Governor Perdue Honors Tourism Leaders at Industry Conference

Annual tourism event held at Lake Lanier Islands Resort

Governor Sonny Perdue honored several of the state’s most dedicated tourism professionals at the 2009 Governor’s Conference on Tourism at Lake Lanier Islands Resort yesterday. The Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD), Georgia Association of Convention & Visitors Bureaus (GACVB) and the Tourism Development Alliance of Georgia (TDAG) hosted the joint tourism industry conference from August 31 – September 2. More than 400 tourism industry professionals from around the state attended the annual conference.

Award recipients were nominated by Georgia’s tourism industry professionals. Recipients of the 2009 tourism awards include:

The Antebellum Trail was recognized with the Paul Broun Award for Marketing Initiatives, given in memory of Senator Paul Broun of Athens. The trails seven communities joined forces to create the Antebellum Trail Pilgrimage to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the trail this spring. The Antebellum Trail features Athens, Watkinsville, Madison, Eatonton, Milledgeville, Macon and Gray/Old Clinton.

Lisa Smith, Executive Director of the Greater Rome Convention & Visitors Bureau, received the Larry Allen Award for Excellence in Tourism, given in memory of the late Larry Allen, general manager of Stone Mountain. Smith was recognized for her excellent leadership skills, community involvement and innovative thinking. Smith serves as the President of the Georgia Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus.

The Macon Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) received the Al Burris Award for Creative Expression, named after Representative Al Burris of Marietta. The Macon CVB was recognized for their creative and innovative USB Guitar Flash Drive used to attract meetings and media to Macon.

Bill Hardman, Jr., President & CEO of the Southeast Tourism Society (STS), was honored with the 2009 Lifetime Achievement Award. Hardman, Jr. has worked tirelessly to promote travel and tourism in the state of Georgia since 1969. An innovative leader and a true tourism champion, he has twice been named Georgia’s Travel Industry Leader of the Year. In 2007, he was appointed by U.S. Secretary of the Interior to serve on the National Park System Advisory Board.

Georgia State Representative Larry O’Neil was awarded the Legislative Award for his outstanding support of the tourism industry during the Legislative session. Representative O’Neil is the Chairman of the Ways & Means Committee of the Georgia House of Representatives, representing House District 146, Warner Robins. During his tenure, tax bills have been introduced that support tourism including a bill creating oversight at DCA and the Performance Review Board (HB1415) and legislation for Callaway Gardens and the hotel tax (HB1168). He was also present for the Zoos Incentive Bill (HB 129); the Civil Rights Museum (HB 349); and the Symphony Incentives bill (HB 395). He also championed the Tourism Product Development Act (HB 1129); the limited liability act to protect the state’s small agri-tourism businesses; the tax credit bill for growing Georgia’s film industry (HB 110) and numerous other pro tourism tax credits.

The Tourism Champion Awards were created in 2003 to acknowledge the support and guidance given to the state’s tourism industry by individuals and organizations who have taken leadership roles in developing tourism opportunities in communities across the state. This year’s private industry partner is Sean McGinnis and Emmis Publishing. Emmis’ publication collection has grown to include the state’s travel, golf, kids, African-American, calendar of events and foreign language guides. The partner agency award goes to the Department of Transportation for establishing Georgia’s Old Federal Highway Driving Trail, a first-class heritage tourism product. The product development award went to Martin Harmon Director of Public Relations at Roosevelt Warm Springs. Harmon is responsible for the re-location of the Smithsonian Exhibit “Whatever Happened to Polio?” from the National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C., to Warm Springs.

The Governor’s Conference on Tourism is intended to further educate members of the tourism industry about travel and tourism related issues on a national and statewide level, reinforce existing tourism development efforts and plan for future initiatives. It offers a opportunity for discussion on the challenges and opportunities faced in a changing world, an economic forecast for the industry, current travel trends, the development of a strategic plan, methods of supplementing tourism dollars and how to develop tourism products.

The 2010 Governor’s Conference on Tourism will take place August 30 – September 1 in Athens, Georgia.

The Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) is the state's sales and marketing arm, the lead agency for attracting new business investment, encouraging the expansion of existing industry and small businesses, locating new markets for Georgia products, attracting tourists to Georgia, and promoting the state as a location for film, video and music projects, as well as planning and mobilizing state resources for economic development. For more information, visit www.georgia.org.
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Georgia Aquarium Welcomes 10 Millionth Guest

(BUSINESS WIRE)--When Bernie Marcus cut the ribbon on the Georgia Aquarium in November 2005, he envisioned millions of people coming to visit and experiencing the treasures of the oceans, rivers and seas. On Thursday, June 25, the Georgia Aquarium welcomed its 10 millionth guest, setting a new attendance record for U.S. Aquariums.

“I was certain that everyone can appreciate the majesty of the earth’s oceans….everyone gets the miracle….everyone’s a little in awe,” said Aquarium benefactor Bernie Marcus. “Reaching this milestone is a reflection of that appreciation, as well as a tribute to the guest experience that is provided by our staff and volunteers.”

Marcus and Aquarium president Anthony Godfrey, along with hundreds of Aquarium staff and volunteers, welcomed Annette Kalber of Atlanta as the milestone visitor. She was visiting the Aquarium with her mother, who is visiting from Michigan, and her sister, niece and nephew, who are visiting from New Orleans. As the 10 millionth guest, Kalber received a variety of gifts from the Aquarium, including annual passes for the family, a chance to swim or dive with the whale sharks and gifts from Aquarium sponsors – AirTran Airways, The Coca-Cola Company, Georgia-Pacific, The Home Depot, SunTrust Bank, AT&T, Southern Company and Turner Broadcasting.

The Aquarium has sparked billions of dollars of economic growth in downtown Atlanta, provided Georgia residents with an incomparable world-class entertainment attraction, and enhanced the state’s tourism offerings.

“With more than 10 million visitors through its doors in just three and a half years, the Georgia Aquarium has positioned Atlanta as a leisure travel destination with world-class attractions. We congratulate the leadership of the Georgia Aquarium for their marketing vision and unprecedented success,” said William Pate, president and chief executive officer of the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau.

In addition to introducing a variety of new animals, such as manta rays, sand tiger sharks, sandbar sharks and lionfish, the Aquarium has invited guests to swim with whale sharks, spend the night in the Aquarium and take Behind the Scene tours. There have also been numerous improvements since opening, including a $13 million project in 2007 that expanded the event/ballroom space where Wolfgang Puck Catering has overseen more than 2,500 events, and upgraded the facility’s animal life support systems. An added rotating exhibit space currently features Titanic Aquatic, which brings to life the story of the ship through authentic artifacts and interactive experiences. In November 2010, the Aquarium will open an 84,000 square foot, $110 million expansion for a bottlenose dolphin exhibit, with areas that include dolphin encounters, viewing windows and dolphin shows.

“Despite today’s tough economic times, the Aquarium will continue to provide new and exciting experiences to capture the amazement and wonder of our guests, who come from around the world to see things they cannot see anywhere else, and engage and interact with our fish and animals,” added Godfrey.

The Aquarium’s new license plate was also unveiled during the celebration. More than 10,000 people voted to pick the license plate design. Marcus was presented with the first Aquarium plate in recognition of the momentous day. Proceeds from the license plate benefit the Aquarium’s conservation efforts. License plates may be purchased through the Aquarium’s Web site, www.georgiaaquarium.org.

Georgia Aquarium Fast Facts

* It’s the world’s largest aquarium by gallons of water – more than 8 million gallons (whale shark habitat alone has more than six million gallons) – and largest collection of aquatic animals, and welcomed more than 3.6 million guests in its first year.
* Georgia Aquarium opened the Dolphin Conservation Center in Marineland Florida in 2009 and funded research leading to the expansion of a protected area for whale sharks.
* Georgia Aquarium has welcomed 166,913 education participants and more than 12,000 buses.
* Since the launch of the dive and swim program in July of 2008, 5,000 people swam with the whale sharks in the Ocean Voyager exhibit.
* Approximately 660,000 guests have attended 2,600 private events.
* Since opening, Beyond the Reef gift shop has sold 107,361 Deepo plush toys, 38,162 plush sea otters and 28,633 plush penguins.
* The 4D Theater has thrilled 1,830,749 people in more than 19,627 shows since opening day.
* The opening boosted downtown revitalization efforts and enhanced tourism in Atlanta by offering residents and conventioneers incentive to visit downtown destinations.
* The Coca-Cola Company donated more than nine acres for the construction of the Aquarium.

