Georgia tourism monthly e-newsletter, 40330

June 2010 Issue
In This Issue:
UPDATE ABOUT THE OIL SPILL AND GEORGIA TOURISM PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT GRANT NEWS REGISTER NOW FOR THE 2010 GOVERNOR'S CONFERENCE ON TOURISM NOMINATE YOUR EVENT OR FESTIVAL: SOUTHEAST TOURISM TOP 20 EVENTS MARIETTA PILGRIMAGE CHRISTMAS HOME TOUR WINS COMMUNICATOR AWARD WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP OF BASS FISHING HEADS TO LAKE LANIER GDEcD RESEARCH UPDATE GDEcD SALES TEAM UPDATE REMINDER: SOUTHEAST TOURISM SOCIETY MARKETING COLLEGE TRAVEL NEWS: STATE GOLF ASSOCIATION BUYS RIGHTS TO GOLF HALL TRAVEL NEWS: WILL MORE FULL-SERVICE HOTEL GUESTS VISIT STARBUCKS ONCE WI-FI'S FREE? TRAVEL NEWS: HOTELS IN PHILADELPHIA, ATLANTA SEE BUSINESS TRAVELER UPTICK TRAVEL NEWS: HOTEL FORECAST - NOT AS OPTIMISTIC FOR 2ND HALF

........................................................................................................................................................................ UPDATE ABOUT THE OIL SPILL AND GEORGIA
As the eyes of the nation remain focused on the oil spill along the Gulf Coast, experts continue to believe it is unlikely that Georgia will be directly affected by the damage. Still, given the remote possibility that extreme weather could change the spill's path - and the real impact oil is already having on our neighbors in Florida, Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana - we want to keep you informed about how the State of Georgia and its partners are monitoring the crisis and responding. Kevin Langston, Deputy Commissioner of the Georgia Tourism division, sent a letter to Georgia's tourism industry on Monday, June 21. To read Kevin Langston's letter in its entirety, click here.
............................................................................................................................................ TOURISM PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT GRANT NEWS
The 2011 Tourism Product Development Grant will be announced in mid-August. Applications will be available online via the link below. The deadline for submitting the application will be September 30 and awards will be announced in October. For more information, click here.
........................................................................................................................................ BAND TOGETHER: REGISTER NOW FOR THE 2010 GOVERNOR'S CONFERENCE ON TOURISM
The 2010 Governor's Conference on Tourism will take place in Athens from August 30 - September 1. The Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD), Georgia Association of Convention & Visitors Bureaus (GACVB) and the Tourism Development Alliance of Georgia (TDAG) have once again joined forces to present one unified tourism industry conference. Year after year, the Georgia Tourism Conference is recognized as a must attend event for the tourism industry in Georgia. Join professionals from DMOs, hotels, attractions, tour & travel and supplier companies as we 'Band Together'. This annual event offers an opportunity to build professional relationships; discover tools and practical solutions; analyze new trends innovations and technologies; gain the necessary tools to manage today's challenges; and learn from powerful Keynote and Breakout Speakers. The Georgia Tourism division is delighted to offer a Techno-Tourism Workshop in advance of the 2010 Governor's Conference on Tourism. The workshop will take the place in lieu of the state's annual Techno-Tourism Conference on Monday, August 30. The workshop will be jam packed with tips, trends and information to help your organization stay ahead of the competition. For more information and to register, click here.

