Tourism in review [Dec. 2003]

Tourism

December '03 in review . . .

Volume 22 December

Happy Holidays! 2003 has been a very active year for the Georgia Department of Industry, Trade and Tourism. Here is a quick wrap-up of the Tourism Division's efforts to promote the state as a top travel destination in the U.S. The Tourism Division's full annual report will be released in January.

FREE MEDIA VALUE: U.K. = $250,000
GERMANY = $13 MILLION

SALES
Visitor Information Centers
... Georgia's eleven Visitor Information Centers helped over 12 million visitors in 2003 with 36% of travelers extending their stays by 1.5 days because of the information they received. The VICs helped book $1.3 million in hotel reservations.
Domestic Sales
... GDITT hosted the annual Travel South Convention in Savannah in 2003, with the largest ever volunteer delegation and over 300 Tour Operators and 800 Delegates attending. The State's sales team also distributed travel materials at consumer and trade shows, organized sales and training seminars, created pre-packaged itineraries and developed a new state travel planner.
International Sales
... The GDITT international sales team hosted numerous familiarization tours for buyers, distributed travel materials at consumer and trade shows and helped generated $250,000 in free media value in the U.K. and $13 million in free media value in Germany.
MARKETING
Collateral/Fulfillment
... The 2003 Georgia on My Mind Travel Guide ranked top in the nation, thanks to the support and partnership of destinations throughout the state. Travel information was distributed to 226,000 people making web site and telephone inquiries; over 50,000 golf guides were distributed at 11 trade shows; 400,000 unique visitors visited the www.GeorgiaOnMyMind.org web site, averaging 3 visits each; and information for 5,023 industry partners were coordinated in an online State database.

WWW.GEORGIAONMYMIND.ORG

Tourism

December '03 in review . . .

Volume 22 December

700 MILLION IMPRESSIONS = $3.2 MILLION FREE MEDIA VALUE!

Public Relations
... In fiscal year 2003, the State's public relations efforts helped generate over 700 million impressions worth $3.2 million in free media value. On top of ongoing media relation efforts, the Georgia public relations campaign included external and internal tourism industry communication newsletters and emagazines; national and regional media/PR conventions; and targeted story development and pitching to media on golf, heritage tourism, and Georgia waterways. The tourism division also hosted national, regional and local travel writers during the annual Travel Media Marketplace, Media Appreciation Marketplace and editorial tours and press conferences, which helped generate extensive coverage.

Research
... Tourism research directed the Travel Industry of America economic impact study for Georgia and provided accountability through a return on investment study for advertising. For every $1 spent on advertising tourism, the State of Georgia receives $7.63 in tax revenue. (Source: Longwoods International Inc., 2002 Advertising Conversion Study)

Advertising
... GDITT conducted integrated Spring, Summer and Fall advertising campaigns in the GA, AL, FL, NC, SC, TN drive markets with broadcast (TV and Radio), online, and print (Newspaper and Magazine) advertising. Over $1.4 Million in Free Added-Value was negotiated. Corporate Partnerships were also established with The Coca-Cola Company, Kroger, Star 94, Best Western and Days Inn. Georgia's Tourism Marketing Co-Op Program also showed growth, funding 39 projects in 28 communities with a project economic impact of $93 million.

HISTORIC HIGH
COUNTRY

NORTHEAST GEORGIA
MOUNTAINS

ATLANTA METRO

PRESIDENTIAL PATHWAYS

HISTORIC HEARTLAND

CLASSIC SOUTH

PLANTATION TRACE

MAGNOLIA MIDLANDS
COLONIAL COAST

Product Development
... GDITT's nine regional tourism representatives spent countless hours coordinating statewide initiatives and working as a liaison between the State and local communities. The State's product development manager assisted communities with assessments, funding sources, strategic planning and advocacy. And the 2003 Governor's Conference on Tourism had the largest attendance in the conference's history.

WWW.GEORGIAONMYMIND.ORG

Tourism

December '03 in review . . .

Volume 22 December

VISITATION COUNTS PROJECT 13.3% INCREASE

RESEARCH

... The total number of tourists visiting Georgia increased substantially through the first nine months of 2003. Projected visitation counts show a 13.3% increase over 2002 numbers. The increase was 9.4 % in the first quarter, 11.4 % in the second quarter and 18.2% in the third quarter. Increases were due to a combination of factors including on-going public relations, marketing and advertising efforts.

1ST & 2ND QUARTER VISITATION COUNTS IN GEORGIA 2002 & 2003

Q1, 2002 8,510,000

Q2, 2002 10,996,000

Q3, 2002 11,179,000

Q1, 2003
9,312,000 9.42% increase

Q2, 2003
12,251,000 11.41% increase

Q3, 2003
13,217,000
18.2% increase

YTD % increase over 2002
13.3% YTD average increase
Source: Travel Industry Association of America

... According to Smith Travel Research monthly Standard Historical TREND study, November 2003 hotel revenue was up 2.37% over November 2002. Georgia's Coast showed the highest revenue increase for November with 13% equaling $3.2 million in hotel revenue. The Atlanta Metro region only showed a 1% decrease in November. While the region's occupancy numbers are up, the average daily rate is down over 2002.

