Commentary by Randy Davidson, President of Georgia Entertainment
Convention and Visitor Bureaus around Georgia have a unique role — recruit outsiders to spend and making sure insiders (local businesses) are ready for spending.
I was happy to spend time at the Group Sales Symposium for tourism executives hosted by the Georgia Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus. We reunited with friends from around the state while receiving updates about sports events, the hotel market outlook, and group travel marketing.
I moderated a session organized by Joel Slocumb, Columbus Film Commissioner, about communities that actively recruit film and entertainment spending. Joel and Film Augusta’s Jennifer Bowen helped attendees understand what it takes to truly drive ‘heads in beds’ while also rallying and educating local businesses on how to best engage entertainment firms. The pair also spoke about the Georgia Regional Film & Entertainment Alliance and its mission to expand direct spending of film productions throughout the state.
These professionals deal with so many areas of economic development requiring them to be experts in a wide range of industry categories. Meetings like this one help bring peers together to learn from each other. Do Convention & Visitors Bureaus make a difference in Georgia? Last year Georgia had a record year in tourism – up 13% with a $73 billion economic impact.
It was good to see Jay Markwalter, LEC, TMP who currently leads the Georgia Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus. He has been a big supporter of music, film and general growth in the creative industries of the state. He is headed over to Explore Georgia where he will be working inside the Georgia Department of Economic Development. Amanda Dyson will take over in January. She currently serves as Director of Membership at the Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau.
See more pictures here.
