Georgia tourism monthly e-newsletter, Nov. 2011

November 2011 Issue
In This Issue:
2012 TOURISM PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT GRANTS AWARDED IZO EXPLORES GEORGIA SAVANNAH MORNING NEWS: STATE TOURISM OFFICIALS VISIT EFFINGHAM FOR FOUR DAYS, CREATE PLAN SOUTHEAST TOURISM SOCIETY HONORS TWO OF OUR OWN WITH 'SHINING EXAMPLES' 'PLAY * LEARN * GROW' AT THE 2012 GEORGIA AGRITOURISM CONFERENCE IN SAVANNAH GDEcD SALES TEAM UPDATE GDEcD RESEARCH UPDATE GEORGIA NEWS: BEST WESTERN EVANS EMPLOYEE RECOGNIZED WITH THE "HEROIC HOSPITALITY STARS AWARD" GEORGIA NEWS: GLEN-ELLA SPRINGS INN RECEIVES GEORGIA TREND 2011 SILVER SPOON AWARD GEORGIA NEWS: SOUTHERN LIVING RETURNING TO SENOIA FOR 2012 IDEA HOUSE GEORGIA NEWS: PARKS SYSTEM BECOMING LESS RELIANT ON STATE GEORGIA NEWS: LANDMARKS CHOSEN FOR LEGOLAND IN ATLANTA GEORGIA NEWS: NATIONAL PUSH FOR INTERNATIONAL TOURISM GETS LOCAL SUPPORT GEORGIA NEWS: SAVANNAH SWAMPS ATLANTA IN TRAVEL + LEISURE SURVEY INDUSTRY NEWS: U.S. PROMOTES TOURISM AS BRAND USA INDUSTRY NEWS: TOURISM OFFICIALS TACKLE VISA REFORM

...................................................................................................................................................................... 2012 TOURISM PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT GRANTS AWARDED
The Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) has awarded $200,000 in product development grants to 23 tourism entities across the state. Georgia Tourism and the Georgia Council for the Arts, both divisions of the Georgia Department of Economic Development, combined resources to maximize the reach of the 2012 Tourism Product Development grants. "As a result of the partnership between Georgia Tourism and the Georgia Council for the Arts, the impact of these grants is far greater," said Gov. Nathan Deal. "The enthusiastic response to these grants gives merit to the fact that the arts and tourism go hand in hand, and when they work together, provide benefits that support the economic vitality of the entire state." To read the entire Georgia Tourism press release, click here.
...................................................................................................................................................................... IZO EXPLORES GEORGIA
The state's official holiday campaign kicked off on Monday, November 14. The campaign encourages visitors and locals to "follow" our friendly snowman as he travels across Georgia. "Izo Explores Georgia" is an excellent opportunity to not only increase the state's social network, but encourages existing fans and followers to get out and Explore Georgia. Izo will be visiting at least eight holiday events, festivals, destinations, and more in each of Georgia's nine travel regions through January 8, 2012. Izo is sharing his whereabouts and experiences on www.facebook.com/exploregeorgia and www. twitter.com/exploregeorgia.
...................................................................................................................................................................... SAVANNAH MORNING NEWS: STATE TOURISM OFFICIALS VISIT EFFINGHAM FOR FOUR DAYS, CREATE PLAN
People who wonder about the importance of tourism need only look to Savannah, where it brings in $1.7 billion a year. That's the message 10 state tourism experts delivered to Effingham County, after spending four long days last week visiting the area. The visit was part of a new initiative by the state's Department of Economic Development. Effingham is the sixth county in the state to receive a visit from the team, which will return in January with a detailed, five-year strategy to increase tourism in the county. The Effingham County Convention and Visitors Bureau and Board of Commissioners hosted the visitors, with help from local governments and volunteers. To read the entire Savannah Morning News article, click here.