... Year-to-Date hotel revenue is down 1.4% ($32 Million) over 2002. All regions show an increase in revenue except the Atlanta Metro region with a 5% decrease, which equals $67 Million.

MARKETING
... The State's website www.GeorgiaOnMyMind.org will soon have a new look and will be easier to navigate starting middle to late January. The Tourism Division took into consideration feedback received over the past year and has begun updating the website to keep all resources just a click away. You'll notice a more regional approach to the structure and more prominent photos that provide the real feel, look and essence of Georgia.
... The state's African-American Heritage advertising program is being brought in-house and a volunteer panel of advisors has been chosen to offer their input and advice for the future development of the marketing initiatives. Panel members include: The Honorable Representative Al Williams (Midway), Jon Manns, President/CEO of the DeKalb CVB (Decatur), Patti Kirkland, Manager of the Douglas Area Welcome Center (Douglas), Sandy White, Executive Director of Washington-Wilkes Tourism (Washington), Darryl Jett, General Manager of the W Hotel (Atlanta), and Kathleen Bertrand, VP Community Affairs for the Atlanta CVB (Atlanta).
WWW.GEORGIAONMYMIND.ORG

Tourism

December '03 in review . . .

Volume 22 December

... Copies of the 2003-2004 African-American Heritage Travel Guide are being distributed through 1-800 VISIT GA and www.GeorgiaOnMyMind.org. Look for joint ads between GDITT and the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau Upscale Magazine, Black Voices Quarterly, and possibly Black Enterprises.
... The Tourism Division's Spring Advertising Campaign will be launched soon thanks to all the communities, attractions, restaurants and lodging facilities who donated prize packages for the online sweepstakes and TV and Radio promotional giveaways. A Thank You also goes out to all who donated and to the GDITT Regional Representatives who helped round up the donations to make the 2004 campaign a success.
... Look for the new application and updated guidelines for the 2004-2005 Tourism Marketing Co-Op Program on the www.MarketGeorgia.org website, under Marketing. Applications are due in April. GDITT Research Manager Nicole Lamkin (nlamkin@georgia.org) will be the new contact for this program.
... GDITT is partnering with State Parks on a 2004 Kroger promotion. Look for rate sheets for coupon advertising in the Georgia Value Book to come out soon.

Lamkin

INTERNATIONAL
... Georgia's tremendous Golf product was spotlighted during the International Golf Travel Market (IGTM) in the Dominican Republic, Dec. 8-11. This world premier event focuses on golf travel business. GDITT Deputy Commissioner of Tourism Janis Cannon, GDITT Regional Representative Jeannie Buttrum and General Manager of Cuscowilla Resort on Lake Oconee Andrew Ward, participated in the IGTM, where suppliers and buyers met with delegates from over 40 countries. IGTM is the only travel forum bringing together all sides of the golf travel industry in a program of pre-arranged oneto-one appointments. Georgia Tourism /Cuscowilla Resort had more than 25 appointments with golf tour operators looking to book golf tours in Georgia.
... GDITT hosted a FAM tour for two German travel writers, Andreas Obst with Germany's most popular newspaper "Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung" and freelance writer Stephanie Bisping who contributes to the "Welt am Sonntag" Sunday Paper and "Der Tagesspiegel," daily newspaper. While in Georgia the journalists visited the Atlanta Metro area including Kennesaw, Marietta, Stone Mountain Park and all central Atlanta attractions; Milledgeville; Savannah; Jekyll Island; Saint Simons Island; and Macon.
WWW.GEORGIAONMYMIND.ORG

Andreas Obst

Tourism

December '03 in review . . .

Volume 22 December

VICS
... The Christmas Spirit was alive and well in Plains during the 15th annual community "Hands Around the Lake" event. The visitor center hosted over two hundred people who placed ornaments on the "Living Christmas Tree," and joined in the lake's floating Christmas Tree candle lighting memorial ceremony. Adding to this year's light display was a two story 20'X 40' American Flag, donated to President Jimmy Carter by Jennings Osborne, who is responsible for Graceland, Disney World and Plains Christmas light displays every year.

PUBLIC RELATIONS
... Canadian guide book writers Stan Posner & Sandra Phillips-Posner would like to thank Georgia Tourism representatives who helped make their book "Drive I-95: Exit by Exit Info, Maps, History and Trivia" a huge success and Bestseller. They have sold out the first printing and are beginning research for next year's edition. "We received wonderful press coverage from large and small media including Newsday, Boston Globe, Miami Herald, the Raleigh

WWW.GEORGIAONMYMIND.ORG