October 2009 Issue In This Issue: GPB'S GEORGIA TRAVELER RETURNS WITH ALL NEW EPISODES AGRITOURISM WORKSHOPS EXPLOREGEORGIA.ORG UPDATE GDEcD SALES TEAM UPDATE GDEcD RESEARCH UPDATE STATUE OF CIVIL WAR GENERAL UNVEILED IN RINGGOLD GEORGIA NATIONAL FAIR RIDES THE WEATHER ROLLER COASTER INTO ONE OF ITS 'BEST' YEARS GEORGIA HUMANITIES COUNCIL SEEKS AWARDS NOMINATIONS TRAVEL NEWS: INDUSTRY LEADERS MEET WITH HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY TRAVEL NEWS: GOING GREEN TO PULL IN CONVENTIONS TRAVEL NEWS: U.S. LOOKS AT TOURIST TAX TO FUND COMPANY TO PROMOTE TOURISM TRAVEL NEWS: TRAVEL COST-CUTTING IS THE NEW NORMAL TRAVEL NEWS: 2010 BUSINESS TRAVEL BUDGETS WILL FOCUS ON GROWING REVENUE IN THE NEWS: FILMING FOR 'THE CONSPIRATOR' GETS NOISY IN THE NEWS: SAVANNAH NAMED ONE OF AMERICA'S PRETTIEST TOWNS ........................................................................................................................................ GPB'S GEORGIA TRAVELER RETURNS WITH ALL NEW EPISODES Now in high definition, Georgia Traveler offers viewers a tour of Georgia. From ghost tours to gardens tours, this season has something for everyone. Whether you are looking for family fun, a place to eat, a place to sleep, an outdoor activity or even a local legend, our traveling team delivers plenty of ideas and adventures that fellow Georgians can go experience for themselves. Georgia Traveler is produced in partnership with the Georgia Department of Economic Development. For more information, click here. ........................................................................................................................................ AGRITOURISM WORKSHOPS Everyone's time and budget are under pressure, so with that in mind, there will be three (3) AgriTourism Workshops, dividing the state in thirds. The workshops are a joint effort of GDEcD, the UGA Center for Agribusiness and Economic Development, Dept. of Agriculture and others. Learn about the business side of agriTourism, taxes, zoning & conservation easement, how to build an effective, affordable website for your business (you will leave with your own website!), social media marketing, insurance and risk management, and more. For more information and registration information, click here. q The northern workshop/conference will be held Thursday & Friday, November 5-6, 2009 at the Dillard House in Dillard. q The middle state workshop/conference will be held Wednesday & Thursday, December 2-3, 2009 at Oakhurst Farms in West Point. q The southern workshop/conference will be held in the Spring 2010, dates to be determined, in Valdosta. ........................................................................................................................................................................ EXPLOREGEORGIA.ORG UPDATE On October 2, Engauge launched the following items to www.ExploreGeorgia.org: q Fall landing page: www.exploregeorgia.org/fall q Recommended search: All featured cities have been flagged as recommended search results; Engauge's content manager will be actively updating recommended search results going forward. q Rich text editor in partner admin (bold, bullets, paragraphs): listing description, event description and offer description q Mobile pieces callout on homepage under more ways to Explore Georgia .................................................................................................................... GDEcD SALES TEAM UPDATE GROUP SALES: Katie Baasen represented GDEcD as part of the Travel South delegation attending Discover America Day in Toronto sponsored by the Visit USA Committee. Travel South hosted a luncheon showcasing the southern states and their appeal to the Canadian traveler. GDEcD participated in scheduled appointments with media representatives during a marketplace session. Discover America Day Canada is the only marketplace held in Canada that focuses purely on inbound tourism to the USA. The Georgia Tourism division will again be participating as sponsors of the National Tour Association (NTA) annual marketplace and the American Bus Association (ABA) annual marketplace. This sponsorship provides us with a booth on the marketplace floor where we will maximize our exposure in this market. Georgia's theme for this year's marketplace is Civil War Sesquicentennial Commemoration. We will distribute Georgia items, Sesquicentennial and Civil War itineraries, and giveaways commemorating Georgia's role in the war at the booth. Please contact Katie Baasen via email for more information or to participate, kbaasen@georgia.org. Co-ops are available for state partners: Kudzu Sponsorship - NTA: $500 and ABA: $350 Peach Sponsorship - NTA: $750 and ABA: $650 Georgia Peach Greet - GDEcD has started a new program for tour companies involving the state's 11 Visitor Information Centers. VICs are the perfect place for a pit stop for tour groups, the state's tourism division is encouraging the group leader to plan a stop with the group, so we can showcase our southern hospitality and say "Hey Y'all". All we need is 48 hours advance notice to prepare special Georgia favors. The tourism division is offering it as an added amenity for a tour operator planning a tour to or through Georgia. This program is in conjunction with the motorcoach tracking the VIC staff is currently working on. 