Scenic tours in Atlanta not as robust as other cities

But the city, which has worked hard for six years to position itself as a destination after the opening of the Georgia Aquarium, does not have the trolleys, double-decker buses or boats of Washington, D.C., Chicago, Hollywood, New York -- even Savannah and Charleston.

Heywood Sanders, a professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio, said that's because many of Atlanta's attractions are separated by great distances such as Atlanta History Museum, or are isolated, such as Rhodes Hall, making the business argument that there is a need to service them difficult.

"That has been a problem that has been pervasive for Atlanta," he said, adding that the city has considered solutions that never gained traction, such as trains to Stone Mountain and trolleys up and down Peachtree Street.

Tim Calkins, professor at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management and a branding expert, agreed. He calls it a chicken-and-egg scenario, where an entrepreneur wonders if it's better to create the business first to create the demand, or wait for the demand and then create the business.

"It's actually easier if there are businesses already there catering to the market so that all you have to do is to go steal some market share," he said.

If Atlanta's scenic tour landscape pales in comparison to other cities', it's not for lack of trying. Gray Line, the international tour bus company, pulled out four years ago after it had dismal business, leaders said, and a trolley that ran a loop around downtown was shuttered not long after.

William Pate, president of the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau, said the city offers tours that fit the need. Research has shown that visitors are more interested in tours that are specific and focused on particular areas of interest and less on big buses designed to give an overview. Culinary tours and history tours are some of the most requested tours in the Atlanta, he said.

"They (visitors) tend to want tours that are much more segmented to the experience that someone wants to have," Pate said. "It's not guided by the mode of transportation. It's guided by what you're going to get out of the tour."

That's what Lorri McQueary gets when conventioneers come to town. McQueary, creative director for Destination South Meetings & Events, said there are those who want garden-variety sightseeing tour of attractions, homes and gardens and history; but increasingly what visitors are seeking is something creative, like swinging between trees on a zip line, watching glass being blown or learning how to cook from a top restaurant chef.

That may be true in Atlanta, but in some outlying areas more traditional tours are still popular. Brian and Cassandra Buckalew began the Historic Marietta Trolley Company tours three years ago to capture the market of history buffs who make their way to the county every year, said Collin Cash, the operation's sales and marketing director. They cover the town square, churches, a residential district, an overview of the Kennesaw Mountain and cemeteries.

In Gwinnett, the Aurora Theatre of Lawrenceville operates a downtown ghost tour that on some weekends includes a trolley service that visits the Lawrenceville Cemetery, said Al Stilo, the theater's director of marketing and sales. Tour officials got the idea after hearing from store owners and businesspeople in the area about "strange occurrences" that happened after some of the buildings had been were redeveloped, Stilo said.

The tour has gained nationwide attendance through blogs and websites devoted to folks who are fans of ghost tours, he said.

"It's pulled its weight for several years, which means it's not just locals who are into it," he said.

Back in Atlanta, Chester, who is a graduate of Morehouse College, said there is room for every type of tour model, from large buses to golf carts. The large buses can do the volume that he can't -- right now he has four golf carts -- but he can give an intimate view of the city.

"This vehicle is unique, which is attractive to a lot of people who are looking to tour," he said. "It also helps because we drive in traffic, but no one honks their horns or get frustrated. I think they are patient because it's so odd to see this golf cart on the road."

Lafayette Galloway, 24, one of the Jacksonville residents, said the excursion was definitely different and was the best way to the city. He said he had been to Atlanta before and thought he had a pretty good idea of what the city was about. But the tour proved there was more to learn about Atlanta.

"It was very insightful," he said. "There were a lot of things I didn't know."

Here are some Atlanta-area tours:

Bicycle Tours of Atlanta, 10-mile, three-hour tours downtown and in Midtown. $49. www.biketoursatl.com, 404-273-2558

ATL-Cruzers, 1 1/4-hour tour through downtown and Midtown, $25 adults, $10 for children 12 and under, www.atlcruzers.com, 877-497-4774

Darkside Tours, city ghost tour, $15 adults, $10 children 18 and under (free for children 4 and younger), www.darksidetours.net, 404-917-9205

Atlanta Preservation Society walking tours, 90 minutes, $10 adults, $5 students and senior citizens 60 and older, www.preserveatlanta.com/walkingtours, 404-688-3350

Segway Tours of Atlanta, 90 minutes, $70, www.citysegwaytours.com,  404-588-2274

Historic Marietta Trolley Co., visits Marietta Square, cemeteries, Kennesaw Mountain Battlefield; $20 adults, $18 senior citizens and sudents, $12 children 4 to 12, free for children 3 and under, www.mariettatrolley.com, 770-425-1006

Lawrenceville Ghost Tours, $12-$15 adults, $9-$12 children,  scarystroll.auroratheater.com,  678-226-6222