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Cruise Industry Spending Tops $676 Million, Generates 9,147 Jobs in Georgia in 2007

PRNewswire/ -- The North American cruise industry contributed $676 million in direct spending to the state of Georgia's economy in 2007, a 1.4 percent increase over the previous year according to a recently released study commissioned for Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA).

This spending, in turn, generated 9,147 jobs paying $437 million in wage income. This represents 3.6 percent of the industry's total U.S. direct expenditures, ranking the state seventh in the nation in terms of cruise industry spending. State business sectors most impacted by the industry's direct spending included: business services and government, $327 million; manufacturing, $177 million; and information services, $63 million.

With no direct cruise operations, Georgia is a major source market for cruise passengers. Resident cruise passengers totaled 337,000, 3.7 percent of U.S. resident passengers. The state also supports the cruise industry with a wide range of goods and services.

"The cruise industry continues to make an impressive contribution to the economic well-being of the country and Georgia plays a significant role as one of the leading beneficiaries of industry spending and job creation," said Terry L. Dale, president and CEO of CLIA.

The Contribution of the North American Cruise Industry to the U.S. Economy in 2007 study was conducted by Business Research & Economic Advisors (BREA) in Exton, Pa., and analyzes the economic benefits to the U.S. economy from five principal sources: spending by cruise passengers and crew; shoreside staffing by cruise lines in U.S. cities; expenditures by cruise lines for goods and services; U.S. port services; and vessel maintenance and repair.

Among other key Georgia findings:
-- Tourism-related businesses such as tour operators, airlines, hotels,
restaurants and providers of ground transportation were the
beneficiaries of 20 percent of the cruise industry spending, receiving
$134 million.
-- Another $166 million was spent with businesses in the following
sectors: food processors, computer and electronic equipment
manufacturers, advertising agencies, insurance companies and
management and technical consultants in the non-manufacturing sector.
-- Direct expenditures in Georgia also impacted such industries as
telecommunications, financial services, software publishers and
textile and apparel manufacturers.


Nationwide, the North American cruise industry continued to have a significant and growing impact on the U.S. economy in 2007, positively affecting every state in the country. Cruise line and passenger spending generated a total of $38 billion in gross economic output, a 6.4 percent increase over 2006, and generated 354,700 American jobs paying $15.4 billion in wages and salaries. Direct spending by cruise lines, their employees and passengers totaled $18.7 billion.

The full economic study and summary can be downloaded from CLIA's Web site, www.cruising.org .

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Georgia Department of Tourism Implements OpenTravel CRM™

BUSINESS WIRE --The Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) has implemented OpenTravel CRM - CVB Edition™ for its next generation visitor relationship, marketing and automated fulfillment platform.

OpenTravel CRM™ is a web based customer relationship management (CRM) platform designed specifically for the travel industry. The CVB Edition is designed to handle the requirements of convention and tourism bureaus. In addition to full visitor profile and contact management features, it has automated brochure fulfillment, workflow automation, and integrated intelligent marketing capabilities. Developed by Travel Sciences, Inc., Georgia’s new visitor destination marketing and fulfillment CRM provides a full circle automation solution designed to enhance brochure fulfillment response and efficiency with integrated tracking and reporting.

Georgia’s new visitor CRM and fulfillment system was unveiled at Georgia’s 2008 Governor’s Tourism Conference which was held on September 10th through the 12th. The project management, installation and delivery of the system was handled by Enguage, an Atlanta based digital marketing solutions firm which provides destination tourism based marketing, consulting and advisory services to the GDEcD.

