Study: Tourism still rolling
2/16/2009
By ANDREW SMITH
The Brunswick News
Tourism remains a golden goose for Coastal Georgia, despite all the economic dips, shakes and shivers experienced by much of the nation in the latter part of this decade.
A new economic impact study released Friday by the Brunswick-Golden Isles Convention and Visitors Bureau showed visitors spent $735 million in Glynn County between July 2007 and June 2008 .
The study, conducted every five years by the visitors bureau, was done by Davidson Peterson Associates, a travel marketing research firm in Kennebunk, Maine.
Bill Tipton, executive director of the visitors bureau, said the study shows just how important tourism is to the economy, jobs and government services.
Visitor expenditures during the fiscal year resulted in $320 million in resident income, $51 million in state government revenues and $39 million in local government revenues.
"I think it's a nice eye opener to show the importance of the hospitality industry and that it is a major employer in Glynn County," Tipton said.
Tipton is optimistic about the upcoming spring and summer vacation seasons. There may already be a hint of promising year.
"The hotels are seeing a better booking pattern and we're just about to come out of the slow months," Tipton said.
An estimated 1.6 million overnight visitors spent one or more nights in Glynn County during fiscal year 2007-08.
Of that number, 1.05 million stayed in hotels, motels or resort properties.
The remainder stayed in vacation rental properties, campgrounds or with friends or relatives.
Visitors spent $539 million, or 73 percent of total expenditures, on food, lodging and recreation. Recreation, which was 20 percent of total expenditures, includes museums and historic sites, sightseeing, evening entertainment and cultural events, among others.
Tourism spending:
Where did visitors to Brunswick and the Golden Isles spend their money between July 2007 and June 2008?
*$214 million on food (29 percent)
* $174 million on lodging (24 percent)
* $151 million on recreation (20 percent)
* $56 million on ground transportation (8 percent)
* $2 million on other items (0.3 percent of total expenditures)
- Figures, supplied by Davidson Peterson study, are rounded off to the nearest whole number
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4 Comment
Hello??
How does 07-08 compare to previous years??? THAT information would be useful and logical!!!!
UGA84
2/16/2009
Realist
When did you qualify for your GED? Who DOESN'T care about Tourism last year. Tourism is largely responsible for our economy. You want to see us without Tourism then look at Darien. I don't mean any disrespect to Darien but they don't have the tourist draw that we do. Our entire economy is built on the tourist industry.
TommyBoy
2/16/2009
To The Realist
Do you realize or even know what you said? 2008 ended less than 60 days ago, how could they be any more current. What would you like for Glynn County to do - run the tourist off, close the hotels and restaurants! I guess you realize that things are a little tough right now. If business is down I don't believe anyone here is responsible for the economy. Tourism is a great engine helping to drive our economy. As a percentage of the total tourism might be a larger % of the whole as our real estate and building industries have taken a huge hit. If you are going to be a "Realist" then get real!
Tourist Dollar
2/16/2009
Update your thinking
Who cares about tourism between 2007-2008? Why do you want to allude our economic condition hasn't been effected from numbers a couple of years ago.
The realist
2/16/2009