| October 1, 2001 - A coalition of private and
public sector hospitality/tourism leadership, spearheaded by the Georgia
Hospitality and Travel Association, will meet to brainstorm and address
key issues relating to impacts and recovery efforts for Georgia�s second
largest economic engine in the aftermath of the September 11th tragedy.
WHEN: October 2, 2001 from 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.
A media briefing and Q&A session will follow the summit session.
WHO: Sponsored by the Georgia Hospitality and Travel Association
and hosted by Marietta Conference Center and Resort
Key participants in the summit include Governor Roy Barnes, Georgia
Department of Industry, Trade and Tourism, the Georgia Hotel and Lodging
Association, Georgia Restaurant Association, Georgia Travel Association,
Hartsfield International Airport/Atlanta, Marietta Conference Center and
Resort and other significant players in the Georgia Tourism Industry.
WHERE: Marietta Conference Center and Resort
Main ballroom (500 Powder Springs Street, Marietta, Georgia 770-427-2500)
BACKGROUND: Georgia�s tourism economy is the 2nd largest employer
and a leading revenue stream for the state�s many hospitality, travel,
transportation, lodging and restaurant industries. The events of September
11 and subsequent drops in business and leisure travel have serious negative
implications for these businesses, as well as indirectly impacting other
service industries. The Georgia Hospitality and Travel Association and
the travel and tourism industry leadership in the state are spearheading
an effort to bring public and private sector decision makers together in
a forum to address these issues and strategies to mitigate the damage caused
since the travel slowdown occurred. GHTA is a membership-based business
organization, which unites all segments of the travel and tourism industry
for the protection and promotion of its members� interests. Its membership
is comprised of restaurants, hotels, travel, and allied companies. The
hospitality industry in Georgia is the state�s second largest industry,
employing nearly 500,000 Georgians. GHTA is the umbrella organization for
the Georgia Hotel & Lodging Association, Georgia Restaurant Association,
and Georgia Travel Association.
SUMMIT RATIONALE
-
Travel, tourism and hospitality is the 2nd largest employer in the state
and have been significantly impact by recent events
-
Impact goes well beyond major metropolitan areas due to transportation
portal impacts
-
Atlanta and Hartsfield are key �pipelines� for Georgia visitors statewide,
Atlanta�s Hartsfield is the busiest in the nation/world and is a high-profile
media target
-
Atlanta and Hartsfield both have learned of specific threats through the
same media outlets as the potential traveler, necessitating damage mitigation
in the wake of the reputation/safety image degradation
-
Investigations continue to point to Atlanta as a potential �ground zero�
site, causing further erosion of the broad tourist perspective of the city
and state
-
Georgia�s reputation relative to safety, security, accessibility(both
real and perceived) are critical aspects of a travel industry recovery
effort
AGENDA KEY POINTS
-
Strategic planning session with Georgia�s top tourism & travel company�s
& their executive leadership to discuss the issue impacting hospitality
in the state in the wake of the 9/11 tragedy
-
Georgia�s industry leaders spearhead efforts to initiate a recovery strategy
ISSUES
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Cancellations & solutions
-
Disaster relief issues (airlines aren�t the only ones being hit � strategy
must hit entire industry)
-
Developing a coalition of travel, tourism leadership to manage the ongoing
problem, hotels, airlines, trade associations, DMOs
-
Maximize media awareness of event
-
Discuss need for proprietary research: financial impacts
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Discuss mitigation funding & sources
-
Involve Academia. Econ research, Ga. State � hospitality school
PUBLIC POLICY ISSUES
-
Impact of September 11 tragedy on Georgia visitor volumes: a comparative
analysis
-
Economic importance of Hartsfield traffic to the visitor/hospitality industry:
a comparative analysis
-
Job sectors/SEC codes affected by the tragedy: indirect industry impacts
-
Georgia Visitor Profile analysis and application of �snapshot� research
to overall issue of cancellations, etc.
-
who has been the traditional traveler and how do they travel, where, length
of stay, etc.
-
how has this changed since 9/11
-
how will these target audiences be re-approached
-
top attraction/destination line-up
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