Joseph Mazzarella, President and CEO of Travel Sciences, Inc. said “OpenTravel CRM™ is a powerful CRM platform for travel centric enterprises and is being recognized as both an affordable and more capable alternative to more costly and less effective generic CRM solutions. Our solution is based on the newest web technologies and offers best of class scalability and reliability, and it is designed to easily interface with other systems through XML based web services. Best of all, it is designed for travel and this makes it a much more feature rich and relevant solution. In the case of the Georgia Tourism Department, the ability to provide on demand brochure and information fulfillment capability within a fully integrated visitor profile management system with follow-on and follow-up customer service and marketing outreach is a distinct competitive advantage.”

OpenTravel CRM is designed to seamlessly handle the complex relationships associated with travel that extend beyond direct travelers to include groups, agencies, consortia, suppliers and other important channel entities that form a sophisticated web of interaction. According to Mazzarella, “we are unaware of any CRM solution that handles the level complexity that is truly needed for the travel space and where generic CRM solutions have been deployed it has been very costly and less than satisfactory. OpenTravel CRM is a great choice for convention and visitor bureaus working on limited budgets but that require a sophisticated solution that will meet the demands of destination and visitor related communication, service delivery and marketing.”

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Georgia Selects Advanced Reservation Systems, Inc. (ARES) for Tourism Website Enhancements

PRNewswire/ -- Advanced Reservation Systems, Inc. (ARES) recently launched its reservation technology on http://www.exploregeorgia.org/. The website is the official travel and tourism portal for the State of Georgia, one of the country's top 10 destinations with more than 61 million domestic visitors annually. The technology enhancements will give the State of Georgia the ability to make and confirm reservations for hotels, attractions and services throughout the state.

"Adding reservation technology to the State of Georgia's travel website is a significant complement to the host of assistive services already available on this intelligent, informative site," said Alec House, President of ARES. The site currently contains interactive media and trip planning services that include an online travel guide, personalized messaging and membership rewards via the Georgia Dream Pass. "We are pleased to partner with ARES to add online reservations functionality to exploregeorgia.org," said Fred Huff, Director of Marketing, Georgia Department of Economic Development. "The state's official tourism website offers visitors an opportunity to discover Georgia's great destinations and get trip ideas, but now travelers will be able to book their travel needs at the same time." Georgia is ARES' second major distribution channel in the Southeast since the company launched its partnership with Washington, D.C. and represents a significant addition to a growing network of travel related sites in the region.

With one of the industry's most aggressive revenue share programs, ARES plans to return significant travel dollars back to the Georgia Department of Economic Development which can be used to reinvest in the state's economic development plans and further fund marketing initiatives that support the destination.

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Gators and Snakes, and Oh My!

It's been a few years since we had stopped to tour the Edisto Island Serpentarium on Edisto Island, South Carolina. So, on this trip, we came back for an encore visit. What a treat this place is. That is, if you are interested in learning about snakes and reptiles!

While I am not a personal fan of these slithery creatures or the prehistoric looking reptiles, I can appreciate their beauty and niche in the world.

The Edisto Island Serpentarium is a family owned operation and worth a stop. The owners truly care about the animals and teaching others about conservation in the ACE basin. If I remember correctly, their collection of alligators all have local roots. These guys are not afraid to go and catch them, or to teach others. Feeding time is interesting as the alligators see the owner with the bucket of treats and literally all line up for feeding. It's truly amazing to see how fast these guys can move when there is food involved. I do have to admit the close proximity of these guys to my family did make my tummy get a little queasy.

In addition to the alligators, there are plenty of snakes to view. Some are in some really big pits just kind of lying around. That is, I hope they are! It was surprising to realize that their snakes can also get dirty and have to have their open pits cleaned. One of the pits was closed on this particular visit until they could finish cleaning it out. No matter as there are plenty of others to see.

There is also the snake show which teaches the visitors about these creatures. Once again, I have to sit on the back row, but I always see it. As much as I am not a fan of the snakes, I do understand the need to be able to distinguish between the good and the bad boys.