...................................................................................................................................................................... SOUTHEAST TOURISM SOCIETY HONORS TWO OF OUR OWN WITH 'SHINING EXAMPLES'
Southeast Tourism Society honored the best and brightest in the tourism industry at its annual Shining Example Awards banquet. Peter Bowden, President and CEO of the Columbus Convention & Visitors Bureau, received the Beacon Award and Trent Mercer, Vice President of Streeter Printing & Graphics, Inc., accepted the Spirit of STS Award at the 28th annual fall meeting held in New Orleans on November 9, 2011. Shining Example Awards highlight some of the best work in travel and tourism, and winners truly set examples that others in the industry can follow," said STS President and CEO Bill Hardman. "Showcasing great work is important because tourism is the largest, secondlargest or third-largest industry in every Southeastern state." The Shining Example Awards, a fixture since 1985, are presented in 12 categories. Click here for more information.
...................................................................................................................................................................... 'PLAY * LEARN * GROW' AT THE 2012 GEORGIA AGRITOURISM CONFERENCE IN SAVANNAH
Owners and operators from the state's newest, oldest and most successful agritourism destinations will gather for an extraordinary 2012 Georgia Agritourism Conference, held in conjunction with the 2012 Southeast Regional Fruit & Vegetable Conference in beautiful Savannah from January 5 to 6. Attendees will experience two full days of timely, interactive educational sessions, networking with industry movers and shakers, and connection with exhibitors and regional producers. Be among the first to hear the Georgia Agritourism Association's exciting 2012 initiatives and workshop series to give Georgia a sustainable, competitive advantage. Click here to visit the Conference website.
...................................................................................................................................................................... SALES TEAM UPDATE
Georgia Tourism will once again be participating as sponsors for the National Tour Association (NTA) Annual Convention (December 5 - 9, 2011) and the American Bus Association (ABA) Annual Marketplace (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 co-sponsorship to our partners. Pam Kruseck and Nija Torrence will be attending. Co-sponsorship information for both NTA and ABA was sent out to the Regional Reps on August 16, 2011 - for additional co-sponsorship information, please contact Pam Kruseck via email at pkruseck@georgia.org. NTA co-sponsorship is now closed, but ABA still has a few open slots!
GDEcD attended the Rejuvenate Marketplace November 7 to 9 in San Jose, CA. During Georgia Tourism's 30 appointments, Pam Kruseck met with meeting planners who are looking for locations for a variety of events including everything from Pastor Retreats to 3,000 plus Conventions. Appointment notes will be shared with the Regional Tourism Reps.
Georgia Tourism will attend the Tennessee Motorcoach Operators Association Annual Convention from January 22 to 26, 2012 in Lexington, KY. The Annual Meeting will include appointment sessions with members of each Association, educational seminars and networking opportunities. For additional co-op information, please contact Pam Kruseck via email at pkruseck@georgia.org.
Pam Kruseck will attend Bank Travel Conference in Memphis, TN February 7 to 9, 2012. The annual conference is expected to attract more than 200 attendees. Georgia Tourism will attend networking events and have marketplace appointments with Bank Directors. Co-op information was sent to the Regional Tourism Reps on July 17, 2011. For additional co-op information, please contact Pam Kruseck via email

at pkruseck@georgia.org.
Joseph Walker attended the Visit USA Travel Showcase in Milan, Italy from November 10 to 12. He promoted Georgia to more than 30 tour operators and 50 individual travel agencies during the show. Joseph also met with the U.S. Consul General of the United States at his residence along with other Visit USA Committee members. The Consul General was pleased with the overall growth in international visitors to Georgia and publicly called out Georgia as a great place to visit. The number of international visitors from Italy traveling to Georgia is up 20 percent.
...................................................................................................................................................................... GDEcD RESEARCH UPDATE
Georgia Hotel Trending Data:
According to Smith Travel Research (STR), October was particularly weak in the Atlanta Metro region with revenue off 4.5 percent and Classic South region by 3.6 percent. A couple of real bright spots for October were the Coast with revenue up 6.9 percent and Magnolia Midlands up 10.8 percent. See below for statewide results.
October 2011 * Hotel/motel occupancy increased 0.1 percent statewide from October 2010 * Room Rates (ADR) were down -0.9 percent * Statewide, RevPAR was down -0.8 percent * Georgia room revenues decreased -1.3 percent * Room Demand decreased -0.4 percent from October 2010 * Room Supply was down 0.5 percent
Year-to-date (YTD) * Hotel/motel occupancy is up 4 percent statewide through October 2011 * Room Rates (ADR) in Georgia are up 0.7 percent * Statewide, RevPAR is up 4.7 percent * Georgia room revenues are up 4.6 percent * Room Demand is up 3.8 percent in the state * Room Supply is down -0.1 percent
Georgia Tourism Satellite Report Released: The new 2010 Tourism Satellite Account (TSA) has been released and is posted on www. marketgeorgia.org. TSA measures the Total Tourism Demand, which includes visitor spending plus other spending streams in support of the traveler industry. This includes government spending and capital investment in support of tourism. Whereas, the traditional Economic Impact report gives us visitor spending, county level data and allows for a state to state comparison of tourism spending, the TSA measures the full economic impacts of tourism demand, including indirect and induced impacts. Highlights from the 2010 report include:
q The Georgia tourism industry rebounded in 2010, recovering 98 percent of the losses experienced during the recession. q 239,135 Georgians were directly employed by the tourism industry in 2010. This narrow measurement of tourism includes only those
jobs directly supported by visitor activity and enables inter-industry ranking. q Based on the information above - tourism is the fifth largest private employer in the state of Georgia. q The tourism sector directly and indirectly supported more than 391,000 jobs, or 10.4 percent of all payroll employment* in Georgia
last year. q Georgia's Tourism industry generated $2.4 billion in state and local taxes including indirect and induced impact.

