVEL TRENDS: GOOGLE TAKES ITS MAP CAM FOR A SPIN ON BIKING, HIKING TRAILS
Meet the Google trike. It's the sequel, of sorts, to the Google Maps-mobile, a specially rigged car with an antenna, GPS and camera that snaps 360-degree images of neighborhoods for display in the "Street View" section of Google Maps. Now Google Maps is expanding to biking and hiking trails. A Google employee on a tricycle rides around to snap the same wide-area views. To read the complete USA Today article, click here.
............................................................................................................................................ TRAVEL TRENDS: TRAVELOCITY ISSUES FIRST-EVER 'TRAVELER CONFIDENCE' REPORT
Travelocity's most recent poll shows a dramatic increase in travel intentions, indicating traveler confidence is on the rise. Travelocity's first-ever Traveler Confidence Report shows that decreasing airfares and lower hotel rates have positively influenced 96 percent of overall respondents' summer travel plans, inspiring stronger travel intentions for the season ahead. The Traveler Confidence Report gauges travelers' plans and attitudes now as compared to six months prior. To read the complete article, click here.
...................................................................................................................................................................... TRAVEL TRENDS: NEW LAND AND SEA TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS TAKE EFFECT JUNE 1
The Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) establishes new travel document requirements for crossing the border to enter or re-enter the U.S. from Canada, Mexico, Bermuda and the Caribbean by land and sea beginning June 1. A new website, www.GetYouHome.gov, provides free resources to help communicate the new WHTI requirements.

........................................................................................................................................... TRAVEL TRENDS: PACO SALDAA VOTED WINNER OF NATIONWIDE 'FACES OF TRAVEL' CONTEST
The U.S. Travel Association announced that Paco Saldaa, director of guest services at the Ritz-Carlton, Amelia Island, has been selected as the new "Face of Travel." More than 16,000 people chose Saldaa as the industry spokesperson who best embodies the vitality of travel and the importance of increasing travel to and within the United States. "Paco is a great representative of the 7.7 million Americans whose jobs depend on travel," said Roger Dow, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association. "As a front-line worker whose family depends on travel, Paco is uniquely capable of addressing the consequences of the downturn in corporate meetings and events and the benefits of increasing travel to and within the United States. The U. S. Senate has an opportunity this week to help Paco and millions of his colleagues by passing the Travel Promotion Act." The U. S. Travel Association launched the "Faces of Travel" contest in April to find the person who best represented the jobs, opportunities and hope created by travel.
Photo: Paco Saldaa, Image via usatoday.com
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