Letter to the Editor: It’s National Travel & Tourism Week

Published 12:00 pm Saturday, May 11, 2019

By Staff reports

Travel and tourism are major contributors to our local economy and this week is National Travel and Tourism Week. The goal of this week’s campaign is to create a greater appreciation and awareness of travel and tourism’s impact on our local, state and national economy.

Georgia’s mammoth tourism industry, the second largest industry in the state, is comprised of hotels and lodging, restaurants, attractions, service businesses and more. In 2017, travel to Georgia brought in $63.1 billion and generated nearly $3.3 billion in state and local tax revenues. Travel and tourism support more than 460,000 jobs around the state.

Tifton is blessed with a strong and vibrant tourism industry. In 2017, travel was a significant sector of Tift County’s local economy generating over $101.55 million in direct visitor spending while creating over $2.88 million in local tax revenues and $4.43 million in state tax revenues.

Tifton has a payroll of over $20.46 million generated by travel with almost 1,000 employees. Each Tift County household would need to be taxed an additional $487 per year to replace the taxes generated by tourism economic activity. All of these numbers have been steadily increasing year to year.

Income from the 5% motel-hotel tax has remained steady in Tifton and Tift County over the last several years. Steady occupancy has brought on the construction of at least three new hotels. SpringHill Suites just opened in April. La Quinta and Courtyard by Marriott hope to begin construction soon as well. Over 100 restaurants in Tifton, including some really fantastic local spots, feed visitors and local folks.

The promotions program for Tifton is vested in a volunteer board, the Tifton-Tift County Tourism Association. Members are appointed by the City of Tifton (2), Tift County Board of Commissioners (2), Tiftarea Hospitality Association (2) and Tifton-Tift County Chamber of Commerce (1). The board spends a budget of about $400,000 annually, 2 percent of the 5 percent motel-hotel bed tax.

Tifton is lucky to have some really great assets to offer to visitors, whether traveling for leisure or business. The UGA Tifton Campus Conference Center is a top-notch meeting facility, centrally located and easy to get to. They can host large or small meetings and offer many amenities at no charge. Our recreation department maintains a very full calendar, balancing local sporting leagues with traveling tournaments of different kinds, from baseball to swimming. A master plan for updating some of the recreation facilities has been completed with hopes to begin implementing those changes in phases very soon. These updates could make Tifton the place to come for tournaments!

The Georgia Museum of Agriculture & Historic Village is Tifton’s largest attraction. Last year, they saw about 40,000 visitors come through the gates. With live interpreters and hands on activities, animals and an art gallery, there is really something for everyone in the family to enjoy.

Tifton is also home to a number of festivals and special events. The Rhythm & Ribs BBQ Festival, held every March, continues to grow, drawing in over 15,000 people for a weekend of

bbq competition, entertainment, vendors and much more. The Arts in Black Festival and La Fiesta del Pueblo are long-running festivals that celebrate culture, food and music. The Omega Pepper Festival is another annual festival that brings a lot of visitors to town. Other special events include truck and tractor pulls, rodeos, pageants, concerts, plays and much more.

Tifton’s strategic location in South central Georgia is a dramatic asset to the travel economy. Interstate 75 and U.S. Highway 82 creates the busiest intersection South of Atlanta, with over 100,000 passing through that area daily. U.S. Highway 319, Highway 41 and Highway 125 also provide easy access.

Tourism is definitely economic development in Tifton and Tift County and the Tifton-Tift County Tourism Board proudly salutes this economic engine during National Travel and Tourism Week.

Kathleen Moore, Chairperson; Roger Dill, Vice Chairman; William Bowen, Treasurer; Melody Cowart, Ray Cross, Darian Peavy, Jack Stone; Tyron Spearman, Angela Elder, Abbey McLaren

Coordinators