 Greetings
everyone,
Hope you are having a wonderful 2006 and enjoying the
beautiful warm weather. I wanted to take the opportunity to
share some great news with everyone. Through the efforts of
so many, Georgia tourism industry excelled in 2005 and our
state's efforts were recognized for pace-setting growth and
excellence. Please take the time to enjoy the following
article:
Georgia Tourism Enjoys Banner Year in 2005
Annual Travel Industry Report Shows Visitor Spending
Exceeded National Average
ATLANTA - Governor Sonny Perdue announced today that tourism
in the state of Georgia continued to thrive in 2005.
According to the annual economic report of the Travel
Industry Association of America (TIA), the total economic
impact of visitors to the state increased to $28.2 billion,
$2 billion more than in 2004.
"Tourism is a powerful economic generator for Georgia," said
Governor Sonny Perdue. "Our marketing efforts are paying off
in increased economic benefits and greater exposure for
Georgia's travel destinations."
The TIA preliminary analysis shows that tourism's economic
impact in Georgia, comprising direct, indirect and induced
spending, continued its upward trend in 2005 with strong
gains across the board. Direct expenditures, which include
lodging, food, transportation, recreation, entertainment and
incidentals, were up 7.7 percent, outpacing the national
average of 7.2 percent. Hotel room demand increased 5.5
percent, and hotel room revenue jumped almost 10 percent.
Approximately 217,000 Georgians worked in travel-related
jobs in 2005, 2.5 percent more than in 2004. Tax revenue
generated in the state rose 5.9 percent, to $1.28 billion.
"We expect continued increases in expenditures and
visitation as we implement our 'Put Your Dreams in Motion'
marketing campaign," said Dan Rowe, deputy commissioner for
tourism at the Georgia Department of Economic Development.
"Governor Perdue and the General Assembly have continued to
demonstrate strong support for Georgia's tourism industry by
increasing marketing funds by $500,000 in this year's
budget."
Georgia offers a wealth of travel destinations within an
easy drive from anywhere in the Southeast. Visitors can tour
the new Georgia Aquarium, ride the new Goliath roller
coaster at Six Flags®, explore the vineyards of North
Georgia, rediscover the Cloister on Sea Island, take a ride
on the SAM Shortline in Cordele, or visit one of Georgia's
many state parks. TIA also forecasts that the United States
will be an attractive destination for international visitors
in 2006, and with Delta Air Lines launching new direct
flights into Georgia, the state is well-positioned to
benefit from this trend.
Governor Perdue made tourism a key part of Georgia's
economic development strategy. Last year Governor Perdue
championed the creation of the Georgia Tourism Foundation, a
public-private entity and non-profit organization that
leverages investments and forges partnerships to strengthen
the state's tourism marketing. Heritage tourism was the
focus of the 2005 Southern Governors Association meeting,
which Governor Perdue chaired and hosted. In addition, the
state has partnered with other public and private
organizations to hold a series of heritage tourism workshops
around the state.
Governor Perdue will also host the Governor's Conference on
Tourism in Columbus September 12-15, which typically
attracts about 400 tourism professionals from around the
state for workshops, seminars and meetings focused on ways
to promote Georgia travel destinations to the state's
residents and visitors.
For more information on tourism in Georgia, visit
www.georgia.org.
---------------------------------------------
As always, we welcome your input and your ideas. Please let us know if you have
any
questions. Thanks for your commitment to Georgia and for
your support of the Tourism Alliance.
Best Regards,
Joy Spears Walstrum
Tourism
Development Alliance of Georgia
404-223-2471 (w)
404-358-5634 (m)
404-223-2290 (fax)
joy@tourismdevelopmentalliance.org |
