NORTHEAST MOUNTAINS Cheryl Smith Regional Tourism Representative TRAVEL REGION GA Dept of Economic Development Office: 770-535-5757 ~ Cell: 678-640-4355 November 2012 Tourism Update [email protected]

I send a weekly email tourism update. If you would like to get these updates, contact me. The following are the weekly updates for the month of September.

October 29- November 2 November 5-9 November 12-23 November 26-30

November 26-30

 Tourism Division News o Georgia Travel Guide o GA VIC After Hours Promotional Opportunity o New Staff at the Georgia Tourism Division  Workshops, Requests, Marketing Opportunities, etc. o Surveys, Industry, Marketing & Travel Trends o Job Opportunities  Regional News  Articles/Videos

Tourism Division News • Georgia Travel Guides - We have started giving away the signed travel guides at the VICs. FYI - below are the dates when the guides will be awarded at each VIC. 11/23: Lavonia & Ringgold 11/30: Augusta 12/1: Kingsland 12/7: Columbus 12/8: Savannah 12/14: Valdosta 12/15: Tallapoosa 12/22: West Point

 Georgia Visitor Information Center at Lavonia: AFTER HOURS PROMOTION: For $25.00 a month, you can place your hotel special rate coupon in the visitor center. The holiday traffic is upon us, so don’t miss out. Email Shawnta Beasley at [email protected], or call her at 706-356-4019 or come by the LAVONIA VISITOR CENTER, 938 COUNTY RD 84, LAVONIA, GA 30553.

 New Staff Members at the Georgia Tourism Division: o New Assistant Director of Product Development - We are pleased to announce that Cindy Eidson will be joining the Tourism division on Monday December 3rd in the role of Assistant Director of Tourism Product Development. Cindy has over 16 years of experience in State Government. Cindy comes to us from the Department of Community Affairs where she worked in the Office of Downtown Development. Cindy’s extensive experience in community and downtown development along with the many relationships she created at the local government level provide her the ability to hit the ground running in her new position. Literally, on her first day she will be on a tourism resource team in south Georgia. She will be located on the 13th floor next to my office. You can reach Cindy by e-mail at [email protected] or by phone at 404-962-4844. o We are pleased to announce that Cindy Eidson will be joining the GDEcD Tourism division on Monday December 3rd in the role of Assistant Director of Tourism Product Development. Cindy comes to us from the Department of Community Affairs where she worked in the Office of Downtown Development. You can reach Cindy by e-mail at [email protected] or by phone at 404-962-4844. o We are pleased to announce that Priti Shah will be the tourism division’s new Domestic Tourism Business Development Manager. Priti is originally from and is also a graduate of Georgia State University. She began her career working with the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau and for the past four years she has worked for New York & Company, New York City’s official tourism and marketing organization. She brings many years of experience working with the travel industry both domestically and internationally. Her email is [email protected].

 Click here (http://viewer.epaperflip.com/Viewer.aspx?docid=1380f1e9-1f00-4159-ad0e-a11600e7baf5) to view the GA Department of Economic Development's Year in Review! We expect to have a limited number of printed versions later in the month.

