Georgia tourism monthly e-newsletter, 40299

May 2010 Issue
In This Issue:
REGISTER NOW FOR THE 2010 GOVERNOR'S CONFERENCE ON TOURISM GDEcD SET TO HOST TECHNO-TOURISM WORKSHOP IN ADVANCE OF THE 2010 GOVERNOR'S CONFERENCE ON TOURISM STATE TEAM PRESENTS FINDINGS OF TOURISM STUDY TO QUITMAN-BROOKS COUNTY GEORGIA VISITOR INFORMATION CENTER WINS GO ORANGE CAMPAIGN GDEcD'S JEANNIE BUTTRUM NAMED "WOMAN OF DISTINCTION" BY THE GIRL SCOUTS OF HISTORIC GEORGIA MEDIEVAL TIMES DINNER & TOURNAMENT WINS SOUTH STAR AWARD FROM DIRECT MARKETING ASSOCIATION GDEcD RESEARCH UPDATE GDEcD SALES TEAM UPDATE SOUTHEAST TOURISM SOCIETY MARKETING COLLEGE TRAVEL NEWS: U.S. CHAMBER'S DONOHUE: TRAVEL, TOURISM ARE 'CENTRAL' TO JOB CREATION TRAVEL NEWS: TRIPWOW TRAVEL NEWS: HOTELS SAW RECORD PROFIT SLIDE IN 2009 TRAVEL NEWS: USA TODAY'S READERS SOUND OFF ON MOST ANNOYING HOTEL FEES TRAVEL NEWS: USA TODAY'S READERS SOUND OFF ON MOST ANNOYING HOTEL FEES

........................................................................................................................................ 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. For more information and to register, click here.
........................................................................................................................................................................ GDEcD SET TO HOST TECHNO-TOURISM WORKSHOP IN ADVANCE OF THE 2010 GOVERNOR'S CONFERENCE ON TOURISM
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. Visit www.georgiagtc.com to learn more about this workshop and to register for the 2010 Georgia Governor's Conference in Athens.
............................................................................................................................................ STATE TEAM PRESENTS FINDINGS OF TOURISM STUDY TO QUITMAN-BROOKS COUNTY
Brooks County's historic and cultural resources may be the key to cultivating increased tourism, a delegation from the Georgia Department of Economic Development told community leaders on May 25. The Tourism Resource Team from the Georgia Department of Economic Development presented the findings of its inventory of local tourism assets, and recommendations for future strategies, to the community at a meeting held at the Historic Walker Street School. Quitman and Brooks County were selected in the fall of 2009 by the Tourism Product Development Office to participate in a new initiative launched by the state's Tourism Division to give technical assistance to a local community interested in developing its tourism potential. For the complete press release, click here.

............................................................................................................................................ GEORGIA VISITOR INFORMATION CENTER WINS GO ORANGE CAMPAIGN
In recognition of National Work Zone Safety Awareness Week, April 19-23, Georgia joined with states throughout the Southeast for the "Go Orange" campaign to emphasize work zone safety. Georgia's 11 Visitor Information Centers planned a variety of activities, all designed to bring awareness to the "Go Orange" campaign, ultimately encouraging drivers in the state to take special precautions while driving near work zones, areas typically highlighted by orange warning cones. "After much review and deliberation, there was a clear and unanimous winner which was Georgia," said Roger Miles of Miles Media. "Georgia's integration and level of engagement from all aspects of the community including the donations from sponsors was very impressive."
............................................................................................................................................ GDEcD'S JEANNIE BUTTRUM NAMED "WOMAN OF DISTINCTION" BY THE GIRL SCOUTS OF HISTORIC GEORGIA
In Classic South Regional Tourism Representative, Jeannie Buttrum was named "Woman of Distinction" by the Girl Scouts of Historic Georgia. The Women of Distinction award recognizes accomplishments of outstanding women who embody the ideals of courage, confidence and character. One woman is named in each of the six categories. Jeannie was recognized in the "Professions" category.
Jeannie (Center)
............................................................................................................................................ MEDIEVAL TIMES DINNER & TOURNAMENT WINS SOUTH STAR AWARD FROM DIRECT MARKETING ASSOCIATION
Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament has earned a coveted South Star Award for 2010. Direct Marketing Association (DMA) accepts entries from hundreds of leading Atlanta marketing departments and organizations to honor the most successful marketers in the city with South Star Awards. This year, Medieval Times joins companies including IBM, DataDirect and the marketing firms behind Chick-fil-A, Georgia Lottery and Equifax in this esteemed group of marketing leaders. Since Medieval Times' opening in the Atlanta market in 2004, the Georgia castle has secured many designations, including Newcomer of the Year by the Gwinnett CVB and one of the Best Places to Work by Atlanta Business Chronicle. However, this is the first marketing-specific distinction that the castle has received. For more information on Medieval Times, click here.

