Georgia tourism monthly e-newsletter, Mar. 2011

March 2011 Issue
In This Issue:
SEVENTY-THREE GEORGIA COUNTIES NAMED CAMERA READY COMMUNITIES SOUTHEAST TOURISM SOCIETY TOP 20 EVENTS NOMINATIONS OUTSTANDING GEORGIA BATTLEFIELD ADVOCATES HONORED BY NATIONAL HISTORIC PRESERVATION GROUP GDEcD SALES TEAM UPDATE GDEcD RESEARCH UPDATE CAPT. ANDY HILL OF EAGLE ISLAND, GA EARNS IFWTWA AWARD OF EXCELLENCE IN HOSPITALITY BEST WESTERN EVANS HOTEL RECEIVES "STARS OF THE LODGING INDUSTRY" AWARD GEORGIA NEWS: GEORGIA TREND: TAKING THE HIGH GROUND GEORGIA NEWS: RINGGOLD GAP BATTLEFIELD LISTED IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES GEORGIA NEWS: TOURISM OFFICIALS SAY 2010 PROFITABLE FOR AUGUSTA GEORGIA NEWS: SAVANNAH WATER PARK DELAYED DUE TO MONEY WOES GEORGIA NEWS: DOLPHINS SPIN A FLASHY TALE IN NEW GEORGIA AQUARIUM SHOW GEORGIA NEWS: GOLF ON GEORGIA'S MIND INDUSTRY NEWS: HOTELS TEST FACEBOOK'S CLOUT WITH TRAVELERS INDUSTRY NEWS: FACE-OFF: WEBSITES THAT HELP TRAVELERS TAP LOCALS FOR TIPS INDUSTRY NEWS: 5 QUESTIONS WITH TIM JARRELL, FODOR'S PUBLISHER, ON 75 YEARS OF TRAVEL GUIDES INDUSTRY NEWS: TRAVELMATCH: OPTIMISM RETURNS TO THE HOTEL INDUSTRY

........................................................................................................................................................................ SEVENTY-THREE GEORGIA COUNTIES NAMED CAMERA READY COMMUNITIES
Governor Nathan Deal and the Georgia Film, Music & Digital Entertainment Office, a division of the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD), designated 73 Georgia counties Camera Ready at the Georgia State Capitol on March 21. The state's Camera Ready Community Program was launched as part of the state's ongoing efforts to bolster Georgia's growing film and television industry. Click here for the press release.
Photo Credit: Alana Joyner
........................................................................................................................................................................ SOUTHEAST TOURISM SOCIETY TOP 20 EVENTS NOMINATIONS
What is the Top 20 event listing? The best events across the Southeast compete to receive the prestigious Top 20 Events designation. Through a nomination process, Southeast Tourism Society chooses the Top 20 events in the Southeast for each month of the year and publishes this list of winners quarterly. The Top 20 Events publication is sent to over 1,600 newspapers, magazines, radio stations, TV stations, AAA publications and others. The next cut off for the 4th Q 2011 (October, November, and December) is April 8, 2011. Click here to nominate your event.
........................................................................................................................................................................ OUTSTANDING GEORGIA BATTLEFIELD ADVOCATES HONORED BY NATIONAL HISTORIC PRESERVATION GROUP
During a ceremony on March 4 at the Hilton Savannah DeSoto hotel, the Civil War Trust, a national battlefield preservation organization, recognized three outstanding Georgia history advocates with Chairman's Awards for Achievement. The awards, presented by Trust Chairman John L. Nau, III, honored Georgia Battlefields Association president Charlie Crawford, Fort McAllister interpretive ranger Talley Kirkland and Rossville history teacher Robert Stinson. Charlie Crawford is a member of the steering committee leading Georgia's commemoration of the Civil War Sesquicentennial and is a tireless advocate for Civil War preservation and interpretation. Click here to learn more.