The guys at the Serpentarium not only care for the animals, they also collect the venom so anti-venom can be made. Good job, mates!


There are also plenty of iguanas on display. These overgrown lizards don't hurt anyone (that I know of) and are rather prehistoric looking in their own right.

When you are in the area, take a break from the beach and spend a few hours at the Serpentarium. You'll come out knowing a little more about these animals. Perhaps, you'll even appreciate their watchful beady, oh I mean beautiful, eyes.

I'm proud to say that we came out with all of our fingers and toes intact!

Until next time,
Sandy Toes
While on Edisto

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Inaugural Tourism Product Development Grants Announced

The Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) has awarded $90,000 in tourism product development grants to 11 tourism entities across the state. The Tourism Division, through the new Tourism Product Development Grant program, seeks to financially support tourism development activities at the local level in both urban and rural areas.

This year, the Tourism Division selected Georgia's Creative Economies, with emphasis on Cultural and Heritage Tourism projects, as the priority funding area. The Office of Product Development received 40 applications for the first-ever Tourism Product Development grant program.

"We are very excited about the opportunity to provide stimulus funding for our communities as they develop new tourism product in Georgia," said Bruce Green, Tourism Product Development Director. "We look forward to these projects coming on line by the end of this year."

The Tourism Division's Product Development Office assists local governments, communities, clients and other stakeholders in developing new tourism destinations and attractions in Georgia, while encouraging private sector and community leadership to partner on creating jobs and investments in the state. The product development director and two project managers work to complement and improve Georgia's existing tourism assets in order to create jobs and tourism investment in the state.

Recipients of the 2008 Tourism Product Development Grants include:

. Atlanta Development

Authority for Atlanta Landmarks

. Augusta Canal Authority

. Carroll County Board of Commissioners

. City of Kennesaw for the Kennesaw Museum Foundation

. City of LaFayette for Chattooga Academy a.k.a John B. Gordon Hall

. City of Roswell for the Historic Roswell Convention & Visitors Bureau

. Clay County Board of Commissioners for the Fort Gaines Historical Society

. Development Authority of Warren County for the Georgia Civil War Heritage Trails

. Macon-Bibb County Urban Development Authority for The Big House Foundation

. Savannah Economic Development Authority for the Savannah Music Festival

. White County for Sautee Nacoochee Community Association

Georgia's Tourism Partners Awarded $1 Million in Grant Funds

The Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD), through the Georgia Tourism Foundation, has awarded $1 million in co-operative tourism marketing reimbursement grants to 86 communities, convention & visitor bureaus, regional travel associations and other non-profit tourism entities across the state.

The grant program will assist communities in reaching a larger audience through marketing projects that they may not have been able to fund completely on their own. Typically, the grants supplement existing funds that the communities set aside for marketing projects. Awardees must submit a final report showing that their program has met the State's criteria prior to their reimbursement.

"The co-op marketing grants program encourages public-private partnerships among state and tourism entities allowing us to support the marketing initiatives of our tourism entities," said Charlie Gatlin, GDEcD Deputy Commissioner for Tourism and Marketing and Executive Director of the Tourism Foundation. "The economic impact of the funded projects will contribute significantly to our tourism industry."

This year, the Foundation received 101 applications with grant requests totaling more than $1.5 million.

Independent judges scored the applications based on several factors including project goals and objectives; benefit to the community; positive economic impact; and the ability to attract and service visitors.

The Georgia Tourism Foundation allows for the creation of new public-private partnerships that merge and strengthen Georgia's tourism marketing efforts, in order to attract more visitors and increase the industry's economic impact throughout the state. The Foundation was created in 2005 through Senate Bill 125, spearheaded by Senator Jeff Mullis of Chickamauga and Representative Ron Stephens of Savannah, as part of Governor Perdue's Commission for a New Georgia. This non-profit, public-private organization brings together the leadership of the state's premier tourism destinations to consolidate marketing efforts, pool resources and more effectively promote Georgia's natural beauty, cultural heritage and rich attractions to vacationers.