Workshops, Requests, Marketing Opportunities, etc.  Surveys, Industry, Marketing & Travel Trends o Mobile devices' popularity increases for travel bookings - The rapid adoption of iPads and other tablets is speeding up the growth in travel bookings on mobile devices. According to a report by Expedia Media Solutions, 61 percent of tablet owners made a travel purchase on their device in the first half of the year. Nearly half (48 percent) have used a tablet or smartphone to plan their trip this year so far. Deals and promotions (64 percent), photos (55 percent) and recommendations (38 percent) were the favorite types of content. o Millenials plan more winter travel than older travelers - Millennials (travelers under age 35) plan to travel more days for leisure purposes this winter compared to older travelers, according to research by D.K. Shifflett & Associates in its "Winter Intentions 2012" report. While most Americans will be traveling the same amount compared to last winter, Millennials demonstrated a little more optimism with almost one in five planning to travel more days compared to last winter. Analysts note that this group appear to be the best target for marketers hoping to increase leisure visitation to their destinations, hotels, and attractions. o Modest surge in holiday spending expected - Americans will spend 12 percent more on holiday travel, according to the fourth annual Allianz Travel Insurance Vacation Confidence Index. Following cautious holiday-travel spending last year, this year's spending is on the rebound with Americans set to spend $72.9 billion, a $7.7 billion increase from 2011. According to the survey, nearly 56 percent of Americans are confident that they will take a holiday trip this year, with more saying that they are "very confident" (45 percent this year versus 42 percent last year). Those who are likely to travel are budgeting to spend $1,116 on average, a significant increase from last year's travelers who budgeted $980 for holiday travel. For the fourth year in a row, travel by car continues to be the top mode of transportation for holiday trips, weighing in at 59 percent. Twenty-six percent say that their biggest travel annoyance is a GPS/navigation system that fails or provides outdated directions.  Job Opportunities: o North Georgia Canopy Tours™ Georgia’s Ultimate Zip Line is accepting applications for eco-guides to lead tours through the treetops. Must be at least 18 years of age, comfortable working at heights and available for a full week of training in early 2013. If you enjoy the outdoors and are comfortable speaking to groups, please complete an application available on-line at www.northgeorgiacanopytours.com. No calls please. o Part-time opening for CVB Information Coordinator. We're seeking someone who knows and loves Athens and can accurately and effectively communicate information through website entries, in person, and over the phone. What a great opportunity for someone looking to work part-time while the kids are in school, or for someone not ready to retire completely. Good computer skills are a must. The complete job posting is now online at www.visitathensga.com/about-us/cvb-jobs-internships/. Résumé and cover letter should be sent as soon as possible to Hannah Smith, at [email protected]. No phone calls, please

Regional News  Channel 11 did a news story -Georgia Wine: Who'd have thunk it? http://www.11alive.com/news/article/264944/40/Georgia-Wine-Whod-have-thunk-it  USA TODAY Article: Appalachian Trail could stretch to Gulf of Mexico http://usat.ly/ZSBpx5

Articles/Videos  Not Everyone Has the Context You Do

November 12-23

 Tourism Division News o Georgia Phoenix Award o Tourism News o VIC Request o Marketing Opportunity at the Augusta VIC o Marketing Opportunities at the Lavonia VIC o New www.ExploreGeorgia.org Admin Contact  Workshops, Requests, Marketing Opportunities, etc. o Considerations for Agritainment Enterprise for Georgia o Look for Tourism Job Prospects on STS Website o Winery for Sale o Farm to Table Workshop o Flavor of Georgia Food Product Contest o Media Request  Regional News o New Harmonies is coming to Toccoa  Articles/Videos

Tourism Division News  The Georgia Tourism Division won the Public Affairs PRSA (Public Relations Society of America) Georgia Phoenix Award for ‘The South with a Twist’ road trip. We also received a certificate for the Communications- Government Award category for ‘The South with a Twist.’ Gana Ahn and Mark Dvorak from Golin Harris submitted the nomination to PRSA. Beda accepted the award (see attached) on our behalf on Thursday evening at the Phoenix Awards event in Atlanta. A big Thank You to everyone who was involved in the Mountains road trip wouldn’t have happened without the support and involvement of you, our tourism partners.  Tourism News – If you have news or a press release, please make sure Stefanie Paupeck is on your email list. She will see if it works to post on the state’s tourism Facebook, Twitter or Pinterest (if you send really good pictures) pages. Her email is [email protected].  VIC Request - Several times within the last few weeks, we have called properties that in the Georgia Travel Guide that say they are “pet friendly” but actually won’t accept pets. We are seeing more people traveling with pets lately so the information has become important. If you could ask partners to check this when updating their listing on www.ExploreGeorgia.org on for the Georgia Travel Guide lodging matrix, it would be most helpful and appreciated!  Marketing Opportunity at the Georgia Visitor Information Centers: Greet your visitors at Georgia’s front door! Georgia’s visitor information centers (VICs) are the first points of contact for more than 12 million visitors each year. Our 11 centers provide a variety of ways to connect with visitors as they travel through the state. Take advantage of opportunities for brochure distribution, special promotions and lodging reservations. Raise your visibility among the traveling public, and extend the reach of your marketing dollars! o Augusta VIC – There are 4 huge dimensional display cases in the lobby that are changed out every two months. For 2013 they have several openings and wanted to let our tourism partners know in case they were interested. Below are the months that they have open. There is a charge now for displaying in the cases. It is $100 a month. If anyone has any questions or would like to see examples of how folks have used the display cases, please feel free to give Keri Ogletree a call at 706-737-1446. . January/February 2013 . July/August . September/October o Lavonia VIC - (See attached document) - As you will see on the attachment, there are several promotional opportunities at the center including rack card promotions, On-Site promotions, and advertising space. Contact Julie Fleming at 706-356-4019 if you have questions or would like pictures of how tourism partners have used the display cases.  New www.ExploreGeorgia.org Admin Contact - As of today, we are now in the process what we care calling lock down on the site. What this means, Miles Media will be migrating our data to the new platform. In order to cut down confusion, Vickie Sanders will now begin the process of being the point of contact for all partners. A message will be posted to contact her with any issues. This will be posted on the PartnerAdmin Login Page. All listing update messages will now go to her, not to the Tourism Project Manager. They will have viewing rights only. Since the old site will continue live, Vickie will be approving all the listings, it will help her keep up with anything new that needs to be added to the new site, once it becomes available for her to do edits. Her contact info: Vickie Sanders, Interactive Project Manager – Marketing (404-962-4062 & [email protected])