............................................................................................................................................ GDEcD SALES TEAM UPDATE
INTERNATIONAL:
Kevin Langston, Joseph Walker and Wolfgang Streitborger represented Georgia at ITB Berlin from March 9 - 13, 2011. ITB is Germany's largest tourism convention. Germany is Georgia's second most important market.
Joseph Walker hosted training sessions at Marsans in Brazil from March 1 - 4, 2011 for current sellers of Georgia packages.
DOMESTIC:
Pam Kruseck attended the Community Showcase and Travel Shows at Hunter Army Airfield and Fort Stewart March 9 - 10, 2011. Attendees included family members of deployed soldiers who are looking for ideas on where to take trips in the coming months. We shared information about destinations in their own backyards - especially with gas prices on the rise!
OMCA/ABA Tour Operator Summit - Verona, NY - March 30 - 31, 2011 For the first time ever, the American Bus Association (ABA) and the Ontario Motor Coach Association (OMCA) are hosting a joint tour operator summit. The OMCA/ABA Tour Operator Summit will feature educational seminars, business sessions, networking events and a mini-exhibit show. For co-op information, please contact Pam Kruseck via email at pkruseck@georgia.org
Southern Women's Show - Nashville, TN - April 14 - 17, 2011 The Southern Women's Show attracts more than 12,000 women over a 3-day period. This consumer shows target women with give-aways and tips on beauty, cooking, fashion, health & well-being, shopping, travel and much more! To learn more about the Southern Women's Show, visit www.southernshows.com. For co-op information, please contact Pam Kruseck via email at pkruseck@georgia.org.
IAGTO North American Convention - International Association of Golf Tour Operators - Monterey, CA - May 18 - 21, 2011 More than 120 golf tour operators have signed up to attend the annual convention. Approximately 30 percent of the operators who will attend the 3rd IAGTO North America Golf Tourism Convention will be from the U.S. and Canada. The other operators are coming from more than 20 other countries. The convention is open to North American suppliers and tourist boards interested in meeting with domestic and international golf tour operators selling North America. For co-op information, please contact Pam Kruseck via email at pkruseck@georgia. org.
ABA Top 100 Events Nominations: Nominations are officially open for the 2012 Top 100 Events in North America. ABA's Top 100 Events in North America (now in its 30th year) is an annual compendium of the best events for group travel in the United States and Canada. Each spring, a committee of ABA-member motorcoach and tour operators selects the Top 100 Events for the subsequent year; the list is unveiled in September. Winners are chosen from hundreds of celebrations, festivals, fairs, commemorative events, and more that have been nominated by ABA members. From among the winners, ABA names the Number One Event for both the United States and Canada. The Georgia Tourism division can submit a maximum of seven (7) nominations to be considered for this prestigious distinction. Please note that all ABA members of all membership categories are eligible to submit three (3) nominations. For the 2012 Top 100, ABA non-members can submit one (1) nomination for a fee which is then refunded if they join the association in 2011. For more information on the nomination process, please contact Pam Kruseck at pkruseck@georgia.org. The deadline for submission is April 22, 2011.
**Show schedule subject to change**

............................................................................................................................................ GDEcD RESEARCH UPDATE
Key Georgia Tourism Indicators are available under the Tourism Industry and Tourism Research section on Georgia.org. Information is updated monthly, so you have access to update-to-date information including data made available by Longwood. To access this information, click here. Please contact Nerissa Serrano if you need assistance via email at nserrano@georgia.org.
Georgia Hotel Data:
February 2011:
q Hotel/motel occupancy increased 4.3% statewide in February 2011 from February 2010 q February 2011 room rates (ADR) in Georgia were down -2.2% from last February q Statewide, RevPAR was up 2% q Georgia room revenues increased 2.4 q Room Demand increased 4.8% q Room Supply increased by 0.4% in the state
Year-to-date (YTD):
q Hotel/motel occupancy is up 4.2% statewide YTD q YTD room rates (ADR) in Georgia are down -0.7% q Statewide, RevPAR is up 3.4% year-to-date q Georgia room revenues are up 3.9% year-to date q Room Demand is up 4.6% q Room Supply is up 0.5% in the state year-to-date
National Hotel Insights:
Nationally, the U.S. lodging industry continued its recovery in January posting these results: supply (+1.1%), demand (+7.0%), occupancy (+5.8%), average daily rate (ADR) (+2.8%) and revenue per available room (RevPAR) (+8.7%), according to Smith Travel Research (STR). The luxury segment reported the largest increases in both ADR (+5.6%) and RevPAR (+11.9%).
Rubicon data shows that 2011 total committed occupancy in the U.S. is up 6 percent so far this year, group commitments rose 6.8 percent and new group business added in the past month increased 30.8 percent over the comparable period last year.
Insights from the March edition of U.S. Travel Association's Travel Insights:
Business Travel - Lots of Good Numbers
Business travel continues to grow, both in the corporate and meetings sector. The big news this past month was the release of a yearlong study on the size of the U.S. meetings market, sponsored by 14 industry organizations including the U.S. Travel Association and conducted by PricewaterhouseCoopers. The Economic Significance of Meetings to the U.S. Economy study reveals that the U.S. meetings industry directly supports 1.7 million jobs, $263 billion in spending, a $106 billion contribution to GDP, $60 billion in labor revenue, $14.3 billion in federal tax revenue and $11.3 billion in state and local tax revenue.