............................................................................................................................................ NOMINATE YOUR EVENT OR FESTIVAL: SOUTHEAST TOURISM TOP 20 EVENTS
The next cut off for the 1st Q 2011 (January, February & March) Southeast Tourism Top 20 Events is July 9, 2010. Please note on the nomination form all the requirements needed to be nominated as an event. You only need to send two copies of the nomination form and a $10 nomination fee. For more information, click here.
............................................................................................................................................ MARIETTA PILGRIMAGE CHRISTMAS HOME TOUR WINS COMMUNICATOR AWARD
The Marietta Pilgrimage Christmas Home Tour was awarded two Communicator Awards presented by the International Academy of Visual Arts, from a field of more than 7,000 applicants. The awards include one for the new logo design and another for the redesign of the Tour Guidebook. The designs were created by 524 Creative for the Tour. "We are very proud that the designs won Communicator Awards and are fortunate to have such great partners as 524 Creative," stated Marietta Welcome Center & Visitors Bureau Executive Director, Theresa Jenkins. The Tour is sponsored by the Bureau and Cobb Landmarks & Historical Society and is held annually the first weekend in December. This year the Tour will be December 4-5, 2010. For more information, click here.
............................................................................................................................................ WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP OF BASS FISHING HEADS TO LAKE LANIER
The Forrest Wood Cup, the World Championship of Bass Fishing, is bringing the world's best bass anglers to Lake Lanier Aug. 5-8, 2010. Seventy-eight of the greatest pros in the sport are steeling themselves for four days of exciting competition, and at the end of it all, one angler will stand alone as champion and hoist the prestigious Cup. "The Forrest Wood Cup is the most important event, most competitive event and most difficult-to-qualify-for event in our sport," said FLW Outdoors President and CEO Charlie Evans. "Forrest Wood Cup competitors are world-class athletes with skills that are second to none." Daily takeoff ceremonies will be held at Laurel Park, in Gainesville, Ga., each morning from 6:30 to 7 a.m. Takeoffs will commence at 7 a.m. Weigh-ins will be held daily at 5 p.m. at The Arena at Gwinnett Center located in Duluth, Ga. The FLW Outdoors Expo will be held in conjunction with the Forrest Wood Cup at the Gwinnett Convention Center on Friday from noon to 5 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For information about the event, click here.

.................................................................................................................... GDEcD RESEARCH UPDATE
SMITH TRAVEL RESEARCH (STR) Year-to-date (YTD): Georgia occupancy is up 3.9% and revenue is up 3.8%. However, room rates have yet to improve and are down 3.3%. Nationally Smith Travel Research (STR) forecasts a good demand scenario for this summer (+4.4 percent), though it notes room rate growth remains a problem. STR predicts the summer will end with flat RevPAR growth, occupancy will be up 2.2 percent and ADR will be down 1.9 percent. In addition, PricewaterhouseCoopers predicts continued recovery of demand and occupancy in 2010, with increased room rates holding off until 2011.
REBOUND IN INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL TO THE U.S. IN 2010-2014 The U.S. Dept. of Commerce projects international travel to the United States to return to a growth mode in 2010. Visitor volume is expected to increase five percent followed by five to seven percent annual increases through 2014. The rebound would completely offset the five percent decline in arrivals registered in 2009, the first decline in visitors since 2003. The forecast for 2010-2014 predicts that the record for total arrivals will be broken for each of the years 2010-2014. International arrivals will reach almost 72 million, an increase of 31 percent from 2009 through 2014. In 2010 all but three of the top 25 origin countries will post increases in visitor volume. The largest increases in 2010 will be from Brazil (22 percent), China (22 percent), Korea (18 percent), Argentina (13 percent), Australia (12 percent), and India (12 percent). To find out more, click here.
RENTAL CAR COMPANIES EMULATE AIRLINES, EMBRACE ADDED FEES By now, it's clear the airline industry's added fees are here to stay. In fact, confirmation came last month, when the U.S. Dept. of Transportation reported the nation's airlines generated $7.8 billion in "ancillary revenue" in 2009, up 42 percent from 2008; baggage fees alone totaled $2.7 billion. But rather quietly, consumers are being squeezed by the car rental sector as well. Hertz recently reported domestic rental revenues rose 9.8 percent, and cited pricing and ancillary revenues as the first two contributors. Similarly, Avis recently reported domestic ancillary revenues grew 12 percent on a per-rental-day basis. For travelers, determining that bottom-line rate keeps getting tougher. In fact, consumers may define that term "rate" differently than most rental companies do, since they exclude a bunch of charges some might deem necessary. To read the complete USA Today article, click here.
FROM HOTEL RIVALS TO ALLIES Amid signs that their industry has finally turned a corner after two dark years, hotel executives have begun to plot strategies for better times ahead. But those strategies differ, depending on whether they are running a big chain or independent hotel. Major chains like Marriott and Starwood are increasingly focusing on expanding abroad, as tight credit markets make it tough for developers to build hotels in the United States. They are also experimenting with teaming up with independent hoteliers, a strategy that departs from their core business of managing brands. Though these relationships vary, the idea is that a chain welcomes independent hotels into the fold - mainly by providing access to its reservation system and millions of loyalty program members - in exchange for what is basically a franchise fee. But unlike franchisees, the hotels that sign onto the partnerships remain independent and do not have to meet rigid brand standards. The current financial climate has forced the hands of both the big chains, which have remained profitable even during the downturn, and the independent hotels, which have been struggling to survive without the deep pockets of their big competitors. Pairing up allows the chains to grow without building and the independents to attract more guests. To read the complete NY Times article, click here.

