Georgia tourism monthly e-newsletter, 40664

May 2011 Issue
In This Issue:
OPINION: GEORGIA'S SMALL TOWNS ARE JEWELS OF THEIR OWN GEORGIA TOURISM LAUNCHES BIGGEST SOCIAL MEDIA CONTEST EVER GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WELCOMES STATE'S ARTS COUNCIL GEORGIA'S TRAVEL MEDIA MARKETPLACE 2011 A HUGE SUCCESS SAVE THE DATE - GEORGIA GOVERNOR'S TOURISM CONFERENCE SET FOR SEPT. 11 - 14 IN MACON GDEcD SALES TEAM UPDATE GDEcD RESEARCH UPDATE GDOT RE-LAUNCHES 511 INFO SYSTEM WITH NEW TECHNOLOGY AND NEW SMART-PHONE APPLICATION PRESS RELEASES: SKIP BARBER RACING SCHOOL RELOCATES OFFICES GEORGIA NEWS: RECOMMEND MAGAZINE NAMES SEA ISLAND RESORT ONE OF THE 10 AMAZING GOLF RESORTS IN NORTH AMERICA GEORGIA NEWS: GEORGIA'S WINE COUNTRY INDUSTRY NEWS: HOTELS ADD EXTRAS TO CUSHION HIGHER PRICES INDUSTRY NEWS: AS VACATION RENTALS GAIN POPULARITY, ONLINE SITES INCREASE LISTINGS INDUSTRY NEWS: RESTAURANTS LIFT PRICES AS INFLATION HAWKS SEE FED LAGGING THE CURVE INDUSTRY NEWS: FLY OR DRIVE? MORE TRAVELERS STAYING ON THE GROUND FLY OR DRIVE? INDUSTRY NEWS: USA TODAY - AMERICANS READY FOR VACATION, DESPITE HIGH GAS PRICES INDUSTRY NEWS: AAA: MEMORIAL DAY TRIPS UP, DESPITE HIGHER GAS AND AIRFARE PRICES

........................................................................................................................................................................ OPINION: GEORGIA'S SMALL TOWNS ARE JEWELS OF THEIR OWN
Kevin Langston drafted an op-ed to celebrate National Tourism Week. The Atlanta Journal-Constitution ran it in the May 12, 2011 issue. Click here to read read Kevin's op-ed.
........................................................................................................................................................................ GEORGIA TOURISM LAUNCHES BIGGEST SOCIAL MEDIA CONTEST EVER
Georgia Tourism, a division of the Georgia Department of Economic Development, launched 80 Days of Georgia Giveaways on Monday, May 2. Facebook fans and Twitter followers will have access to more than 100 prizes from across the state over the next 80 days. New prizes will be announced every weekday through August 23, 2011 on www. facebook.com/exploregeorgia and @GeorgiaTourism on Twitter. To read the complete press release, click here.

........................................................................................................................................................................ GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT WELCOMES STATE'S ARTS COUNCIL
Governor Nathan Deal signed legislation May 12 that officially moves Georgia Council for the Arts (GCA) under the operational umbrella of the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) beginning July 1, 2011, the start of the state's fiscal year. House Bill 264, which contained specific language regarding the transfer, was passed virtually unanimously by the House and Senate during the 2011 legislative session. To read the complete press release, click here.

............................................................................................................................................ GEORGIA'S TRAVEL MEDIA MARKETPLACE 2011 A HUGE SUCCESS

Blue Ridge Scenic Railway

Georgia Ellijay and Blue Ridge hosted 25 travel writers for the annual Travel Media Marketplace event from May 12 - 14, 2011. The writers experienced downtown Blue Ridge, Blue Ridge Scenic Railway, Mercier Orchards, Toccoa Riverside, Amicalola Falls & State Park, R & A Orchards, Downtown Ellijay, Martyn House and more. Two regional travel association representatives from each region had the opportunity to participate in the marketplace on Saturday, May 14 to share story ideas with the participating writers. At the conclusion of the Marketplace, the writers departed on one of three media tours through May 17. Post media tour options included: Tempt Your Taste Buds; History, Legends and Legacies and A March to Remember - Commemorating the Sesquicentennial. A big thank you from the Georgia Tourism division to Paige Green (president of the Gilmer County Chamber of Commerce) and Jan Hackett (president of the Fannin County Chamber of Commerce) for hosting a fantastic event.

