Inaugural Tourism Product Development Grants Announced

ATLANTA, July 10, 2008 – The Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) has awarded $90,000 in tourism product development grants to 11 tourism entities across the state. The Tourism Division, through the new Tourism Product Development Grant program, seeks to financially support tourism development activities at the local level in both urban and rural areas.

This year, the Tourism Division selected Georgia's Creative Economies, with emphasis on Cultural and Heritage Tourism projects, as the priority funding area. The Office of Product Development received 40 applications for the first-ever Tourism Product Development grant program.

'We are very excited about the opportunity to provide stimulus funding for our communities as they develop new tourism product in Georgia,' said Bruce Green, Tourism Product Development Director. 'We look forward to these projects coming on line by the end of this year.'

The Tourism Division's Product Development Office assists local governments, communities, clients and other stakeholders in developing new tourism destinations and attractions in Georgia, while encouraging private sector and community leadership to partner on creating jobs and investments in the state. The product development director and two project managers work to complement and improve Georgia's existing tourism assets in order to create jobs and tourism investment in the state.

Recipients of the 2008 Tourism Product Development Grants include:

• Atlanta Development Authority for Atlanta Landmarks
• Augusta Canal Authority
• Carroll County Board of Commissioners
• City of Kennesaw for the Kennesaw Museum Foundation
• City of LaFayette for Chattooga Academy a.k.a John B. Gordon Hall
• City of Roswell for the Historic Roswell Convention & Visitors Bureau
• Clay County Board of Commissioners for the Fort Gaines Historical Society
• Development Authority of Warren County for the Georgia Civil War Heritage Trails
• Macon-Bibb County Urban Development Authority for The Big House Foundation
• Savannah Economic Development Authority for the Savannah Music Festival
• White County for Sautee Nacoochee Community Association

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.