Workshops, Requests, Marketing Opportunities, etc.  Considering a new agritourism venture in Georgia? Here is helpful information from the ’s Center for Agribusiness and Economic Development, College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. Download the 47 page document, or read it here: Considerations for Agritainment Enterprise for Georgia  Look for Tourism Job Prospects on STS Website – The Asheville CVB is looking for a sports sales manager, and the Selma-Dallas County Chamber and Tourism Board seeks a tourism director. These and other tourism industry job opening are on the STS website. Click here to check them out.  Winery for Sale - After opening and establishing Warm Springs Winery, with very large sales growth this year, the owner has announced that he will sell this winery as a turnkey operation. Strong growth, established customer base and continued growth in a historic tourist city to people from all over the U.S. and overseas make this a good opportunity for someone to realize his/her dream of owning a winery or make a great expansion for an existing winery, that, after only 1 ½ years, should post a profit in 2012. Contact Ed Rocereta, owner and winemaker, at (404) 558-1499.  Farm to Table Workshop in Toccoa December 4th - Join UGA Center for Agribusiness and Economic Development and the Center of Innovation for Agribusiness to learn about creating value-added food products and getting your product to market. Hear from experts from the University of Georgia, Small Business Development Center, past Flavor of Georgia winners, and other organizations that will share selling points and techniques tailored for your food product. Attendees will leave this event with valuable knowledge and concrete information that will help create, manufacture, market, and sell your product successfully. Farm to Fork: Making the Connection - December 4 - Toccoa, Georgia - Register now at http://tiny.cc/FarmToForkToccoa.  Flavor of Georgia Food Product Contest - The UGA Center for Agribusiness and Economic Development sponsors this annual contest, designed to help Georgia-based food entrepreneurs showcase their products. Contestants may submit as many products as they like. The categories are: barbecue and hot sauces; jams, jellies and sauces; confections; meat products; dairy products and snack foods. Registration is open and runs through Feb. 8, 2013. Finalists will be invited to take part in a final judging on March 11, 2013 and a public tasting on March 12 at Ag Awareness Day in Georgia event, when the winners will also be announced. For more information about the contest, including registration information, visit www.flavorofgeorgia.caes.uga.ed or call 706-583-0347.  Media Request – Subject: National Trails -- Pacific Crest, The AT, etc.... Writer: Rob Richardson [email protected] Media Outlet: Offgridsurvival.com Deadline: 11:00 PM EST - 29 November Query: Looking for people who have successfully hiked one of all of these trails. Looking to hear your story, hear tips that can help other people who want to hike these trails, and any other information you would like to share about the National Trails