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 an 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 November. Katie Baasen's Group Tour Boot Camp is scheduled to take place December 3-4, 2009 in Macon. Registration information and course descriptions will be available in early November. We have some exciting things planned - so get ready! GDEcD is organizing a Family Reunion Seminar for state tourism partners in January 2010. This seminar will cover the family reunion market including characteristics, trends, and how you can break into this growing segment. Registration information including date and location will be available shortly. CONSUMER SALES: AAA Carolinas - Charlotte, NC - November 21, 2009 AAA Superbowl of Knowledge is an annual gathering of AAA Carolinas Travel Counselors and staff to learn what new offers are available as well as new things to sell to their members. A lunchtime tradeshow allows Travel Counselors an opportunity to meet with the travel industry and gather information to take back to their offices and pass on to their membership. Consumer Sales Manager Pam Kruseck (pkruseck@georgia.org) will attend. **Show schedule subject to change** .................................................................................................................... GDEcD RESEARCH UPDATE TRAVEL PROMOTION ACT UPDATE The U.S. Senate is expected to reconsider the Travel Promotion Act (TPA) in the coming weeks because the legislation creates "revenue" for the federal government. The U.S. Constitution requires that revenue bills originate in the House. TPA, which would create a public-private partnership to promote the United States as a premier international travel destination and communicate U.S. security and entry policies, was approved in the U.S. House earlier this month by a vote of 358-66, after originally passing the U.S. Senate last month by a vote of 79-19. For the latest information on TPA, click here. NEW AMERICAN EXPRESS SURVEY ABOUT THANKSGIVING PLANS A new survey from American Express reports that 30 percent of U.S. consumers plan to adjust this year's travel plans for Thanksgiving - historically one of the busiest travel days of the year - but only 21 percent expect those expenses to decrease compared to last year. The research sample of 2,009 adults included the general U.S. population, as well as two sub-groups -- the affluent and young professionals. Respondents whose plans are changing said they'll rely more on automobile travel, stay for a shorter time and cash-in rewards to help pay for holiday trips. The most significant changes are from the young professionals -- 37 percent said they've adjusted their plans versus the affluent and general population (both 30 percent). To find out more, click here. TRAVEL PRICE INDEX The Travel Price Index (TPI) for September 2009 reflects a decrease of 8.3% year to date. The TPI measures the seasonally unadjusted inflation rate of the cost of travel away from home in the United States. For more information about the Travel Price Index, click here. CONSUMER CONFIDENCE INDEX The Conference Board Consumer Confidence Index, which had improved in August, dipped in September. The Index now stands at 53.1 (1985=100), down from 54.5 in August. For more information about the Consumer Confidence Index, click here. INTERNATIONAL NUMBERS The U.S. Department of Commerce recently announced that 3.6 million international visitors traveled to the United States in June 2009, a decrease of 11% compared to June 2008. Total visitation in the first six months of 2009 was down 10% compared to the same period 2008. International visitors spent $9.6 billion during the month, 22% less than visitors spent in June 2008. June 2009 marks the eighth consecutive month of decreases in international visitors spending. In the first six months 2009, visitors spent $60 billion, down 15% from the same period in 2008. (Source: Tourism Industry NEWS September 11, 2009). For more information, click here. .................................................................................................................... STATUE OF CIVIL WAR GENERAL UNVEILED IN RINGGOLD A statue of Civil War General Patrick Cleburne was unveiled in Ringgold Gap on Saturday, October 3, 2009. The first statue of a Confederate General to be erected in Georgia in seventy-five years, it was timed to coincide with the Civil War's 150th anniversary. General Cleburne, a native of County Cork, Ireland, fought a holding action against Federal General Joseph Hooker at Ringgold gap in November 1863 that saved the Confederate army. The 700 pound bronze statue by sculptor Ron Tunison was purchased with a grant from the Patrick Cleburne Society and the Ringgold Telephone Company. It is located in the WPA pavilion park on Highway 41 directly south of Ringgold. ........................................................................................................................................... GEORGIA NATIONAL FAIR RIDES THE WEATHER ROLLER COASTER INTO ONE OF ITS 'BEST' YEARS According to the Georgia Agricultural Exposition Authority, 416,709 fairgoers attended the 20th annual Georgia National Fair. 407,136 attended in 2008. The 21st annual event will take place October 7-17, 2010. For information, click here. ................................................................................................................................................................... GEORGIA