The study further found that incentive travel accounts for four percent of the total U.S. meetings industry, attracting more than eight million domestic and international participants annually, and bringing $13.2 billion into to U.S. economy. And, the Incentive Research Foundation (IRF) recently released Driving our Future: The Top 11 Incentive Trends for 2011.
The trade show industry also continues to bounce back with The CEIR Index increasing 4.1 percent last year compared with 2009. The Q4 '10 report showed these year-over-year results: net square feet (+5.6%), revenue (+ 4.2%), professional attendance (+5.4%) and exhibiting companies (+ 2.1%).
According to the February 2010 travelhorizonsTM survey, business travel intentions have improved gradually over the past 12 months, with 16 percent of survey respondents intending to take at least one business trip during the next six months, up from 13 percent last year at this time. Asked if expected business travel during the next six months represents an increase, decrease or no change from the number of business trips taken during the past year, the majority (74%) of respondents stated their intentions represented no change, while nearly one-in-five (19%) planned to take fewer business trips compared to a year ago. Only 7 percent planned to take more business trips, however.
Leisure Travel on the Mend
U.S. Travel Association/Ypartnership Traveler Sentiment IndexTM, based on the February travelhorizonsTM survey, soared to its highest level since April 2007 in February and now stands at 95.2, up 9.2 percent from October 2010, and at its highest point since April 2007.travelhorizonsTM revealed a substantial increase in the "affordability of travel" index, suggesting that consumers are increasingly more positive about their ability to afford to travel than just three months ago. Positive increases were also observed in "interest in travel," "time for travel" and "money available for travel," thereby suggesting that the travel and tourism industry can expect a rebound in demand during the year ahead.
The February survey also showed that 59 percent of U.S. adults intend to take a leisure trip between now and July 2011, up from 56 percent last February. An estimated 138 million U.S. adults now expect to take at least one leisure trip between now and July, while 24 percent (55 million) have already decided not to travel for leisure purposes. The remaining 40 million U.S. adults, however, have yet to decide whether or not to take a leisure trip during the next six months, creating an opportunity for destinations to entice this large block of "undecideds" to travel to their destinations.
International Travel
According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, real U.S. travel and tourism output (adjusted for changes in price) increased at an annual rate of 8 percent during the third quarter of 2010, marking the largest quarterly increase in U.S. travel and tourism spending since the first quarter of 2004. Click here for the entire report.

............................................................................................................................................ CAPT. ANDY HILL OF EAGLE ISLAND, GA EARNS IFWTWA AWARD OF EXCELLENCE IN HOSPITALITY
The International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association's (IFWTWA) Excellence Awards program recognizes the world's finest travel and tourism industry professionals as experienced by the organization's journalist members. Captain Andy Hill earned IFWTWA's Award of Excellence in Hospitality for his outstanding inn and exemplary guest services at his private island lodge at Eagle Island, Georgia. Click here for more information about Captain Andy Hill and Eagle Island. www.PrivateIslandsofGeorgia.com
............................................................................................................................................ BEST WESTERN EVANS HOTEL RECEIVES "STARS OF THE LODGING INDUSTRY" AWARD
The Best Western Evans Hotel, Grovetown, GA, received a "Stars of the Lodging Industry" award for "Outstanding Guest Relations" (Division 1) during the Georgia Hotel & Lodging Association's event at the Hyatt Regency in Atlanta on March 3, 2011. Owner/General Manager Kanta K.R. Kondur received the "Outstanding General Manager" (Division 1) award during this same event. Ms. Kondur will go on to compete in her category during the national "Stars of the Lodging Industry" event, hosted by the American Hotel & Lodging Association, in Atlanta, June 14-15, 2011. Click here to learn more about the awarding winning hotel.
............................................................................................................................................ GEORGIA NEWS: GEORGIA TREND: TAKING THE HIGH GROUND
Georgia prepares for an invasion of Civil War tourists. Click here to read the full article available in the March 2011 issue of Georgia Trend.
............................................................................................................................................ GEORGIA NEWS: RINGGOLD GAP BATTLEFIELD LISTED IN THE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES
The Ringgold Gap Battlefield, located on White Oak Mountain in Ringgold, Catoosa County, Georgia, was listed in the National Register of Historic Places on March 12, 2011. The Catoosa County Historical Society sponsored the nomination and a consultant prepared the nomination materials. The Ringgold Gap Battlefield nomination was listed at the state level of significance because the Battle of Ringgold Gap played a major role in sustaining the Army of Tennessee (C.S.A.) in Georgia following the rout at the battle of Missionary Ridge in Tennessee. The battlefield and commemorative sites were evaluated within the context of Civil War battlefields and Civil War commemoration in Georgia. Click here to read the GPB article.

