........................................................................................................................................ GEORGIA TOURISM JOINS FACEBOOK
 Looking for an industry forum for discussion, collaboration, support and creative dialogue? Curious about Georgia Tourism's social media campaign? Need help with your own social media campaigns and want to learn what others are doing?
Join the Georgia Explorers Facebook group. Georgia Explorers is being recast as an online community for Georgia's travel industry, where ideas, questions, success stories, suggestions and industry updates can be shared and discussed.
Why should you be on Facebook and collaborate with other tourism industry partners? Chances are that your core audience has a strong and/or growing representation on Facebook. Here are a few stats that tell the story well:
- Facebook has 68 million unique visitors
- There are over 35 million users over the age of 45
- Within the last 4 months membership between the age 45-54 has grown 165%
- Female users over the age of 55 have grown by 175.3% since September 2008
- The number of men over age 55 also grew dramatically - up 137.8%
More than 12 million additional users have signed up since September 2008
Social media is no longer the sole domain of college students and young techies. Mature adults comprise the fastest growing demographic groups on Facebook and many other social media outlets, even as younger and younger children also join the fray.
The result? Social media continues to be the hottest trend in marketing and public relations today, and Georgia's travel industry should have an online community to facilitate collaboration, education, problem solving and idea generation. Georgia Explorers is a perfect vehicle for these purposes. Join today! |
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GEORGIA AGRICULTURE WEEK AT GEORGIA VIC'S A HUGE SUCCESS
 Georgia's Agriculture Week was a huge success in Georgia! Georgia's 11 VICs and some of the 38 Regional VICs around the state hosted local food producers and products in support of Agriculture Week.
Visitors tasted locally grown foods and learned about Georgia's agriculture industry including agritourism opportunities. Farmers promoted everything from blue berries to white acre peas. Thank you to all our partners who participated in Georgia Agriculture Week. And, a big thank you to Georgia's Visitor Information Centers for hosting the events throughout the week.
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GDEcD'S SALES TEAM UPDATE
GDEcD's INTERNATIONAL SALES MISSIONS:
Kevin Langston, Assistant Deputy Commissioner for Tourism, will lead three upcoming sales missions to the UK (June 1 - 5), Germany (July 13 -1 7) and China and Japan (Fall 2009). Participation fee for each is $500 + your own travel costs. In each market, the visit will entail calls on tour operators and travel media including one or two special events to give trade prospects an overview of the Georgia product. We welcome CVBs and/or attractions to join us in reaching these target markets. The mission is a limited to eight people, so it is first-come, first-serve. Please contact Kevin Langston via email if you are interested in learning more. He is available at [email protected].
GROUP SALES:
Katie Baasen and Kevin Langston will attend the Travel South Showcase in Kissimmee, Florida from April 5 - 8. For those of you attending the showcase, you should have received an email from GDEcD regarding shirt and flower arrangement information. Please contact Katie Baasen ( [email protected]) if you have not received this email or have any questions regarding the show. Georgia tourism is highlighting Georgia's music heritage and legacy of the state. Each delegate will have a music inspired floral arrangement. We will provide music one pagers and music themed give away items in the sponsorship booth. We have graciously received CD's from the Savannah Music Festival and will be giving these away during the tradeshow. If anyone has music inspired collateral, CD's or giveaways - please feel free to send them to Katie Baasen to be used at the booth. Please contact Katie Baasen ( [email protected]) for any more information. Please mark your calendars! Group Tour Boot Camp will take place June 18-19, 2009 in Macon at the Georgia Music Hall of Fame. The boot camp will focus on itinerary building. Keep an eye out for registration information in April. Motorcoach tracking program with the Visitor Information Centers - the VIC staff is working to gather information from companies/coaches that stop in Georgia at the centers. A monthly listing with information for motorcoach groups who stop at our state VICs is being sent out through the regional tourism representatives. Please note - the listing only includes information of the motorcoaches who are willing to share information and those who stop during operating hours. Thank you to the VIC staff for their efforts on this program. Katie Baasen met with the Alpine Helen White County CVB and their area partners for a group tour/packaging workshop March 24.
CONSUMER SALES:
Pam Kruseck attended the Savannah Southern Women's Show on February 6 - 8, 2009. Jo Madira (Babyland General), Mike Vescio (Ramada Inn Airport) and Elizabeth Harvill (Vidalia CVB) were also in attendance. GDEcD had six brochure co-op participants and one Travel Association partner. Approximately 11,500 consumers attended over a three day period. Atlanta and Georgia's Mountains were the most inquired about destinations by attendees.
