2012 Georgia Tourism Guide features Lady Antebellum, travel ideas for visitors

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By Leon Stafford

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The state of Georgia has released its 2012 travel guide, featuring Grammy Award-winning country group Lady Antebellum on its cover.

Georgia Travel Guide, Georgia Department of Economic D The 2012 Georgia Travel Guide features country group Lady Antebellum on the cover.

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Lady Antebellum performs at Aaron's Amphitheatre in Atlanta in May 2010. The band is featured on the latest Georgia travel guide.

Robb Cohen, www.robbsphotos.com Lady Antebellum performs at Aaron's Amphitheatre in Atlanta in May 2010. The band is featured on the latest Georgia travel guide.

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About 750,000 guides, which provide information on Georgia’s tourism assets including trip ideas, attractions, accommodations and events, will be available at the state's 11 Visitor Information Centers, the Georgia Department of Economic Development said.

Gov. Nathan Deal unveiled the travel guide Tuesday at the annual Tourism & Hospitality Day at the state Capitol, calling the tourism industry a huge economic driver in Georgia.

“The more than 391,000 Georgians employed by the industry are an integral part of Georgia’s economy,” Deal said.

The state collected about $1.2 billion in tax revenue from tourism-related expenditures in 2010, the most recently available numbers, the economic development department said. Domestic and international visitors upped their spending in Georgia 8.3 percent in 2010 over the previous year to $21 billion.

The state was the nation's fourth fastest-growing destination for international travelers that year, increasing 19 percent, the government agency said.