Regional News  New Harmonies is coming to Toccoa in December - Please check out the following link about 5 musical shows that our local radio station, WNEG, and NH committee members Phil Hobbs and Derrick Demmler created for a large radio audience in our part of Northeast Georgia. The shows ran for 5 weeks and was very successful with lots of Toccoa and Georgia musical history, also great PR for the NH exhibit heading our way next month! Each program has generated a lot of interest in our listening audience. http://newharmoniestoccoa.podbean.com/  Article on the Moonshine Distillery in Dawsonville: www.ajc.com/ap/ap/alcohol/moonshine-makers-set-up- shop-in-ga-city-hall/nS8nd/  Babyland General Hospital is now on fiber optics and will be live streaming their website www.cabbagepatchkids.com  North Georgia Canopy Tours was included in AJC’s Southeast travel calendar. The article is featured on AJC.com. http://www.ajc.com/news/travel/southeast-travel-calendar/nS8H3/  Good Day Atlanta highlighted Vogel State Park www.myfoxatlanta.com/story/20143799/vogel-state-park-offers- trip-into-the-past  The Appalachian Trail Conservancy (ATC), along with the Georgia Appalachian Trail Club (GATC) and the city of Helen, invites the public to attend the official designation of White County/Helen, Georgia as the newest Appalachian Trail Community™ on November 30, 2012 at 11:00a.m. The ceremony will be held at the Bandshell Amphitheater located 100 feet north of the near Hwy 17/75 in downtown Helen, Georgia. This event is free and open to the public. o http://appalachiantrail.com/content/attractions/appalachian-trail-communities/helen-ga-an-appalachian- trail-community/ o http://lakelanier.com/content/2012/11/helen-ga-an-appalachian-trail-community/

Articles/Videos  Is advertising now absolutely necessary for Facebook brand success?  Why right click is wrong: proper use of online photos and images  4 ways to connect with travel bloggers besides pitching them with email  Facebook Is Testing Threaded and Ranked Comments on Pages

November 5-9

 Tourism Division News o Georgia Traveler o Update your listing(s) on ExploreGeorgia.org o 2013 Georgia Travel Guide Update o Tourism & Hospitality Day at the Capitol  Workshops, Requests, Marketing Opportunities, etc. o Three Sisters Vineyards now Accepting Resumes for the 2013 Season o Save the Date: Weekend for Rivers o Getaways for Grownups o Media Requests  Regional News  Articles/Videos

Tourism Division News

 Georgia Traveler Serves Up Adventure In Blairsville (Premieres Sunday, November 11, 7 PM) – They travel to Blairsville to see the Misty Mountain Model Railroad - the largest home-based model train railroad in the world. Created by Charles Griffin, this magical display took two years of planning, seven years of construction and the creative genius of Griffin’s fellow train enthusiasts. From Gainesville to Atlanta and everything in between, these mini locomotives peruse the towns and tunnels of North Georgia.

 This is a good time of year to go on to your ExploreGeorgia.org admin account and update your listing(s) – Attractions, Events & Special Offers. Let me know if you need help or have questions on how to do this.

 2013 Georgia Travel Guide Update – We have been working on the Georgia Travel Guide for 2013. We’ve proofed the Features, the Regional Intros, the Attractions Listings and now are working on the lodging matrix.

 Mark you calendar: Tourism & Hospitality Day at the Capitol will be January 29, 2013 www.gacvb.com/home/tourism-hospitality-day-at-the-capitol

Workshops, Requests, Marketing Opportunities, etc.

 Three Sisters Vineyards now Accepting Resumes for the 2013 Season - Full Time - Part Time. Primarily end of the week and weekends. Applicant must be 21 or older for employment. Three Sisters is accepting resumes for Tasting Room Associates, Cashiers, Sales and Private Event Management. Positive upbeat professional personality required. Candidates must love wine and food and also be willing to learn about our products and services and be able to answer questions for our customers. Brand training program offered to all hires. Only team players need apply. Must Have Valid Drivers License. Must be able to lift up to 50 pounds. Bar tending and hospitality experience a plus. Three Sisters' season begins Ground Hog Day and continues until Christmas. EMAIL YOUR RESUMES to Doug Paul - [email protected]. Please mark the subject as "2013 Job App" to ensure we see it. Three Sisters Vineyards is located in Dahlonega, Georgia. www.ThreeSistersVineyards.com

 Save the Date: Weekend for Rivers - Join Georgia River Network on April 6-7, 2013 for Weekend for Rivers, our annual Conference and River Celebration! The 2-day storytelling, partying and paddling event will be held at the Chattahoochee Nature Center in Roswell, Georgia. Weekend for Rivers gives us all a chance each year to get together and celebrate Georgia’s unique, beautiful rivers as a community of aficionados and advocates. Saturday, April 6th will be a day of inspiration, education and connections with folks who are as passionate about Georgia’s rivers as you are. The day will include a series of short presentations and interactive forums that will paint a broad picture of the state of Georgia’s rivers and the people who work every day to protect and honor them, and this year we’re including a track focused on river issues and policies as well. We have issued a call for proposals, so start thinking about something you’d like to share. We’d love to include you in our presenters at next year’s Weekend for Rivers. Click here to submit your proposal by December 15, 2012.

