Four Georgia Trails Featured in National Geographic Traveler Appalachia Driving Tours Map

ATLANTA, April 10, 2008 – On Friday, April 11 the Georgia Department of Economic Development's Tourism Division, Appalachian Regional Commission and National Geographic Traveler will unveil 'Driving Tours: Appalachia' at the Sautee-Nacoochee Center in Sautee, GA. The Appalachia: Driving Tours map features four trails in North Georgia. The Chieftains Trail and Folk Potters Trail run solely through Georgia and the Southern Highroads (GA, NC, SC, TN) and Lookout Mountain Parkway (AL, GA, TN) are multi-state trails. The map is currently available in the April 2008 issue of National Geographic Traveler magazine. Representatives from the Tourism division; Anne Pope, Federal Co-Chair of the Appalachian Regional Commission; and Mike Beatty, Commissioner of the Georgia Department of Community Affairs will be in attendance. The event will take place from 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Our driving trails have something for everyone—rich history, natural beauty, welcoming towns, adventure and fun activities for the entire family. Discover endless opportunities to venture off the beaten path and uncover Georgia's hidden gems along the Chieftains Trail, Folk Potters Trail, Southern Highroads, Lookout Mountain Parkway driving trails. The Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) and National Geographic Society announced the release of the completion of the new Appalachian Driving Tours Map last month in Washington, D.C. Commissioned by ARC, the map features 28 unique driving trails of the Appalachian Region that lead to a broad array of historical, archeological, cultural, and scenic sites. The driving tours map is the result of a unique alliance between ARC and National Geographic to design maps that will stimulate economic development by showcasing the remarkable diversity of the Appalachian Region's natural and heritage assets. This is the second map resulting from a partnership with the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC) and the National Geographic Society. Supplemented with colorful photos, descriptive text, and more detailed information for travelers, the map will be distributed to 865,000 subscribers in the April 2008 issue of National Geographic Traveler magazine as well as to other target audiences in the Region. ARC Federal Co-Chair Anne Pop said, 'As the successor to the highly successful National Geographic MapGuide to Appalachia, which was launched in March of 2005, we expect it to continue to increase visitation to the Region in measurable ways,' stated Pope. 'The driving trails featured in this map represent wonderful opportunities to see all the natural treasures Appalachia has to offer.' National Geographic Editor Keith Bellows noted that 'With the theme of 'All Travel, All the Time,' National Geographic Traveler celebrates journeys that are about place, experience, culture and authenticity. It makes a distinction between tourism and travel, and aims to inspire readers to pick up and go. The Appalachian Driving Tours Map does just that. Appalachia contains a wealth of natural, historic and cultural treasures, and we're excited to give travelers a great tool to seek out the more than 300 sites featured on the printed map.' According to Travel Industry Association of America estimates, tourism is a $740 billion industry employing nearly 7.5 million people in the United States in 2006. The cultural heritage tourism sector has been growing twice as fast as the overall travel market, with the Appalachian region boasting six of the top 10 states most visited by travelers from this sector. Map readers are encouraged to 'Visit Appalachia' through a newly-developed, consumer-oriented online companion piece at www.visitappalachia.com. The site's content will feature an interactive version of the 28 driving tours featured on the map, a downloadable PDF of the map, Google map features to help travelers plan their next driving vacation to Appalachia, and links to the 13 Appalachian State Tourism offices for additional information. 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.