Recipients of the 2008 co-op marketing grants include:

. Activities Council of Thomson, Inc.

. Acworth Area Convention & Visitors Bureau

. Alpharetta Convention & Visitors Bureau

. Americus Sumter County Tourism Council

. Andersonville National Historic Site

. Athens Convention & Visitors Bureau

. AthFest, Inc.

. Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau Foundation

. Atlanta Metro Travel Association

. Augusta Canal Authority

. Augusta Convention & Visitors Bureau

. Augusta Museum of History

. Better Hometown of Wrightsville, Inc.

. Blue Ridge Mountains Arts Association

. Booth Western Art Museum

. Brunswick Stewbilee, Inc.

. Callaway Gardens - Ida Cason Callaway Foundations

. Cartersville-Bartow County Convention & Visitors Bureau

. Cherokee County Chamber of Commerce

. Chiaha Guild of Arts and Crafts

. City of Jesup

. Clayton County Convention & Visitors Bureau

. Coastal Heritage Society

. Columbia County Convention & Visitors Bureau

. Columbus Convention & Visitors Bureau

. Columbus Sports Council

. Coweta Festivals, Inc.

. Dawson County Chamber of Commerce and Convention & Visitors Bureau

. Douglas Area Welcome Center

. East Central Georgia Travel Association

. East Cobb Quilters' Guild

. Fernbank Museum of Natural History

. Flannery O'Connor-Andalusia Foundation, Inc.

. Folk Pottery Museum of NE Ga. Sautee Nacoochee Community Association

. Georgia Civil War Heritage Leader's Trail

. Georgia Coast Travel Association

. Georgia Innkeepers Association

. Georgia Shrimp Association

. Georgia Society Sons of the American Revolution, Inc.

. Georgia State Fair, Inc.

. Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation

. Georgia's Antebellum Trail Association

. Golden Isles Arts and Humanities Association

. Greater Augusta Arts Council

. Hay House

. Historic Augusta, Inc.

. Historic Highland Country Travel Association

. Historic Roswell Convention & Visitors Bureau

. Historic Savannah Foundation

. Historic Heartland Travel Region

. Jekyll Island Convention & Visitors Bureau

. Jones County/Gray Chamber of Commerce

. Kingsland Area Convention & Visitors Bureau Authority

. Macon Arts Alliance, Inc.

. Macon-Bibb County Convention & Visitors Bureau

. Madison-Morgan County Chamber of Commerce Foundation

. Magnolia Midlands Regional Travel Association

. Metter/Candler County Chamber of Commerce

. Mighty Eighth Air Force Museum

. Milledgeville-Baldwin County Convention & Visitors Bureau

. Monticello Economic Restructuring, Inc.

. Morgan County Historical Society, Inc.

. Museum of Arts and Sciences

. Museum of Aviation Foundation

. National Black Arts Festival

. NE Georgia Mountains Travel Association

. Newnan-Coweta County Convention & Visitors Bureau

. NewTown Macon

. Oconee Cultural Arts Foundation

. Perry Area Chamber of Commerce

. Perry Area Convention & Visitors Bureau

. Plains Better Hometown Program

. Presidential Pathways Travel Association

. Roberta/Crawford County Chamber of Commerce/Peach Blossom Trail Travel Association

. Sautee and Nacoochee Valleys Association

. Savannah Music Festival

. St. Marys Convention & Visitors Bureau

. Statesboro Arts Council: Averitt Center for the Arts

. Statesboro Convention & Visitors Bureau

. Thomaston-Upson Chamber of Commerce

. Tybee Island Tourism Bureau, Inc.

. Valdosta Asian Cultural Association, Inc.