............................................................................................................................................ GEORGIA NEWS: TOURISM OFFICIALS SAY 2010 PROFITABLE FOR AUGUSTA
Tourism means big bucks for Augusta. The city's tourism industry had a groundbreaking year last year, and tourism officials predict success for 2011, Barry White, the president and CEO of the Augusta Convention & Visitors Bureau, said Thursday, March 10 during Augusta's State of Tourism Luncheon. Click here to read the full Augusta Chronicle article.
............................................................................................................................................ GEORGIA NEWS: SAVANNAH WATER PARK DELAYED DUE TO MONEY WOES
A stop work order has been issued by Savannah city workers at the site of the proposed Pirate's Cove Water Park on Interstate 95 that was to open this spring. The developer has run into money problems, the Savannah Morning News reports. Click here for the full Atlanta Business Chronicle.
............................................................................................................................................ GEORGIA NEWS: DOLPHINS SPIN A FLASHY TALE IN NEW GEORGIA AQUARIUM SHOW
The intention from the start was to create not just a show, but a spectacle. So about three years ago, the brass at Georgia Aquarium began visiting other marine attractions and sketching plans for what is now AT&T Dolphin Tales, opening Saturday, April 2. Click here for the full Atlanta Journal Constitution article.
............................................................................................................................................ GEORGIA NEWS: GOLF ON GEORGIA'S MIND
Golf is more than a $5 billion industry in the state of Georgia and is responsible for almost 57,000 jobs. In addition to providing employment, it is also a key source for tourism in the state as well as responsible for annual charitable donations in excess of $50 million. Click here to read the Golf Channel's Shag Bag Blog.
............................................................................................................................................ INDUSTRY NEWS: HOTELS TEST FACEBOOK'S CLOUT WITH TRAVELERS
Have you booked a hotel room via a hotel's Facebook page yet? If not, you might soon. Facebook is gaining clout with hotels as an influencer of travelers - and so more hotels are adding booking options to their Facebook pages, HotelNewsNow.com reports. Click here to read the complete USA Today article.

............................................................................................................................................ INDUSTRY NEWS: FACE-OFF: WEBSITES THAT HELP TRAVELERS TAP LOCALS FOR TIPS
So you've consulted guidebooks, travel websites and friends about your vacation destination. But now you want some local, insider information to guarantee a truly authentic experience - the Holy Grail of travel. The answer - literally - may come from local recommendation websites. Localyte, Travellr and VirtualTourist are among the free sites using the increasingly popular question-and-answer format to bring you on-the-ground, local travel tips. Click here to read the complete USA Today article.
............................................................................................................................................ INDUSTRY NEWS: 5 QUESTIONS WITH TIM JARRELL, FODOR'S PUBLISHER, ON 75 YEARS OF TRAVEL GUIDES
Eugene Fodor penned his first guide book, On the Continent-The Entertaining Travel Annual, on European travel in 1936. Since then, Fodor's has become one of the world's largest publishers of travel guides, producing companions to more than 300 destinations around the globe. In honor of their 75th anniversary, NewsFeed spoke to Tim Jarrell, publisher of Fodor's, about the company's legacy, the changing tourism industry and his favorite travel destination. Click here to read the Q & A on Time.com.
............................................................................................................................................ INDUSTRY NEWS: TRAVELMATCH: OPTIMISM RETURNS TO THE HOTEL INDUSTRY
A survey has shown that hoteliers are increasingly confident in their prospects for 2011. Online travel specialists Travelmatch believe this report is yet another sign that the travel industry will see continued growth throughout 2011. Click here for the recent report from Horwarth HTL, the world's largest hospitality consultancy firm, has added further evidence to the case supporting the revival of the global tourism industry.

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