.................................................................................................................... GDEcD RESEARCH UPDATE
April 2010 - Georgia Hotel Occupancy Data:
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Hotel/motel occupancy increased 2.3% statewide from April 2009
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Room rates (ADR) were down during this same period -3.9%
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Statewide RevPAR was down slightly at -1.6%
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Georgia room revenue increased 1.6%
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Room Demand increased 5.7% in the state from April 2009
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Room Supply increased by 3.2% in the state from April 2009
Year-To-Date (YTD) - Georgia Hotel Occupancy Data:
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Hotel/motel occupancy is up 3.3% statewide through April 2010
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YTD room rates (ADR) in Georgia are down -3.2%
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Statewide RevPAR is up 0.1%
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Georgia room revenue is up 3.6%
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Room Demand is up 7.0% in the state
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Room Supply is up 3.5% in the state
INTERNATIONAL VISITATION UP 22 PERCENT IN FEBRUARY 2010 The U.S. Department of Commerce announced on May 17 that 3.5 million international visitors traveled to the United States in February 2010, an increase of 22 percent over February 2009. February 2010 registered the fifth straight month of increases in U.S. arrivals. For the first two months of 2010, visitation was up 15 percent compared to the same period in 2009. International visitors spent $10.5 billion in February 2010, three percent more than in February 2009. February 2010 marks the first increase in monthly U.S. travel and tourismrelated exports since 2008. For more information, click here.
2010 SUMMER FORECAST RELEASED BY SMITH TRAVEL The U.S. hotel industry should expect to see mixed results in the three key performance metrics this summer, according to STR's 2010 summer forecast. The summer travel season includes June, July and August. STR predicts summer occupancy will increase 2.2 percent from summer 2009 to 63.1 percent, average daily rate will decrease 1.9 percent to U.S. $95.16, and revenue per available room will end the summer virtually flat with a 0.2-percent increase to U.S. $60.03. For more information, click here.

Y PARTNERSHIP RELEASED THEIR APRIL MARKETING INSIGHT DATA ABOUT STAYCATIONS One of the presumed consequences of the Great Recession has been the emergence of a new form of leisure travel called a "staycation," or the propensity of individuals to select a vacation destination closer to home as an alternative to traveling to a more distant destination, presumably as a result of budgetary constraints at the household level. Our investigation of this "trend" last year suggested that it was more media myth than reality (fewer than 10% of leisure travelers acknowledged they had taken one), yet the results of our new Portrait of American Travelers reveal that consumers' may now, in fact, be taking more such vacations than reported previously. For more information, click here.
.................................................................................................................... GDEcD SALES TEAM UPDATE
GROUP SALES:
Group Tour Boot Camp will take place June 10 - 11 at the Georgia Music Hall of Fame, Macon. Sessions will include 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. Please contact Katie Baasen at kbaasen@georgia.org for more information. Katie Baasen will attend 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.
Student Youth Travel Association (SYTA) is holding their board meeting in Atlanta this June. We welcome the opportunity to show off Atlanta and the state of Georgia to the leadership of this tour operator association. The Student Travel market is continuing to grow - and we will continue to foster its growth in our state.
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 2010 event in Birmingham and 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.
INTERNATIONAL SALES:
The Georgia Tourism division hosted the largest Brazilian tour operator from May 27 - 29. Marsans visited Atlanta, Macon, Savannah and Tybee Island. Marsans has product with more than 3,000 travel agencies in Brazil. The group will return as part of a larger FAM tour and will include visits to many other areas of Georgia. For more information, please contact Joseph Walker, Director of Tourism Business Development, at jwalker@georgia.org.
CONSUMER SALES:
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. If you have any questions or suggestions regarding the consumer market - please contact Katie Baasen at kbaasen@georgia.org.
Pam Kruseck will attend the Southeast ASTA Roundtable and Board Meeting in Nashville, TN from May 18 - 21, 2010. Event leaders are expecting 50 - 60 travel agents from across Tennessee to participate. This one-of-a-kind event begins with a minitradeshow and followed by round table discussions. Please contact Pam Kruseck (pkruseck@georgia.org) for more information.
AAA Georgia Specialist Program: GDEcD launched a new program with AAA Auto Club South allowing AAA Travel Counselors the opportunity to become more familiar with Georgia's nine travel regions. Since March, more than 100 travel counselors have signed up to take the exam and become certified specialists. The program provides the travel counselors with current information and travel essentials to help them promote travel in Georgia to their membership. The certification will be valid for two years at which time they will have the chance to renew and take an updated exam. Please contact Pam Kruseck (pkruseck@georgia.org) for more information. DIV dir=ltr>
**Show schedule subject to change**