.................................................................................................................... GDEcD SALES TEAM UPDATE
GROUP SALES:
Group Tour Boot Camp took place June 10 - 11 at the Georgia Music Hall of Fame, Macon. Sessions included Agritourism - who, what , where and how; Cooperative Marketing Amongst Your Region; Travel Writers/Press 101; Group Tour Market Basics; Travel South; and a panel discussion with tour operators. Thank you to all who participated - we hope it benefited from it. The next Boot Camp will take place in December. Please contact Katie Baasen at kbaasen@georgia.org for more information.
Katie Baasen attended TAP Dance in Branson, MO from June 2-5. TAP Dance is the appointment marketplace for Travel Alliance Partners. Travel Alliance Partners, LLC is a partner-owned organization of the 37 premier tour operators in the United States and Canada. Each is a regional expert with new and unique itineraries. TAP partners have GUARANTEED the departures of 250 tours throughout the world. TAP Dance is an invitation only marketplace. The Georgia Tourism division met with 28 of the 37 members in appointment sessions. The appointment notes will be sent out to partners in the coming weeks.
Atlanta is set to host the 2011 Travel South Showcase! The Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD), Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau (ACVB), Georgia World Congress Center (GWCC) and the Omni Hotel at CNN Center joined together to serve as official hosts for the annual event. Nearly 700 tourism professionals are expected in Georgia from April 3 - 5, 2011. Information will be available soon on how you can get involved in the planning and executing of Showcase 2011 here in Atlanta. We need to show this group what our Georgia partners can do and what wonderful hosts/hostesses we are. If you have any questions, please contact Katie Baasen via email at kbaasen@georgia.org.
Georgia Peach Greet - VICs are the perfect place for a pit stop for tour groups, the state's tourism division is encouraging all group leaders to plan a stop with your group, and 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 Georgia Peach Greet as an added amenity for a tour operator planning a tour to or through Georgia. This program is in conjunction with 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 on VIC tracking and if you need updated figures from the monthly tracking report.
"FYI from the Peach State" is sent quarterly to tour operators around the country in our database. The next newsletter is scheduled to go out in August. If you have any updates or special offers on Holiday Tours or activities for the tour market and would like to have this information included in the e-newsletter, please contact Katie Baasen at kbaasen@georgia.org.
The Georgia Tourism Division of GDEcD will again be participating as sponsors for the National Tour Association Annual Marketplace (November 13-17, 2010) and the American Bus Association Annual Marketplace (January 9-13, 2011). This sponsorship provides us with a booth on the marketplace floor where we will maximize our exposure into this market to all those who are present and give the state more opportunity to sell our product at the marketplace. To make this a huge success, we are asking for co-sponsorship through monetary donations. As a co-sponsor, your company is afforded a unique opportunity to highlight your Georgia product to hundreds of tourism professionals at these NTA and ABA conferences. The two levels are: Kudzu Sponsorship (NTA/ABA: $750) or Peach Sponsorship (NTA/ABA: $1000). The fee covers both tradeshows - we have done them separately in the past, but are trying to help stretch marketing dollars if possible. If you have any questions or need any clarification on this opportunity, please feel free to contact Katie Baasen at 404-962-4080, or kbaasen@georgia.org. Thank you.
The Georgia Tourism division is working on its consumer market strategy. We would like to hear from you! A questionnaire was sent out through the Tourism Regional Representatives. Please take time to answer the questions so we can build our strategy to its

