Tourism Leaders Honored at 2008 Governor’s Conference on Tourism

ATLANTA, September 15, 2008 - Governor Sonny Perdue honored several of the state's most dedicated tourism professionals at the 2008 Governor's Conference on Tourism in Albany on Friday. The Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD), Georgia Association of Convention & Visitors Bureaus (GACVB) and the Tourism Development Alliance of Georgia (TDAG) joined forces to present one unified tourism industry conference from September 10 – 12. The conference brought together the three organizations for the first time to provide a dynamic tourism industry conference to the more than 350 tourism industry professionals in attendance. Award recipients were nominated by Georgia's tourism industry professionals. Recipients of the 2008 Tourism awards include: Peter Bowden, President and CEO of the Columbus Convention and Visitors Bureau, received the Larry Allen Award for Excellence in Tourism, given in memory of the late Larry Allen, general manager of Stone Mountain. Bowden was recognized for his excellent leadership skills. He works closely with leaders at GDEcD, GACVB and TDAG on statewide tourism-related issues. Theresa Jenkins, Executive Director of the Marietta Welcome Center and Visitors Bureau, received the Al Burris Award for Creative Expression, named after Representative Al Burris of Marietta. Jenkins was the creative force behind Marietta's new tourism ad campaign 'It's Hip to be Square'. Elizabeth Harville, Executive Director of the Vidalia Convention & Visitors Bureau, was awarded the Paul Broun Award for Marketing Initiatives, given in memory of Senator Paul Broun of Athens. Harville was the driving force behind Georgia's Agri-Tourism Trail which has resulted in an increase in group tours to the area. Spurgeon Richardson, Executive Director of the Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau, was honored with the 2008 Lifetime Achievement Award. Richardson was the past chair for the International Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus, International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions, Georgia Hotel and Travel Association, Cobb Chamber of Commerce and past President of the Southeast Tourism Society. Current Board positions include Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce, Georgia Chamber of Commerce, Central Atlanta Progress, AAA South, the Alliance Theatre, the Travel Industry Association, the Tourism Development Authority of Georgia and the Rotary Club of Atlanta. He is also a member of the Advisory Board for the Georgia Department of Economic Development and the Board of Trustees for Leadership Atlanta. State Representative Ron Stephens was awarded the Legislative Award for his extraordinary support for the tourism industry during the Legislative session. Stephens is the first Republican chair of Economic Development and Tourism and received this special recognition for his leadership, creativity, innovation, good stewardship, initiative and partnership with GDEcD. Cobb County's Judy Renfroe received the Georgia Association of Convention & Visitors Bureaus Tom Kilgore Award, given in memory of the late State Representative Tom Kilgore. Renfroe was the Tourism Director and CEO of the Cobb CVB for 20 years and the past president of GACVB and the Atlanta Metro Travel Association. She is a tireless advocate for the GACVB Scholarship program and Silent Auction. The Tourism Champion Awards were created in 2003 to acknowledge the support and guidance given to the state's tourism division by individuals and organizations who have taken leadership roles in developing tourism opportunities in communities across the state. This year's private industry partner is Trent Mercer of Streeter Printing and Graphics of Augusta. The partner agency award goes to the Clarks Hill Partnership of Georgia, which represents Columbia, Lincoln, McDuffie, Warren, and Wilkes Counties for utilizing a Co-Op marketing grant for the 2007 Bassmaster Weekend Series National Championship. The product development award went to the Welcome Center in Forsyth-Monroe County for its leadership, creativity, innovation, customer service, initiative and partnership with the state's tourism division. The Governor's Conference on Tourism 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. It offers a forum for discussion on the challenges and opportunities faced in a changing world, an economic forecast for the industry, current travel trends, the development of a strategic plan, methods of supplementing tourism dollars and how to develop tourism products. The 2009 Governor's Conference on Tourism will take place August 31 – September 2 at Lake Lanier Islands. 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.