Georgia Tourism Industry to Gather at State Capitol

ATLANTA, January 30, 2007 – Tourism industry professionals, economic development agency heads and state officials assemble today for the annual Tourism Day at the Capitol to celebrate the significant role tourism plays in Georgia's economy. The state has hosted more than 62 million visitors, which ranks Georgia's tourism economy eighth in the nation in 2005.Tourism is the state's second-largest industry, providing 217,000 jobs and $6.2 billion in resident wages. The tourism industry will present Governor Perdue with a check representing the $779 million in state tax revenue generated from tourism-related expenditures in 2005. The Tourism Division of the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD), in conjunction with the tourism industry, will also unveil and announce some of their upcoming projects. "Tourism is one of Georgia's most dynamic industries and today is a great opportunity to showcase our tourism assets," said GDEcD's Deputy Commissioner for Tourism Dan Rowe. "Georgia is bursting with world-renowned attractions and unique destinations, and part of our initiative for 2007 is to encourage residents to take road trips and explore their own backyard." On the steps of the Capitol, Governor Perdue will unveil the new 2007 annual Georgia Travel Guide. This full-color, magazine-size guide provides visitors with information on hundreds of Georgia cities, towns, attractions and accommodations. 780,000 guides are distributed through Visitor Information Centers, www.georgia.org, travel and trade shows and 1-800-VISIT GA. The guide represents a $1 million investment from the private sector and is produced at no cost to the state through advertising sales. GDEcD partners with Emmis Custom Publishing, (publisher of Atlanta Magazine), on the Georgia Travel Guide each year. State leaders will also have the opportunity to test drive GDEcD's new Interactive Travel Companion that will soon be available on www.georgia.org. The new feature will give visitors the opportunity to build customized itineraries, print out driving directions and save the information in a personalized profile called My Georgia. The tourism industry will continue to be a key part of the state's economic development strategy. In 2005, 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. In 2006, the Tourism Foundation awarded $1 million in co-operative tourism marketing grants, with a private sector match of $4.3 million, to 74 communities, convention & visitor bureaus, regional travel associations and other non-profit tourism entities across the state. Last week GDEcD unveiled the new Heritage Tourism Campaign. The campaign will renew a focus on historic districts, Civil War battlefields and sites of cultural significance. In addition, Governor Perdue proposed a budget Amendment for the Commemoration of the upcoming Sesquicentennial. 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 or call (404) 962-4075.