Pam Kruseck, Jan Chamberlain (Georgia's Coastal Travel Association) and Mike Vescio (Ramada Inn Airport) attended the AAA Travel Marketplace in Boston, MA on March 6 - 8, 2009. GDEcD had two brochure co-op participants. More than 15,000 consumers attended the Marketplace and gathered information to help them plan their next vacation. Savannah and Atlanta received the most inquires from attendees. Many of the attendees had been to Georgia and are looking forward to a return trip to see new. |
.......................................................................................................................................... 2009 TECHNO TOURISM CONFERENCE
The 2009 Techno Tourism Conference will take place April 20 - 21, 2009 at the Chattahoochee Technical College in Marietta. "Social Media Marketing . . . Affordable, Effective & Essential" is the theme of the conference this year. For more information, visit at www.areg.caes.uga.edu. |
.................................................................................................. GEORGIANS CAN VISIT STATE PARKS AND HISTORIC SITES FOR FREE
 Georgia's public libraries and Georgia State Parks & Historic Sites are making it easier than ever for patrons to " Get Out. Get Dirty. Get Fit." in the state's great outdoors. A valid library card now allows any patron to borrow a Georgia State Park "ParkPass" and Historic Site pass from their local libraries. The passes are good for free parking or admission at any of the 63 parks and historic sites statewide. Any Georgian who holds a valid library card from a participating public library system (including PINES) can check out a ParkPass folder for up to seven days. Folders include an annual ParkPass that exempts visitors from paying the daily parking fee at any Georgia state park, an annual Historic Site pass good for free admission for one visitor to any of Georgia's 18 state historic sites. It also includes a copy of the "Guide to Georgia State Parks & Historic Sites" featuring descriptions, photos, directions and a map of all 63 state parks and historic sites. A joint initiative of the Georgia Public Library Service and Parks, Recreation & Historic Sites Division (PRHSD) of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. For more information, visit www.GetOutdoorsGeorgia.org. |
........................................................................................................................................ BATTLE OF RESACA REENACTMENT MAY 16-17, 2009
The 145th Anniversary Battle of Resaca 25th Annual Civil War Reenactment takes place May 16-17, in Resaca at I-75 Exit 320. The two day event features re-enactors, held on actual battlefield. Events will include:
- Memorial service at the C.S.A. cemetery
- Exciting battles both Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m.
- Ladies Tea with Guest Speaker
- Tour the camps and talk to the soldiers
- Cavalry competition
- Period dance with music by the 8th Regimental Band
- Sunday morning tactical
- Period church service
- Continuous living history activities
- Shop sutler row for period wares
- Food and beverages available
- Live Civil War music
- Reenactor used clothing "yard sale"
Adults $5, Children 12 & under $2. For more information call the Gordon County CVB, 706-625-3200. |
........................................................................................................................................ PRESS RELEASE: STATE'S 2009 TECHNO TOURISM CONFERENCE TO EXPLORE SOCIAL MEDIA
Navigate to the Georgia Tourism Foundation's 2009 Techno Tourism Conference on social media, the most talked about trend in marketing and public relations today. This year's theme, Social Media Marketing....Affordable, Effective & Essential, highlights the potential of social networks to reach vast audiences in both local and global communities. On April 20-21, Chattahoochee Technical College in Marietta will host the annual conference, offering attendees a chance to hear from technology experts, industry veterans and creative professionals who have a proven track record of success. Click here for the full press release. |
.................................................................................................. PRESS RELEASE: GEORGIA'S GLORIOUS GARDENS
 Georgia is in full bloom with public gardens, estates, resorts and garden festivals. From her state flower, the beautiful Cherokee rose, to thriving azaleas, rainbows of flowers erupt across mountains, plains and the sandy coastline.
