This week, Statesboro is playing host to more than 100 tourism professionals from convention and visitor bureaus, chambers and visitor information centers across Georgia. They will be in town for three days, beginning Wednesday, attending the Regional Visitor Information Conference hosted by the Statesboro Convention and Visitors Bureau.
This is the 10th anniversary for the conference, which in the past has been held in larger cities across Georgia. Showing off our community and its unique attractions to key travel industry professionals through this conference provides a special opportunity for Statesboro.
“We are excited that our Regional Visitor Information Center Conference will take place in Statesboro this year,” said Nija Torrence, operations manager/conference coordinator for the Georgia Department of Economic Development. “We are expecting 100 tourism industry professionals from visitor centers across the state to take part in the annual conference.
“It’s an opportunity for attendees to not only engage in professional development sessions but to visit and learn about tourism destinations in Statesboro. This event wouldn’t be possible without the support from the Statesboro Convention & Visitors Bureau as well as other local partners.”
Georgia Department of Economic Development leadership, including Commissioner Pat Wilson, COO Bert Brantley and Deputy Commissioner of Tourism Kevin Langston will be in Statesboro attending the conference.
“We are always excited to promote Statesboro and all that we have to offer visitors but this will be a unique opportunity to showcase our area and its’ attractions to other tourism professionals who can tell our story all over the state, which will bring more people to Statesboro,” said Becky Davis, executive director for the Statesboro Convention and Visitors Bureau. Tourism has a huge impact on Bulloch County residents and the local economy.”
Indeed, tourism’s impact on the Bulloch County economy is huge. In the most recent data provided by the Georgia Department of Economic Development, the Bulloch County tourism industry supported 1,175 jobs locally, generated $139.98 million in direct tourist spending, generated $6 million in state tax revenues, generated $4.07 million in local tax revenues and generated $27 million in payroll revenue.
In fact, each year Bulloch County households would need to be taxed an additional $384 per year to replace taxes generated by tourism economic activity.
It speaks highly of our community and its success with tourism that other professionals want to come here to learn more about all the things we have to offer.
Let’s join the Statesboro Convention and Visitors Bureau in welcoming these special guests to our community.
I also encourage you to stop in to our Regional Visitor Information Center on South Main Street and see all the ways they excite and encourage visitors to stay a while and enjoy everything our community has to offer. You might just learn something about our community that you didn’t already know in the process.