| Athens Now:
The monthly newsletter of the Athens Convention & Visitors Bureau |
 Tourism Day at the Georgia Capitol: Jan. 26
With economic pressures at the forefront of state budget discussions and within our industry, your active participation in Tourism Day at the Capitol is more important than ever. Nearly 400,000 Georgia jobs are sustained by the tourism industry; we need your help in expressing the importance of the tourism industry and our policy priorities to our elected officials.
Please contact Chuck Jones, 706.357.4430, to express your interest in attending -- we want Athens to be well represented at this critical session of the legislature. To prepare for Tourism Day, the Tourism Development Alliance of Georgia (TDAG) is hosting a FREE Grassroots 101 seminar on January 25 at 4:00 p.m. @ the Atlanta CVB. RSVP is required, so please click here to RSVP to Margaret Bracey at the Georgia Chamber. |
 Leisure Travel News A bright spot in tourism is the reunions market, which has significantly outperformed other travel segments. CVB Leisure Travel Marketing Director Amy Clark recently attended a two-day Reunions Workshop in Macon and returned with a wealth of ideas and resources for growing this market for Athens. Restaurants, caterers, and attractions are among the many local businesses that can benefit from further involvement in reunions. An expanded reunions section is also coming soon to the CVB web site.
Keep in mind these free services the CVB provides for groups, including not only reunions but also weddings and social events (of course, we also provide services for meetings and conventions as well). Referring your clients to the CVB for additional servicing can provide these guests with an exceptional experience that will lead to the return visits and referrals to keep our destination's hospitality industry strong. |
 Meetings & Conventions NewsThe CVB regretfully announces the departure of one of our most valued employees, Charlotte Brothers. Charlotte, who served the CVB admirably for two and a half years, is moving with her husband, Ernest, to Knoxville, TN, where he will be the Assistant Dean of the University of Tennessee Graduate School. Charlotte has not only made enormous contributions to our meetings and conventions business, but has also been such a positive presence in the CVB office and in the Athens community. THANK YOU, Charlotte! You will be greatly missed. The CVB is currently interviewing to fill this sales slot and plans to have this critical spot filled by mid to late February.
Upcoming activities: Athens will be an exhibitor at the Georgia Meeting Planners International (GaMPI) Meetings Exploration Conference in Atlanta on February 11-12. We will also host a lunch for meeting planners in the Tucker/Decatur area in February. |
 Don't Miss Out: Current Opportunities Vote for Athens! And spread the word as far and wide as you can (Twitter, Facebook, email, blog, at meetings) to keep Athens on this list -- it's free publicity for our city. >>click here to vote!
Try some grass roots marketing! It's a great time of year for local hospitality businesses and organizations to spend some time with one another.
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Attractions: do the hotels and your fellow attractions know about your latest and greatest exhibit or expanded offerings or hours?
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Hotels: do local attractions, shops, and restaurants know about a great deal you're offering, upcoming entertainment you've booked, or cutting-edge spa services?
Go tell them about it! Stop by (with cookies and rack cards, perhaps) and talk to the front-line personnel who are in a position each and every day to spread the word to their customers and guests. Guests will be impressed, see more, do more, spend more, and tell their friends and family. It is a win-win-win proposition. |
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 SAVE THE DATE: |
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January 26
Tourism Day at the Georgia Capitol
All local hospitality representatives are encouraged to attend. Contact:Chuck Jones705.357.4430
February 18 CVB Advisory Board9 a.m. Location: TBA Contact: Venessa Banks706.357.4430 |
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