HUMANITIES COUNCIL SEEKS AWARDS NOMINATIONS The Georgia Humanities Council is seeking nominations for its annual Governor's Awards in the Humanities. The awards recognize and celebrate individuals and organizations that are working to increase understanding and appreciation of the humanities in Georgia's local communities. Nominations must be received by December 7. For more information, click here. .................................................................................................................... TRAVEL NEWS: INDUSTRY LEADERS MEET WITH HOMELAND SECURITY SECRETARY Travel industry leaders from across the country met on October 1 for the first time with Department of Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano to discuss issues affecting the travel industry, including swine flu preparation and efforts to welcome more international visitors to the United States. The meeting was facilitated by the Congressional Travel and Tourism Caucus, chaired by Congressmen Sam Farr (D-CA) and Roy Blunt (R-MO). For the complete Travel Agent Central article, click here. .................................................................................................................................................................. TRAVEL NEWS: GOING GREEN TO PULL IN CONVENTIONS It's no longer enough to roll out the red carpet for organizations looking for cities to host their next conventions. "The national focus in the tourism industry is going green," Collins said. "There are conferences and events that will not come to your city if you do not have a green initiative." For the complete Buffalo News article, click here. ........................................................................................................................................................................ TRAVEL NEWS: U.S. LOOKS AT TOURIST TAX TO FUND COMPANY TO PROMOTE TOURISM To entice more international travelers to visit, U.S. tourism officials and lawmakers may start charging some who do make the trip an extra $10 for the privilege. The money collected will be used to create and fund a non-profit company that will market the U.S. as an attractive destination for tourists, business travelers and students. For the complete USA Today article, click here. ............................................................................................................................................ TRAVEL NEWS: TRAVEL COST-CUTTING IS THE NEW NORMAL As business travel slowly comes back, company travel departments are sending out a strong message: Work harder. Fit more productivity into each trip. Become a lot more accessible on the road -- even on airplanes, using new in-flight wireless services. And, oh yeah, do it more cheaply. For the complete New York Times article, click here. ............................................................................................................................................ TRAVEL NEWS: 2010 BUSINESS TRAVEL BUDGETS WILL FOCUS ON GROWING REVENUE U.S. Business travel budgets were battered in 2009. Meetings were cancelled. Tighter corporate transient travel restrictions were implemented. The recession played a role in these decisions. And so did tactics of public and political intimidation - accusations of corporate greed and extravagance were attached to business travel investments. But the year wasn't a complete waste. For the complete BusinessTravelDestinations.com article, click here. ............................................................................................................................................ IN THE NEWS: FILMING FOR 'THE CONSPIRATOR' GETS NOISY Downtown Savannah looked like the Fourth of July on Wednesday night as filming continued for Robert Redford's "The Conspirator." Fireworks exploded purple, green and gold over the east side of Orleans Square for a scene that depicted celebrating the end of the civil war. Onlookers who lined the square ooohed and ahhed as they watched two short bursts of fireworks between the branches of moss-draped oak trees. For the complete Savannah Morning News article, click here. ............................................................................................................................................ IN THE NEWS: SAVANNAH NAMED ONE OF AMERICA'S PRETTIEST TOWNS Called the "Hostess City of the South," Savannah was founded in 1733 and served as Georgia's colonial capital. Civil War Union General Sherman spared the city during his notorious march to the sea, and its antebellum character is still intact. Greg Ward, co-author of The Rough Guide USA, counts Savannah's "superb garden squares, dripping with Spanish moss, and its cobbled riverport" among the features that make it "the loveliest colonial town in the U.S." For the full ForbesTraveler.com article, click here. ...................................................................................................................................................................... Share the Peach Byte To sign-up yourself or someone else up for this monthly newsletter, please email peachbyte@georgia.org. Feedback Welcome We look forward to your feedback and comments. Please contact us at peachbyte@georgia.org. 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