2007 Governor’s Conference on Tourism a Huge Success

ATLANTA, September 20 – The Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD), Georgia Tourism Foundation and the city of Tifton welcomed more than 350 tourism industry professionals to southwest Georgia last week for the 2007 Governor's Conference on Tourism. This annual conference is designed to further educate members of the tourism industry about travel and tourism related issues on a national and statewide level, reinforce existing tourism development efforts and plan for future initiatives. The conference offers educational workshops, receptions, panel discussions and the presentation of the Georgia Tourism Awards. Tifton literally rolled out the red carpet for Georgia's tourism industry at UGA's Tifton campus and at evening functions at the Agrirama Village and a street party in downtown Tifton. The conference culminated on Friday, September 14 with an encouraging speech by Governor Sonny Perdue who reinforced the powerful impact Georgia's tourism industry has on Georgia's economy. Governor Sonny Perdue, GDEcD Commissioner Ken Stewart and GDEcD deputy commissioner of tourism and marketing Charlie Gatlin presented the annual tourism awards to members of Georgia's tourism industry for 'Best Practices' at the luncheon on the final day of the conference. - The Hospitality Highway Committee was recognized for their hard work, innovation, and collaboration in establishing Georgia's official Hospitality Highway. The Hospitality Highway brings together six communities and two travel regions. - Jan Hackett, president of the Fannin County Chamber of Commerce, was awarded for her hard work in creating the 'Surround Yourself Campaign' to help enhance the visitors experience in Georgia's Blue Ridge Mountains. - Frankie Willis was recognized for her passion and personal financial commitment to the revitalization of the Village at Indian Springs which is located at the entrance of the oldest State Park in the United States. - Janice Marshall, president and CEO of the Macon-Bibb County Convention and Visitors Bureau, was honored for her determination and dedication to the renovation of Macon's Trailways bus station into a state of the art visitor information center in downtown Macon. This new center not only promotes Macon, but encourages visitors to explore the entire state. - Hannah Smith, communications manager at the Athens Convention and Visitors Bureau, was awarded for the establishing and implementing the Hospitality H.E.R.O.E.S. Program. This program of recognition for front line employees has been a great unifier and created healthy competition among front line staff. The Georgia Tourism Foundation also used the conference as an opportunity to launch the state's Creative Economies initiative. On September 14, the Foundation unveiled a Showcase of Regional Art at the Henry Tift Myers Airport. Representatives of GDEcD along with a delegation of local officials from City of Tifton, Tift County, Tifton chamber, Tifton Airport Authority and the Tifton Tift county Tourism Authority Board were present as the art collection was unveiled. 'It us our hope that the inclusion of regional art within Georgia's airports will enhance visitor exposure to works of Georgia's artist and craftspeople, which in turn best exemplify the heritage and cultural assets of a region,' stated Gilda Watters, managing director of the Georgia Tourism Foundation. 'This statewide initiative led by the Foundation will directly impact the state's cultural and heritage tourism economic sustainability and future growth.' The 2008 Governor's Conference on Tourism will take place on September 10 -12 in Albany, Georgia. The Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) is the state's sales and marketing arm, the lead agency for attracting new business investment, encouraging the expansion of existing industry and small businesses, locating new markets for Georgia products, attracting tourists to Georgia, and promoting the state as a location for film, video and music projects, as well as planning and mobilizing state resources for economic development. For more information, visit www.georgia.org/travel or call (404) 962-4075.