q The tourism industry also generated $3.2 billion in federal taxes in 2010. q Including the direct, indirect and induced impacts of total tourism demand, the tourism sector generated $20.3 billion of state GDP.
This represents five percent of the state's economy.
2010: The Year In Review: The U.S. Department of Commerce, Office of Travel and Tourism Industries recently published its annual Year in Review report for 2010. After arguably one of the most difficult years for the tourism industry since the tragic attacks of September 11, 2001, markedly improved 2010 data suggested that economic recovery was underway. To view the 2010: Year in Review in its entirety, please click here.
U.S. Travel Associations U.S. Travel Outlook for November 2011: Click here to review Research and Trends from Dr. Suzanne Cook.
...................................................................................................................................................................... GEORGIA NEWS: BEST WESTERN EVANS EMPLOYEE RECOGNIZED WITH THE "HEROIC HOSPITALITY STARS AWARD"
Billy Johnson, Director of Operations at the BEST WESTERN Evans Hotel in Grovetown, was recently honored with the "Heroic Hospitality Stars Award" for Maintenance. Billy was presented with the award at Best Western International's annual North American Convention held recently in Orlando, FL, in front of more than 2,000 industry peers. The select honor recognizes and celebrates individuals who have demonstrated superior customer care and professionalism by consistently delivering a high level of service to guests. Click here for more information.
...................................................................................................................................................................... GEORGIA NEWS: GLEN-ELLA SPRINGS INN RECEIVES GEORGIA TREND 2011 SILVER SPOON AWARD
According to Ed and Luci Kivett at Glen-Ella Springs, "we are honored to have again received Georgia Trend Magazine's Silver Spoon Award for 2011 announcing us as one of the Top 10 Dining Destinations in the state of Georgia. As InnKeepers and Restaurateurs, we have continuously worked toward providing an excellent experience for all of our guests. We are so thankful for the amazing team we have at GlenElla Springs Inn and we share this award with them." Click here for the complete list of Georgia Trend's Silver Spoon Award winners for 2011.

...................................................................................................................................................................... GEORGIA NEWS: SOUTHERN LIVING RETURNING TO SENOIA FOR 2012 IDEA HOUSE
For more than 20 years, Southern Living magazine has built Idea Houses on the lake, on the beach, and in quaint towns across the South. In 2012, the brand will return to Senoia for a historic renovation project at a farmhouse. "Great films deserve even better sequels, and we just couldn't resist the opportunity to bring our readers the next installment in the renaissance story of Senoia," said Kristen Payne, executive marketing director for Southern Living. "We're heeding the calls to serve up more from the town of our award-winning 2010 Idea House." The home will be open for tours from June to December 2012, Wednesday through Saturday 11 a. m. - 5 p.m. and Sunday 1 - 5 p.m. The Idea House will be closed on Mondays and Tuesdays. To read the entire Newnan Times Herald article, click here.
...................................................................................................................................................................... GEORGIA NEWS: PARKS SYSTEM BECOMING LESS RELIANT ON STATE