fullest potential. Thank you to all who have answered so far - your input is valuable. We will have a working schedule and coop availability sent out within the next few weeks. If you have any questions or suggestions regarding the consumer market - please contact Katie Baasen at kbaasen@georgia.org.
Georgia Department of Economic Development is again participating with the Motorcoach Associations of GA, AL, VA, FL, SC, NC, and South Central states in the GAS CARD sponsorship at the Annual Marketplaces for these organizations. We do a drawing for two operators to receive a $500 gas card with the promotion "your business is good business for Georgia." We are offering a sponsor coop with this program for our state partners. For more information please contact Katie Baasen at kbaasen@georgia.org.
Katie Baasen will be attending the National Travel Association (NTA) Leadership Committee meeting July 12-14 in Montreal, Canada. This committee is charged with continuing NTA Convention planning and enhancements of events that will generate increased attendance. Additionally, the committee will develop a plan for future domestic events to replace the Tour Operator Spring Meet.
Katie Baasen will be attending the GA Motorcoach Operators Association Annual Meeting and Marketplace from July 24-27 in Chattanooga, TN. This meeting includes educational sessions as well as appointment sessions with members of the Association.
**Show schedule subject to change**
............................................................................................................................................ REMINDER: SOUTHEAST TOURISM SOCIETY MARKETING COLLEGE
Sign up for the 2010 Southeast Tourism Society Marketing College. The last week of July, students come to north Georgia to experience a broad-based curriculum of courses designed to teach from all facets of the tourism industry. Students who attend three years of Marketing College receive a Travel Marketing Professional certification. This year, a new track is being introduced. In addition to the traditional "Travel and Tourism" track, students may elect to follow a "Festivals and Events" path which delves deeper into the topics that those dealing with festivals may encounter. Also, two alumni courses will be offered so graduates can spend the whole week in Dahlonega, should they choose to do so. More than 500 tourism professionals have graduated from this program. For more information, visit click here.
............................................................................................................................................ TRAVEL NEWS: STATE GOLF ASSOCIATION BUYS RIGHTS TO GOLF HALL
Georgia's State Golf Association announced on June 10 it had struck an agreement with the Georgia Department of Economic Development to acquire the hall's name, its memorabilia and the right to honor the state's best golfers in an annual banquet. For the complete Atlanta Journal Constitution article, visit click here.

............................................................................................................................................ TRAVEL NEWS: WILL MORE FULL-SERVICE HOTEL GUESTS VISIT STARBUCKS ONCE WI-FI'S FREE?
Travelers who stay at full-service, downtown hotels that charge $10-$15 a day for wi-fi access will get a new alternative starting July 1, when Starbucks lifts its fees for wi-fi access. The U.S. coffee giant will soon offer free wireless Internet service at its 6,700 U.S. stores through AT&T. The chain currently offers two hours of free wi-fi to those with a registered Starbucks card. For the complete USA Today article, click here.
............................................................................................................................................ TRAVEL NEWS: HOTELS IN PHILADELPHIA, ATLANTA SEE BUSINESS TRAVELER UPTICK
The Hotels in Philadelphia and Atlanta are filling up more than last year, further evidence that business travelers are getting back on the road and that hotel rates in various cities could increase later this year, recent reports say. For the complete USA Today article, click here.
............................................................................................................................................ TRAVEL NEWS: HOTEL FORECAST - NOT AS OPTIMISTIC FOR 2ND HALF
Recovery of metro Atlanta's hospitality industry is "definitely on," but one forecaster fears the city may experience a double dip, particularly in the second half of this year. "We're not as optimistic for Atlanta this year as we were last year," said R. Mark Woodworth, president of PKF Hospitality Research in Atlanta, a national hospitality research firm. For the complete Atlanta Business Chronicle article, click here.
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