............................................................................................................................................ SAVE THE DATE - GEORGIA GOVERNOR'S TOURISM CONFERENCE SET FOR SEPT. 11 - 14 IN MACON
Make plans now to attend Georgia's premiere tourism conference at the Marriott Macon City Center in Macon. 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. Visit www. georgiagtc.com to learn more.
............................................................................................................................................ GDEcD SALES TEAM UPDATE
Kevin Langston, Joseph Walker, Pam Kruseck and Jonathan Boisjolie met with representatives of each of the Regional Travel Associations in Savannah on May 3 and Athens on May 5. This was an opportunity to discuss GDEcD's Sales Team strategy and plans. In addition, it was an opportunity to hear from partners on various tourism topics. Both meetings were very productive and will help us for future planning. Thank you to those who participated.
Jonathan Boisjolie was a special guest at the Historic High Country Travel Association meeting on Wednesday, May 11. During his presentation, Jonathan discussed the sales team members and their upcoming activities as well as the overall sales team strategies. The meeting was held at the new Clarence Brown Conference Center in Cartersville.
Jonathan Boisjolie accompanied Maggie Potter and Jeff Stubbs on their Travel Media Marketplace post FAM tour (May 14 - 17). The group including six travel writers participated in the History, Legends and Legacies tour through the Presidential Pathways and Plantation Trace regions. Thank you to all involved who graciously hosted the group included attractions, venues, restaurants and hotels. We are looking forward to numerous articles about their experience.
Joseph Walker, Pam Kruseck, Jonathan Boisjolie and Stefanie Paupeck attended International Pow Wow in San Francisco, CA from May 22 - 25, 2011. Pow Wow is the largest marketplace for International Operators in the United States. GDEcD participated in prescheduled appointments with International tour operators, receptive operators and media.
Pam Kruseck attended IAGTO (International Association of Golf Tour Operators) North American Convention in Monterey, CA from May 18 - 21, 2011. Approximately 30 percent of the operators who will attend the 3rd IAGTO convention will be from the U.S. and Canada. The other operators are coming from more than 20 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. IAGTO Convention is not an appointment show - operators are encouraged to visit with all suppliers in order to collect as much information as possible. We will be distributing CD's with Georgia Travel information along with profile sheets for those partners who participated in the co-op.
Pam Kruseck and Jonathan Boisjolie will be attending the Student & Youth Travel Association (SYTA) Conference August 19 - 24, 2011 in New York, NY. The SYTA Conference is the premier event for the student and youth travel market and serves as the essential marketplace and networking event for the industry. GDEcD will participate in pre-scheduled appointments with tour operators who specialize in the student market. For co-op information, please contact Pam Kruseck via email at pkruseck@georgia.org.

Nija Torrence will attend the Georgia Motorcoach Operators Association (GMOA)/Motorcoach Association of South Carolina (MCASA) joint annual meeting from August 21 - 24, 2011 in Savannah, GA. The Annual Meeting will include appointment sessions with members of each Association as well as educational seminars and networking opportunities. For co-op information, please contact Pam Kruseck via email at pkruseck@georgia.org.
GDEcD will once again be participating as sponsors for the National Tour Association (NTA) Annual Convention from December 5 - 9, 2011 and the American Bus Association (ABA) Annual Marketplace from January 6 - 10, 2012. As part of our sponsorships we will have a booth on the marketplace floor which will allow maximum exposure to all attendees and provide us a better opportunity to sell Georgia. We are changing our level of participation this year for ABA and will be the show bag sponsor - as such we will offer cosponsorship to our partners. Co-op information for both NTA and ABA will be available soon.
**Show schedule subject to change**
............................................................................................................................................ GDEcD RESEARCH UPDATE
2010 Statewide Economic Impact Data (Domestic)
The preliminary Statewide Economic Impact numbers are in and show that domestic travel expenditures reached $18.9 billion in 2010 up 7.6 perfect. This number is ahead of the national growth of 7.4 percent. Tourism also generated $1.4 billion in state and local taxes up 4.3 percent from 2009. In 2010, tourism in Georgia sustained 211,800 jobs with $6.7 billion in payroll. These figures are based on domestic expenditures only, the international impact will be available in June and county-wide data will be available in September.
The remaining 2010 economic impact and visitation data will be released at the 2011 Governor's Conference on Tourism to be held September 11 - 14, 2011 in Macon. www.georgiagtc.com
Hotel Trending Data:
April 2011:
q Hotel/motel occupancy increased 6.5% statewide in March 2011 from April 2010 q Room rates (ADR) in Georgia are up 0.8% from April 2010 q Statewide, RevPAR was up 7.4% q Georgia room revenues increased 7.4% q Room Demand increased 6.5% q Room Supply was flat
Year-to-date (YTD):
q Hotel/motel occupancy is up 5.8% statewide q Room rates (ADR) in Georgia are down -0.5% q Statewide, RevPAR is up 5.2% q Georgia room revenues are up 5.6% q Room Demand is up 6.1% q Room Supply is up 0.3% in the state