 GETAWAYS FOR GROWNUPS - New Online Magazine Reaches Out to Underserved Niche: Adults Traveling Without Children: Getaways for Grownups is a new eMagazine written by professional writers for adults seeking travel options that specifically do not include children or teens. It was created by seasoned travel writers Hope S. Philbrick, of Atlanta, Georgia, and Julia M. Bayly, of Fort Kent, Maine. There are hundreds of websites devoted to family travel. Our goal is different. We will scout the earth for places to go and things to do that are adult oriented. Not kinky. Just grownup. Each issue showcases adult-oriented vacations, such as cycling through the Tuscan wine country, sipping wines in the Finger Lakes region of New York, cruising down the Yukon River, driving the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, or relaxing at a luxurious Scandinavian spa. Editorial subjects are geared to be timeless more than trendy, international in scope, cover a range of interests, and accompanied by compelling photos. Common travel themes featured include luxury, culinary, adventure, outdoor, “green,” road trips, and culture. Departments include Back-Country Hikes; Breweries, Wineries & Distilleries; Food & Drink; Hotels & Resorts; Roadside Finds; Road-Tested Travel Gear; Walking & Bicycling Tours; and Who’s Who. Getaways for Grownups readers are age 21 and older. They are financially secure and may be single or married, gay or straight, parents or not, English-language readers living anywhere in the world. Most readers have valid passports. “We believe it's perfectly OK for parents to take time for themselves—in fact, we have happy childhood memories of time spent with grandparents and other trusted adults while our parents went on their own vacation,” said Philbrick. “Everybody wins.” Getaways for Grownups is published online and is ready to read anytime, anywhere: www.GetawaysForGrownups.com. Find us on Facebook: www.facebook.com/GetawaysForGrownups and follow us on Twitter: @21plusTravel

 Media Requests Story: Challenges in the Vacation Rental business Name: Geordie Wardman Hotel Chatter [email protected] Media Outlet: Hotel Chatter Deadline: 7:00 PM EST - 15 November Query: I'm looking for stories that show how small to medium sized Real Estate companies, especially those that have Vacation Rental departments handle things like outsourcing House Keeping, after hours maintenance, getting guests to leave Trip Advisor reviews, managing those Trip Advisor reviews. Mostly, I'm interested in hearing some of the biggest challenges facing the Vacation Rental business these days? Requirements: Real Estate Vacation Rental management Short Term Vacation Rentals

Regional News

 The Lake Lanier CVB has been awarded the Southeast Tourism Society Shining Example Award for Internet Excellence in 2012. Theirs was one of 15 awards STS presented at its Fall Forum in Virginia Beach, Va., on Nov. 1. Industry leaders from 12 southern states gathered for a two day educational conference culminating with the black tie awards event on Thursday, November 1st.  Update from Joe Whitaker at the Hotel in Gainesville: I enjoyed the Georgia Traveler last night. Some of it was about the Piedmont Museum. Our visitations should increase due to the showing of this on Georgia Traveler. We have had an increase in visitations this year both local, out of state and from foreign countries. We are in a fun raising mode at present as we would like to pay off our loan.  Local Kinetic Sculptor, Al Garnto, recently installed "Wind Sculpture Weathervane" at the new Union County Community Center overlooking Butternut Creek Golf Course. This custom design is made of steel and aluminum and is put into motion with the most gentile of a breeze. The spinners are precision balanced and can with stand winds up to 100 mph. " Wind Sculpture Weathervane" took over 3 years to prefect and has become his most sought after sculpture thus far. Additional kinetic sculptures from Al Garnto can be observed at Meeks Park as part of his Appalachian Sculpture Project. www.youtube.com/watch?v=IFrajxs_wmk&feature=plcp  Sylvan Valley Lodge has a new website. Looks great! http://sylvanvalleylodge.com/  Congratulations go to Jay Markwalter, Tourism Director for being included as one of the 40 For The Future Inaugural Class by the Southeast Tourism Society!  Did you know that Ghost Hunters were checking out the ghost in the Historic Banks County Courthouse?

