ajc.com 2008 Holiday Guide

Retailers and fruitcake-makers aren't the only places that get a business boost from the holidays.

Atlanta tourist destinations like the World of Coca Cola, Atlantic Station and the Georgia Aquarium are expected to pack them in during the last days of the year — thanks largely to metro Atlantans' search for ways to entertain out-of-town visitors.

The turnout, expected to be close to half a million, provides a big uptick in receipts for the city, which typically sees a drop during the holidays in corporate travel and convention visitors — the bread and butter of the city's $11 billion tourism business.

"It gives them a real boost at this time of year, especially at a time when hotels are not flooded with convention visitors," said Lauren Jarrell, spokeswoman for the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau, the city's main organ for attracting tourist.

The World of Coca-Cola, marking its first holiday at its new digs near the Georgia Aquarium, expects to see about 100,000 visitors over the coming weeks, said spokeswoman Jacquie Wansley, retail marketing programs manager at the destination.

Visitor levels "will be like summer," she said.

The attraction, which opened in late May, has had close to 700,000 visitors so far and expects to end the year at 800,000, she said. Annual visitation is forecast at about 1.2 million.

The Georgia Aquarium expects to see about 200,000 people this month, said Meghann Gibbons, spokeswoman for the big fish tank. That is down from 300,000 during its first December in operation, but officials think that number is more manageable for visitors.

"When we first opened the building, we didn't know what was comfortable," Gibbons said. "Now we know what number works so we can make it a much more enjoyable experience."

Other big events like the Chick-fil-A Bowl at the Georia Dome bring thousands of people to the city to help fill coffers at attractions, hotels and restaurants.

Decked out with Christmas trees, miles of lights and the red and green glow of the season, the attractions also are luring visitors with displays that get them in the spirit. For instance, the World of Coke offers its holiday Coca-Cola polar bears, carollers and an 18-foot-long Toys for Tots train made of Coke bottle caps.

At Atlantic Station, the popular destination adds horse drawn carriages, a children's train that winds through the area and even a snow machine — the kind Hollywood uses in movies — that produces real snow in Central Park at 7:30 p.m. weekdays and twice on weekends.

"It's really very drought friendly snow," said Brian Leary, vice president for design and development at AIG Global Real Estate, which oversees the property.

Leary said the machine will use less than 100 gallons of water during the entire holiday season it is in operation. He added that the water does not come from Georgia.

"We found that people absolutely love it," he said. "I'm amazed that people come out with their cameras to get photos."

Still, visitors to one of downtown Atlanta's most popular free holiday attractions — the light displays at Centennial Olympic Park — will find the Olympic Rings fountain and other water features dry as a bone.

However, the small Centennial Park ice skating rink is open, using water brought in from out-of-state.