............................................................................................................................................ GDOT RE-LAUNCHES 511 INFO SYSTEM WITH NEW TECHNOLOGY AND NEW SMART-PHONE APPLICATION
The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT), already boasting one of the most utilized, real-time state traffic information sources in the United States, recently unveiled the technologically state-of-the-art 511 Georgia Navigator II system for travelers throughout the state. Their brand-new feature, 511Live is a unique mobile phone application developed by 511Live, Inc. with GDOT. For more information or to learn about sponsorship opportunities, visit www.511live.com.
............................................................................................................................................ PRESS RELEASES: SKIP BARBER RACING SCHOOL RELOCATES OFFICES
The world's foremost school for racing instruction, the Skip Barber Racing School, is moving its offices to Braselton from Connecticut, Governor Nathan Deal announced on May 9. The office relocation joins the schools' existing base location that has operated at Road Atlanta since 2008. To read the complete press release, click here.
............................................................................................................................................ GEORGIA NEWS: RECOMMEND MAGAZINE NAMES SEA ISLAND RESORT ONE OF THE 10 AMAZING GOLF RESORTS IN NORTH AMERICA
Sea Island Resort was featured in the May issue of Recommend Magazine. This publication dedicated to North America travel agents and tour operators. The magazine has a readership of 50,000. Click here to read the full article.
............................................................................................................................................ GEORGIA NEWS: GEORGIA'S WINE COUNTRY
Blake Guthrie profiles four wineries in North Georgia for the Atlanta Journal Constitution including Frogtown Cellars, Tiger Mountain Vineyards, Wolf Mountain Vineyards and Winery and Montaluce Winery and Estates. Click here for the article.

............................................................................................................................................ INDUSTRY NEWS: HOTELS ADD EXTRAS TO CUSHION HIGHER PRICES
Unlike airlines, which are unbundling services and increasing their bottom lines by charging fees for baggage, bulkhead seats, blankets and more, hotels are increasingly doling out the figurative bubbly by providing more perks to guests. Whether automatically wrapped into the rate or part of a special package, things that one might normally pay an extra fee for, like Wi-Fi, minibar snacks, breakfast and cocktails or at least bottled water - are welcoming business travelers back as the economy recovers. Click here to read the entire New York Times article.
............................................................................................................................................ INDUSTRY NEWS: AS VACATION RENTALS GAIN POPULARITY, ONLINE SITES INCREASE LISTINGS
Vacation rentals, once an ugly duckling of the travel industry, are getting their turn at the spotlight. With more vacationers exploring renting homes, investors are pouring money into online portals that matchmake homeowners with travelers struck with hotel fatigue. Aimed largely at families who want to stretch out with a spacious living room and kitchen, vacation rentals -- which include privately owned homes and condos, and unoccupied timeshares - has been a fragmented market that's been growing even as it's been slow to turn to the Internet for sales. Sales of vacation rentals grew about 9 percent to $26.4 billion in the three years between 2007 and 2010, according to a 2009 estimate by travel research firm PhocusWright. Only about 17 percent of sales came from Internet channels, far trailing hotels, rental cars and airlines. To read the full USA Today article, click here.
............................................................................................................................................ INDUSTRY NEWS: RESTAURANTS LIFT PRICES AS INFLATION HAWKS SEE FED LAGGING THE CURVE
Dining out will cost more this year as U.S. restaurants take advantage of the nearly two-year long expansion to boost prices on food and drinks. Higher-priced menus reflect growing confidence by eateries that consumers can afford to pay more to eat out. Restaurants are emboldened in part by the success of U.S. airlines, which have raised fares almost 10 percent since a year ago, according to a New York economist. Higher food and fuel costs are spurring menu changes, which are reflected in the food-services category of the personalconsumption-expenditures price index. To read the full Bloomberg article, click here.
............................................................................................................................................ INDUSTRY NEWS: FLY OR DRIVE? MORE TRAVELERS STAYING ON THE GROUND FLY OR DRIVE?
As the Transportation Security Agency (TSA) looks to speed up security lines for "trusted travelers," airline passengers tired of the hassle and fed up with fees are more inclined than ever to find alternative transportation. A TripAdvisor survey found that one-third of respondents said as a result of rising airfares they are planning to drive for one or more of their trips in 2011, when they would have previously flown. The survey found that fees are the biggest passenger issue, beating out the former major complaint: the hassle of security. To find out more from Travel Mole, click here.

............................................................................................................................................ INDUSTRY NEWS: USA TODAY - AMERICANS READY FOR VACATION, DESPITE HIGH GAS PRICES
Many Americans, fed up with being pent up, appear determined to go on vacation this summer - even though they know it's going to cost them more than in recent years. More than six of 10 Americans say it's important they get away from home this year, a recent USA TODAY/Gallup Poll finds. And many say they're finding ways around high gasoline prices, airfares and hotel rooms to do it. For the complete USA Today article, click here.
............................................................................................................................................ INDUSTRY NEWS: AAA: MEMORIAL DAY TRIPS UP, DESPITE HIGHER GAS AND AIRFARE PRICES
Higher airfares and gas prices averaging more than a dollar a gallon more than last year won't keep Americans from traveling over the Memorial Day holiday weekend, but they're likely to spend less than they did in 2010, according to a study released Thursday by AAA. The travel group expects about 34.9 million people to head for the highways or airports during the final weekend in May, a small boost from the 34.8 million who traveled during the same weekend last year.While car trips will be down slightly, they still represent nine out of 10 holiday journeys. For the full USA Today article, click here.
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