Articles/Videos

 Is Facebook Now Pay To Play?

October 29- November 2

 Tourism Division News o Smith Travel Data o Tourism Product Agreement (Tip) o WDUN Tourism Segment  Workshops, Requests, Marketing Opportunities, etc. o Georgia Golf Seminar o Georgia Grown (GA Dept of Agriculture) o Food Trends o Southern Living’s Beauty: Inside & Out Contest o Farm to Fork Workshop o Job Announcement  Regional News  Articles/Videos

Tourism Division News  Smith Travel Data for September – Contact Nerissa Serrano at [email protected] with any questions.

September • Hotel/motel occupancy increased 0.7% statewide in September 2012 • 2012 room rates (ADR) in Georgia were up 1% • Statewide, RevPAR was up 1.6% • Georgia room revenues increased 1.3% in September 2012 • Room Demand increased 0.3% in the state from September 2011 • Room Supply was down-0.3%

YTD • Hotel/motel occupancy is up 1.7% YTD • YTD room rates (ADR) in Georgia are up 2.7% • Statewide, RevPAR is up 4.5% year-to-date. • Georgia room revenues are up 3.6% • Room Demand is up 0.8% in the state • Room Supply is down -0.9% in the state

 Tourism Product Agreement (Tip) In trying to determine the nature and intent of our Agreement program and its competitiveness, your application needs to be clear, concise and compelling. You can do this by doing the following exercise: Imagine if you represented your community and you were standing in line with 80-90 other community representatives; when it comes your turn to ask for your money, how compelling is your project/story and does it: 1. Create or sustain jobs in tourism or hospitality; 2. Create greater visitation to a site, attraction or an event; 3. Enhance the visitor’s experience to the site, attraction or event? 4. And, the project must be completed by June 2013. If it doesn’t then this is not the right grant program for their project. It doesn’t mean it may not be a good project it’s just not a fit for our Tourism Arts Agreement.

 WDUN Tourism Segment Each week I do a segment on events coming up the next weekend. I look at the listings on www.ExploreGeorgia.org. So if you don’t post your events, I encourage you to post your events so I might include it.

Workshops, Requests, Marketing Opportunities, etc.  Georgia Golf – Seminars of Discovery – November 8&9, 2012 at Callaway Gardens Participate in two days of presentations by golf professionals and specialists in exploring recent trends and issues affecting golf in Georgia. Join in on interactive discussions as we seek a new approach to enhance our golf facilities and promote the game to both in-state, domestic and international visitors. Be a part of the collaboration to increase the awareness of Georgia as a golf destination whereby we aim to increase the demand for accommodations; food service; and other ancillary golf activities within our state.

Workshops are designed for:  Local government officials  Golf course managers  Recreation specialists  Golf course owners - both governmental and private organizations that are in need of improved management and marketing basics  Destination Marketing Organizations

Registration Fee: $100. Click here to reserve a space. (Subject Line: SAVE MY SPACE) – Sponsored by Callaway Gardens, Georgia Tourism Division, Georgia Golf & Travel

 Georgia Grown (GA Dept of Agriculture) You can list community/private farmer’s markets, roadside markets, farms, wineries, etc. on www.GeorgiaGrown.org. There is no cost do this, but you can upgrade your membership for a fee and get additional special benefits. For more information on this program and with any agri-tourism questions, contact Cynthia Norton at 404-656-5901, 404-295-2159 or [email protected].