............................................................................................................................................ SOUTHEAST TOURISM SOCIETY MARKETING COLLEGE
For one week each year, tourism industry professionals from all over the Southeast meet for the Southeast Tourism Society Marketing College. The last week of July, students come to north Georgia to experience a broadbased curriculum of courses designed to teach from all facets of the tourism industry. Marketing College professors are working, experienced professionals who not only bring expertise, but real-world knowledge and experience to the classroom. From the time students arrive on Sunday evening until they depart on Friday, they enjoy classes, lectures, discussion groups and one-of-a-kind networking opportunities in an academic environment conducive to learning. 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 .
............................................................................................................................................ TRAVEL NEWS: U.S. CHAMBER'S DONOHUE: TRAVEL, TOURISM ARE 'CENTRAL' TO JOB CREATION
During the U.S. Travel Association's International Pow Wow conference, U.S. Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Thomas J. Donohue told a crowd of 5,000 international travel and tourism executives that the travel industry plays a critical role in America's job growth and national security, the U.S. Chamber announced last week. "If Congress is looking for an industry that can spur the economy and create jobs, they need look no further than travel and tourism," Donohue said. "This industry is central not only to the strength of our economy, but also to the vitality of America's culture and society, and to our national security. America is-and always has been-more prosperous, safer and better off when we engage the world-when we reach out and welcome in." For the complete article, click here.
............................................................................................................................................ TRAVEL NEWS: TRIPWOW
TripWow is a new cool product that TripAdvisor has launched. It's easy to use, it's very personalized and full of cinema sizzle that allows registered users to create a highly attractive memory of a trip - and it's free to use! It's social too - easy to share, imbed on other websites, etc. Click here to learn more.
............................................................................................................................................ TRAVEL NEWS: HOTELS SAW RECORD PROFIT SLIDE IN 2009
The U.S. hotel industry suffered a record 35.4 percent decline in profits in 2009. Although the recent report by PKF Hospitality Research did not break out specific markets, area hoteliers and industry experts said Atlanta's hospitality industry did just as poorly, if not a little worse. For the complete Atlanta Business Chronicle article, click here.

............................................................................................................................................ TRAVEL NEWS: USA TODAY'S READERS SOUND OFF ON MOST ANNOYING HOTEL FEES
USA Today asked readers earlier last week to nominate the hotel fees that annoy them most. Travelers wrote in venting about everything from parking fees to cabana fees to a fee for a room safe that they'd never even used. One of the big themes among respondents? People tend to get most frustrated with mandatory fees that they can't escape because it makes them feel nickel-and-dimed, especially when they're staying at more expensive hotels. The Internet-connection fee was the most reviled hotel fee by far. For the complete USA Today article, click here.

............................................................................................................................................ TRAVEL NEWS: SIGNATURE DRINKS IN ATLANTA RAISE THE BAR'S INFLUENCE ON HOTEL'S BOTTOM LINE

AJC article, click here.

When you see them, you can't help but "ooh" and "aah." With their deep reds, bright oranges and seductive chocolate browns, signature drinks are colorful to the eye, pleasing to the nose and mouthwatering. And for many metro Atlanta hotels, concocting signature concoctions is supporting the bottom line at a time when the industry is struggling to get back on its feet because of the economic meltdown. Lodgers across the metro area say they are making hundreds of thousands of dollars on Mason Jar Marys, Peach Taquinis and other signature drinks. The drinks are part marketing tool, part revenue generator and part brand identifier. Those who succeed can grow business by bringing in crowds who might stay a night or make a bar a neighborhood hangout. For the complete

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