Tourism Projects Around the State to Receive $1 Million in Grant Funds

ATLANTA, August 4, 2006 – The Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD), through the Georgia Tourism Foundation, announced this week that it has awarded $1 million in co-operative tourism marketing grants to 74 communities, convention & visitor bureaus, regional travel associations and other non-profit tourism entities across the state. The Georgia Tourism Foundation allows for the creation of new public-private partnerships that merge and strengthen Georgia's tourism marketing efforts, in order to attract more visitors and increase the industry's economic impact throughout the state. This year, the Foundation had a significant increase in grant applications with total grant requests totaling more than $1.3 million. The program received an additional $250,000 from the Department of Economic Development to fund 74 of the 84 applicants. With the indicated private sector matches totaling $4.1 million, the grant program will support communities with marketing projects that they may not have been able to fund completely on their own, and will assist them in reaching a larger audience. 'The Co-op marketing grants program is an excellent outreach program that supports our tourism partners in more effectively marketing Georgia as a tourist destination while adding value to our local communities,' said Craig Lesser, GDEcD commissioner and Georgia Tourism Foundation chairman. ' The Georgia Tourism Foundation, part of Governor Perdue's Commission for a New Georgia, is a significant component of the state's tourism strategy and offers a wonderful opportunity to leverage public-private partnerships.' In 2005, the Georgia Tourism Foundation was created through Senate Bill 125, spearheaded by Senator Jeff Mullis of Chickamauga and Representative Ron Stephens of Savannah, as part of Governor Perdue's Commission for a New Georgia. This non-profit, public-private organization brings together the leadership of the state's premier tourism destinations to consolidate marketing efforts, pool resources and more effectively promote Georgia's natural beauty, cultural heritage and rich attractions to vacationers. Recipients of the 2007 Co-op marketing grants include: Alpharetta Convention & Visitors Bureau Americus-Sumter Tourism Council Athens Convention & Visitors Bureau AthFest, Inc. Atlanta Metro Travel Association Atlanta Preservation Center Augusta Convention & Visitors Bureau Bainbridge-Decatur County Chamber of Commerce Booth Western Art Museum Butts County Historical Society Cartersville-Bartow County Convention & Visitors Bureau City of Jesup Coastal Georgia Audubon Society Coastal Georgia Historical Society Cobb County Convention & Visitors Bureau Colquitt/Miller Arts Council, Inc Columbus Convention & Visitors Bureau Cordele-Crisp Chamber of Commerce Dahlonega-Lumpkin Convention & Visitors Bureau Development Authority of Columbia County Douglas Area Welcome Center East Central Georgia Travel Association Eastman Dodge County Area Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Fernbank Museum of Natural History Forsyth-Monroe County Chamber of Commerce Gainesville-Hall County Convention & Visitors Bureau Georgia Association of Museums & Galleries Georgia Coast Travel Association Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation, Inc Georgia's Antebellum Trail Association, Inc Georgia's Historic Heartland Travel Region Georgia's Lake Country Greater Augusta Sports Council Greater Columbus Sports and Events Council Greene County Chamber of Commerce Hay House, Macon Henry County Convention & Visitors Bureau Historic Augusta, Inc Historic High Country Travel Association Historic Roswell Convention & Visitors Bureau Historic Savannah Foundation Historic Westville Ida Cason Callaway Foundation, Callaway Gardens Jekyll Island Foundation Macon Arts Alliance, Inc Macon International Cherry Blossom Festival Macon-Bibb County Convention & Visitors Bureau Metter/Candler Chamber of Commerce Inc Milledgeville-Baldwin County Convention & Visitors Bureau Monticello/Jasper County Chamber of Commerce Morgan County Historical Society, Inc Museum of Arts and Sciences Newnan-Coweta County Convention & Visitors Bureau Northeast Georgia Mountains Travel Association Ocmulgee National Monument Association, Inc Okefenokee Chamber of Commerce Peach State Summer Theatre Perry Area Chamber of Commerce Perry Area Convention & Visitors Bureau Plains Better Hometown Program, Inc Presidential Pathways Travel Association Sautee and Nacoochee Valleys Association Savannah Music Festival Statesboro Convention & Visitors Bureau Teens On The Green Foundation Tifton Tomorrow, Inc Tubman African American Museum Tybee Island Tourism Bureau, Inc US 441 Heritage Highway Trail Valdosta-Lowndes County Conference Center & Tourism Authority Vidalia Area Convention & Visitors Bureau Villa Rica Tourism Bureau Winegrowers Association of Georgia Zoo Atlanta 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.

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