 The following articles show some interesting food trends! o Food trends report for 2013: Pickling gets hip, food trucks are old news - Atlanta Business Chronicle www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/morning_call/2012/10/food-trends-report-pickling-gets- hip.html?ana=e_atl_rdup&s=newsletter&ed=2012-10-23 o People will want to eat "smaller" in 2013 - USA Today www.usatoday.com/story/money/business/2012/10/22/locally-grown-food-trends-culinary- visions/1644657/  Southern Living’s Beauty: Inside & Out contest!. Do you have a friend or family member who embodies the iconic Southern woman? Nominate her for Southern Living’s Beauty: Inside & Out contest! http://usscpromotions.com/southernliving/olay60/

 Farm to Fork Workshop December 4, 2012 from 8 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. at North Georgia Technical College, Currahee Campus 8989 Highway 17 South Toccoa, GA 30577 This workshop is designed to help individuals and businesses with developing their food products to increase produce marketability and sales. Topics include business planning and financing, legal and regulatory issues, quality and food safety concerns, formulation and packaging, food defense plans, and distribution and sales. The registration fee is $39 and spaces are limited. Each participant will receive a personalized scorecard detailing their business development progress. For more information, contact Sarah Cook at 229-391-6882 or [email protected]. Register now at http://tiny.cc/FarmToForkToccoa

®  Job Announcement: Georgia Civil War Heritage Trails , is looking for an Advertising Sales Associate. Job Objective: To solicit and sell advertising to “heritage tourism” related entities for popular website (www.CivilWarHeritageTrails.org) and electronic newsletter. Coordinate activities with Webmaster and others to achieve customer satisfaction and revenue growth.

Responsibilities:  Develop new and/or expand existing advertising sales accounts with heritage tourism related entities in Georgia and other states, utilizing telephone, electronic mail and other contact methods.  Demonstrate enthusiastic telephone sales presentation skills.  Formulate and execute sales strategy in coordination with the Webmaster and Executive Director.  Present advertising proposals to customers and prospective customers.  Understand and be able to clearly explain to customers and prospective customers all pricing, related advertising sales information, the corporation’s overall program and its current status.  Communicate effectively with all customers, prospective customers, staff, trustees and others.  Consults with and recommends to customers and prospective customers the various available advertising options. Assist customers and Webmaster with all needed paperwork.  Maintain detailed records of all prospecting activities including calls, presentations, closed sales and follow-up activities.  Adhere to all corporate policies, procedures and accepted business practices, maintaining absolute professionalism and a “customer first” attitude at all times.

Job Specifications:  2 to 5 years of experience in advertising sales, preferably in a tourism-related environment.  Enthusiastic, motivated, team and customer oriented professional.  Proven ability to meet challenging sales goals.

For more information or to send resume: Steve Longcrier at [email protected] - Post Office Box 1864, Evans, Georgia 30809 - 706-868-8403

Regional News  Mr. Charles Griffin of Misty Mountain Model Railroad, will be showcasing his beautiful model railroad display on Public Broadcasting Television. Make sure you set your DVR's or tune into PBS/Georgia Traveler on Sunday, November 11 at 6:30pm and Saturday, November 17 at 7:00pm.

 The Lake Lanier CVB has been nominated for the 2012 Shining Example Award for Internet Excellence. STS's Shining Example Awards are selected annually from tourism marketing agencies within the organization's twelve state service area.

 The Southern Highroads Trails has launched its first newsletter: http://southernhighroads.org/uploads/files/SHR_tales_nov_12.pdf  The Cox Family Enterprise Center at Kennesaw State University is pleased to announce that Gillsville’s own, Hewell’s Pottery is the Cox Center winner of the Georgia Family Business of the Year Award. This award is given to a family business operating for over 100 years!

 The U.S. Forest Service is waiving fees at most of its day-use recreation sites over the Veterans Day holiday weekend, Nov. 10-12. The fee waivers - the fourth this year - are offered in cooperation with other federal agencies under the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act. In the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests, recreation areas participating in the fee waiver will indicate this at the fee stations. Concessionaire operated day- use sites may or may not be included in the waiver. Forest visitors may check with their local Forest Service office to find out in advance whether waivers will exist at specific sites. · Blue Ridge District Office, Blairsville, Ga. - 706-745-6928 District Office, Lakemont, Ga. - 706 754-6221 Visitor Center and Anna Ruby Falls Recreation Area, which are operated by the Cradle of Forestry, will admit veterans and their immediate family members free of charge on Monday, November 12. Additional information about the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forests is available on the web at www.fs.usda.gov/conf.

 Best Wishes to both Bonnie Johnson and Sherry Ward who have both decided to retire. They have been overseeing the Banks County CVB for the past 20 years. Have fun and we will sincerely miss you!

