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AJC.com > Legislature > Georgia Beat > Archives > 2005 > February > 15 > Entry
Tourism would get boost from Senate bill
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Georgia’s tourism industry soon may get a boost from a measure on the fast track through the General Assembly.
By a vote of 48-0, the state Senate approved a bill Tuesday that would create a statewide tourism marketing initiative to promote the Peach State’s heritage and culture.
Senate Bill 125 now heads to the state House.
The measure, introduced by Sen. Jeff Mullis (R-Chickamauga), would establish a Georgia Tourism Foundation to solicit and accept donations for the statewide marketing plan. The bill also would put the state’s Golf, Aviation, Music and Sports halls of fames under the Economic Development Department.
“This bill brings them under one umbrella for marketing so we can get the biggest bang for our buck,� Mullis said.
In 2003, the state made $25 billion from tourism, an amount second only to the agriculture industry. The state’s tourism program spent $1.1 million in advertising that year and slightly more than $2 million in 2004 —- the smallest amount of any Southeastern state, according to officials with the Economic Development Department. In contrast, Florida spent about $60 million to attract tourists, Mullis said.
Senate Minority Leader Robert Brown (D-Macon) praised the bill and urged his colleagues to support it. He said the measure would help market the Halls of Fame and perhaps, help them turn a profit. He also said the bill could create jobs and benefit rural Georgia as well as the rest of the state.
“It is a good move to begin to market our state more aggressively with our tourism options,� Brown said.
Mullis’ bill is the result of recommendations from Gov. Sonny Perdue’s Commission for a New Georgia, a nonprofit corporation chartered to improve state operations in tourism, administrative services and public finance.
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