The Peach State's impressive gardening pedigree includes the Ladies' Garden Club of Athens, the very first garden club in America. Take a journey through Georgia and discover gardening destinations and events for the master gardener and inquisitive hobbyist alike. Click here for the full press release. |
.................................................................................................. PRESS RELEASE: GEORGIA'S VISITOR INFORMATION CENTERS CELEBRATE AGRICULTURE WEEK
Visitor Information Centers (VICs) all over the state are thrilled to offer visitors and locals the chance to experience Georgia's thriving agricultural industry this week. The annual Georgia Agriculture Week, held from March 15 - 22, 2009, will showcase some of the best products and experiences the state has to offer. Full of agritourism opportunities, the Peach State can deliver amazing experiences and unique products that will delight visitors and help local communities. By combining Georgia's two largest industries, agriculture and tourism, an authentic travel experience is created which both pleases guests and stimulates economic activity. Click here for the full press release. |
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PRESS RELEASE: GEORGIA'S CIVIL WAR HERITAGE
Well preserved historical attractions from the Civil War era can be found all over Georgia. Visitors journey back in time as they step onto an almost 200-year-old battlefield, enter a museum full of restored artifacts, search for lost confederate gold or strike out on a driving trail. The state's many significant Civil War sites tell the story of the war's impact on Georgia and the country as a whole. Click here for full press release. |
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.................................................................................................................. PRESS RELEASE: GEORGIA: A GOLFERS' PARADISE
 From some of the country's finest state-run courses to the illustrious links of Augusta National Golf Club, Georgia has a strong golfing tradition. Not only is it home to The Masters, but in 1794, it became home to the first golf club in the U.S.: the Savannah Golf Club.
Legendary golfer and Atlanta native Bobby Jones is the owner of the only Grand Slam season in golf history, winning all four of the major tournaments of his day during one year. Click here for full press release. |
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GEORGIA: 'IN THE NEWS' 
New York Times: Canoeing the Okefenokee Swamp
March 13, 2009
Spilling across 685 square miles in the state's southeastern corner, the Okefenokee features warm winter temperatures and quiet waters, perfect for a canoe camping trip. Click here for the complete article.
New York Times: Outside Atlanta, a Utopia Rises
March 1, 2009
EACH morning, as the breakfast dishes are cleared, Nick Melvin escapes the kitchen at the Inn at Serenbe, where he is the executive chef, and drives five minutes down a country road to a sumptuous 25-acre organic farm. There he examines the collards and the mache, the sunchoke and the carrots, and decides what looks best for that night's table and next week's menu at the Farmhouse, Serenbe's acclaimed restaurant. Click here for the complete article.
Wall Street Journal: Spring on the Wine Trails
March 13, 2009
Upcoming events to celebrate Spring's arrival include the fourth annual Wine Highway in Georgia and the World of Wine in California. Click here for the complete article. |
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TRAVEL TRENDS: AMERICA'S MOST VISITED TOURIST ATTRACTIONS
Call it a coincidence, but in the historic election year of 2008, the home of the Liberty Bell cracked the Forbes Traveler list of America's Most Visited Tourist Attractions. But it could be that another factor drew tourists to National Park Service sites like Independence Hall: free admission. In a year when structural cracks also started to appear in the economy, low-cost attractions may have seen their stock rise. Click here for the complete article. |
........................................................................................................................................ TRAVEL TRENDS: SOUTHEAST TOURISM SOCIETY NAMES TOP 20 EVENTS FOR JULY
 The best events across the Southeast compete to receive the prestigious Top 20 designation. Through a nomination process, the Southeast Tourism Society chooses the Top 20 events in the Southeast for each month of the year and publishes this list of winners quarterly. To be nominated, each event must have 1,000 or more in attendance, be in its third year in existence, and submit a $10 nomination fee per event.
The Top 20 Events for July 2009 are perfect for including in any itinerary or getaway. Click here for the complete article. |
........................................................................................................................................ TRAVEL TRENDS: U.S. TRAVEL: AMERICANS' LEISURE TRAVEL INTENTIONS TREND SLIGHTLY UPWARD
 According to the February travelhorizons™ survey, the U.S. Traveler Sentiment Index™ rose to 90.2 in February 2009 from 78.2 in October 2008 due to an increase in the perceived "affordability of travel." The spike in the perceived affordability of travel appears to be a direct result of many travel suppliers' recent efforts to stimulate short-term demand through the aggressive promotion of discounted fares and rates. Promotional pricing and related incentives are now offered by suppliers representing practically every segment of the travel industry from airlines to cruise lines, hotel companies, attractions and rental car companies, some of which are featuring rates and fares that are up to 50 percent off the prices being quoted just six months ago. Click here for the complete article. | |
