Blue Ridge and Ellijay Awarded States Travel Media Marketplace Event
ATLANTA, February 4, 2011 — The Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) is pleased to announce that Blue Ridge and Ellijay-Gilmer County will host the state's 2011 Georgia Travel Media Marketplace event May 12-14. Up to 40 travel writers from the United States and Canada will meet with representatives from around the state during the marketplace to get story ideas about Georgia's tourism destinations, attractions and events. 'Positive media coverage has a significant impact on a traveler's decision-making process, in turn driving visitors to Georgia," said Kevin Langston, Deputy Commissioner for Tourism for the Georgia Department of Economic Development. 'Blue Ridge and Ellijay are ideal springtime getaways with plenty of story ideas for travel media.' Travel media will meet with the host communities as well as Georgia's regional tourism representatives, regional travel associations and Georgia's State Parks, during the Marketplace. The writers will then depart on one of three themed familiarization tours around the state through May 17. Blue Ridge, 90 miles north of Atlanta, offers relaxation, mountain culture and natural fun. With 106,000 acres of national forest, Blue Ridge is simply beautiful in every direction. Visitors are pleasantly surprised to find upscale shops and galleries along Main Street. Ride the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway, visit Mercier Orchards for the best fried pie and fish for trout in the Trout Capital of Georgia. Ellijay-Gilmer County, in the beautiful North Georgia Mountains, is an easy 70-mile drive from the hustle and bustle of metro Atlanta. The cities of Ellijay and East Ellijay welcome travel media to Georgia's Apple Capital where more than 25 varieties of apples are grown. Outdoor enthusiasts will find Georgia's mountain biking capital a welcoming destination for hiking, biking, tubing, and kayaking. Travel Media Marketplace is jointly hosted by the Georgia Tourism Division and the host communities to showcase Georgia's tourism assets first hand. Past Marketplace events have been held in Savannah, Athens, Macon, Atlanta, Hiawassee, Augusta, LaGrange and Coweta County. The Georgia Department of Economic Development 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, music and digital entertainment projects, as well as planning and mobilizing state resources for economic development. For more information, visit www.Georgia.org.