Sweetwater Creek State Park

Stung by deep budget cuts and its fifth round of layoffs, the state division in charge of Georgia's parks, recreation and historic sites has begun a top-to-bottom review so it can make the parks system rely as little as possible on state funding within three years. The "Direction 2015" initiative is as much about offering more to park users as it is a shift in how the state parks system operates. If successful, it will likely put the Georgia Department of Natural Resources' Parks, Recreation and Historic Sites Division on the leading edge as parks systems nationwide continue to reel from the recession and continued cuts. To read the entire Atlanta Journal Constitution article, click here.

...................................................................................................................................................................... GEORGIA NEWS: LANDMARKS CHOSEN FOR LEGOLAND IN ATLANTA

Georgia Dome

Atlantans have been voting on which landmarks they want to see at the new Legoland Discovery Center "Miniland," and the final 10 have been announced. Legoland Discovery Center is scheduled to open in April 2012 at Phipps Plaza in Buckhead and one of the areas in the attraction is a cityscape made out of Lego product unique to the attraction's location. The 10 Atlanta area landmarks that will be made immortal in tiny plastic bricks are: Bank of America Building, Fox Theatre, Georgia Dome, Georgia Aquarium, High Museum of Art, King and Queen Towers, Stone Mountain, The Varsity, Turner Field and the World of Coca-Cola. To read the entire Atlanta Business Chronicle article, click here.

.................................................................................................................. GEORGIA NEWS: NATIONAL PUSH FOR INTERNATIONAL TOURISM GETS LOCAL SUPPORT
Savannah is increasingly becoming an international tourism destination, with foreigners now making up more than five percent of the visitors to the city. The boom is partially due to marketing efforts by Visit Savannah, the local convention and visitors bureau, in partnership with the state tourism office, the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau and Delta Airlines. Visit Savannah and the rest are about to get some help. A national travel association, Brand USA, recently unveiled its global tourism marketing campaign. Centered on the slogan "Welcome to the United States of Awesome Possibilities," the campaign will launch in international markets next March. To read the entire Savannah Morning News article, click here.
................................................................................................................ GEORGIA NEWS: SAVANNAH SWAMPS ATLANTA IN TRAVEL + LEISURE SURVEY
According to readers of Travel+Leisure magazine, it's all Savannah all the time when the Hostess City faces off against Atlanta. In an online survey that ran from May 16 to Aug. 15 on TravelandLeisure.com, respondents were asked to rank Savannah against Atlanta in a variety of categories. Savannah won in all of them - people, nightlife, culture, shopping, food/drink/restaurants, quality of life and visitor experience, best times to visit and type of trip. To read the entire Savannah Morning News article, click here.
................................................................................................................ INDUSTRY NEWS: U.S. PROMOTES TOURISM AS BRAND USA
The Corporation for Travel Promotion unveiled its new logo and a global branding strategy for international tourism marketing focusing on the diversity and potential of the U.S. as a land of "awesome possibilities." The corporation, now operating as Brand USA, timed the rollout to coincide with the opening day of the World Travel Market in London. It plans to launch the first live ad campaign on March 7, which coincides with the ITB travel show in Berlin. As part of the marketing plan, Brand USA is also taking over operation of the multilingual Discover America websites around the world, which have been maintained to date by the U.S. Travel Association. To read the entire TravelWeekly.com article, click here.
................................................................................................................ INDUSTRY NEWS: TOURISM OFFICIALS TACKLE VISA REFORM
The wait to get a tourist visa to visit the United States is legendary in some places, so much so that the United Kingdom once raised a banner in front of a US Embassy in India reading: "Come to the UK - no line.'' The arduous process of getting a US visa, particularly in emerging nations such as India, China, and Brazil, is costing the United States and Massachusetts a share of the fastest-growing segment of travel and tourism and hurting an industry that accounts for about one in 10 jobs in both the state and the nation. Over the past decade, as the United States tightened visa laws following the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, the nation's share of overseas travelers has shrunk from 17 to 12 percent, according to the US Travel Association, a trade group. To read the complete Boston Globe article, click here.

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