 Blogger Robert Sutherland has been busy! o http://lakelanier.com/content/2012/10/stalk-your-family-at-uncle-shucks-corn-maze/ o AppalachianTrail.com: http://appalachiantrail.com/content/20121030/forest-service-fees-waived-for- veterans-day/ o Lake Allatoona Blog: http://lakeallatoona.com/201230/forest-service-fees-waived-on-veterans-day- weekend/ o http://lakelanier.com/content/2012/10/take-the-high-road-to-stone-mtn-highland-games/ o http://lakelanier.com/content/2012/10/mule-camp-market-festival/

 Georgia Traveler will highlight Gainesville. What significance do chickens and rabbits play in Gainesville? We explore its unique history and how it became known as the poultry capital of the world. Before poultry became big business, there was a time when Gainesville’s northeastern neighbor was a hamlet named Rabbittown. Rabbits were raised to sell but were displaced by poultry. A 20 foot tall bunny monument was built in 1993 just off the old Cornelia highway in remembrance of the old days. Georgia Traveler premieres Sunday, November 4 at 7 PM with an encore presentation Saturday, November 10 at 6:30 PM.

 The renovations of the lobby The Schaefer Center in Toccoa have begun. A concession stand and lighting are being installed. The auditorium has also been painted this week. A new HVAC system was installed and was funded by an USDA Grant. We continue to be on track for the Smithsonian New Harmonies exhibit Gala Premiere scheduled for December 7, 2012.

 This year 24 farms received Centennial Family Farm awards and one received a Centennial Heritage Farm award at the 19th annual awards ceremony held at the and Agricenter in Perry on October 5, 2012. The Centennial Farm program recognizes the importance of family farms in Georgia and honors farms that have remained in the same family for a hundred years or more. Since 1993 when the program began, the program has recognized 426 farms. Northeast Georgia farms include:  The Echols Jaemor Farm in Hall County began with the purchase of 74 acres in 1912 by T. D. Echols. By 1930, a small roadside fruit stand was built alongside U.S. Highway 23. Today, the farm grows peaches and vegetables and includes one of the largest farm markets in the southeastern United States.  The Boring and Brooks Estate in Banks County, which raises hogs and poultry.

Articles/Videos  Social Media and Social Networking: Know the Difference  Facebook Allows Users to Sign Up for Page Notifications  That's Very Pinteresting  Pinterest New Verification process is Good for Brands  www.tripinfo.com/ITM/Articles2012/ITM5266.html  Surveys, Industry, Marketing & Travel Trends o USA Today: Hotels encourage travelers to exercise outdoors - In a TripAdvisor survey of more than 1,400 U.S. travelers this year, 87 percent said walking is their primary exercise while traveling. Another 35 percent said they liked hiking, and 16 percent said they prefer biking. In a bid to win those travelers, hotels are starting to give them exercise options beyond the fitness center. Many now offer walking tours and free bikes. Some have built outdoor areas for walking or running. Plus, many hotels are getting better at taking advantage of their surroundings. o Expedia: Chinese visiting U.S. prefer economy, midscale hotels - According to new data from Expedia on Chinese travelers to the U.S., 75 percent are staying at 1-star to 3-star hotels and paying an average ADR of $144. They have a booking window that is nearly 40 percent longer than domestic U.S. travelers, with a hotel stay that is nearly 30 percent longer, on average. Approximately 1.1 million Chinese tourists visited the US in 2011 and collectively spent $7.7 billion during travel. Cities boasting major leisure attractions are the most popular with Chinese travelers, as the top five destinations for Chinese travelers are Las Vegas, Los Angeles, New York City, San Francisco and Oahu, Hawaii. Nearly 25,000 visitors from China and Hong Kong traveled to in 2011, with an average spending of $737 per visitor. o Technomic: Consumers open to exploring new restaurant technologies - A majority of consumers expect to use technology to order food at restaurants more often in the coming year. Just 3 percent expect to use it less than they currently do, signaling opportunity for operators who haven't already integrated the latest technologies into their business. Trending in the early stages of foodservice tech usage, consumers express the most interest in tableside touchscreen devices that enable them to self- order and pay, iPad/tablet menus and digital rewards tied to loyalty programs. Noteworthy discoveries from the recent Technomic survey include: Technologies related to ordering, coupons or special offers sent via email or text message have the highest usage rates. Nearly three-fifths (58 percent) of panelists say they use these at least once a month.