. Valdosta Lowndes County Conference Center & Tourism Authority

. Valdosta State University

. Vidalia Area Convention & Visitors Bureau

. Vidalia Onion Festival

Callaway Gardens® Announces 2008 Summer Workshops And Hikes

Get creative at one of Callaway Gardens® workshops or hikes. Callaway Gardens’ summer educational programming includes activities such as digital photography, gardening, painting and more:
2008 Art and Garden Summer Workshops

Trough Gardening
Saturday, June 14, 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
If you have always thought troughs were only for watering horses in the field, think again. Louise and Warren Aldrich have been building troughs and gardening in them for several years with great success. Herbs, cacti, ferns and bonsai all work well in troughs both indoors and outdoors. Join the Aldrichs in this hands-on art and gardening adventure to make your own trough garden to take home.
Instructors: Louise and Warren Aldrich
Fee: $40

Kids Workshop: Make an Italian Herb Garden Trough!
Saturday, June 14, 9:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Learn how to make your own trough garden filled with herbs you need to make a tasty pizza! We’ll discover the herbs that we use in our everyday meals and send you home with all the ingredients to make your own pizza herb trough, minus the dough, of course!
Ages 7 to 18 years. Parents or adults are welcome, but activity is only for kids.
Instructors: Callaway Gardens’ Education Department
Fee: $20

Savage Plants – How to Grow Carnivorous Plants
Saturday, June 14, 10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Ever pick up a Venus flytrap at the checkout counter of a hardware store and wonder how to grow it? We’ll explore the wonders of carnivorous plants – sundews, Venus flytraps and pitcher plants - and learn the techniques for growing them in containers.
Meet at the Backyard Wildlife Habitat behind the Discovery Center.
Free with Gardens admission

Azalea Trails Watercolor Landscapes
Saturday and Sunday, June 21-22, 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. both days
Join artist Ralph Taylor as he shares the secrets of using more pigment and color in your paintings. In this two-day workshop, you will focus on completing one masterpiece using the “wet on wet” and “dry brush” method. Bring watercolors, brushes, tape, and Arches 300 lb. watercolor paper. We will be working in the classroom replicating images from photographs of Callaway Gardens’ renowned azalea trails. Recommended for advanced students.
Minimum: 6, Maximum: 16
Instructor: Ralph Taylor, Phenix City, AL http://www.ralphtaylorstudio.com
Fee: $150

Oriental Watercolor Workshop
June 28, Session 1: Lilies 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.; Session 2: Peony 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Oriental Watercolor, also known as Chinese brush painting, with its emphasis on the beauty of simplicity, flowing brush strokes and graceful designs, reflects time-honored principles of Chinese philosophy and culture. Practicing Chinese brush painting helps one quiet the mind and expand creative self-expression and discipline. Work with bamboo brushes, using water color on rice paper, and develop confidence in your painting through demonstrations, individual instruction and practice. These classes are ideal for all ages with or without previous art training.
Instructor: Tehwan Tso, long-time student, now artist, has been teaching Chinese brush painting for the past 20 years.
Fee: $60 plus materials
Minimum: 7; Maximum: 16

Mastering the Butterfly: A Limited Enrollment Workshop in Digital Macrophotography
Friday, July 11, 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. and Saturday, July 12, 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
OR
Friday, July 25, 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. and Saturday, July 26, 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
This workshop is designed for the experienced digital photographer with an interest in macro photography and with a camera capable of taking close-up/macro photographs. The workshop focuses on learning the fundamentals of macro photography using the butterfly as our primary subject in the setting of Callaway Gardens’ Day Butterfly Center. The course begins on Friday night in the classroom, followed by an exclusive, closed-to-the-public, early morning photo shoot at the Day Butterfly Center. The instructor will provide individual coaching. Tripods are permitted. Following the photo shoot, enjoy a working lunch for uploading images into the computer, then a favorite-images session for instructor/group critique. The course ends with classroom instruction in advanced post-processing techniques of our butterfly images using PhotoShop PSCS2.
Limit: 20 pre-registered participants (no refunds unless participant’s slot can be filled).
Instructor: Jim Henderson, award-winning “serious amateur” digital photographer of LaGrange, GA http://www.pbase.com/sandman3
Fee: $110; includes lunch and course syllabus.
Bring your digital camera, flash, owner’s manual, plenty of charged batteries, and storage media. Those with laptop computers are asked to bring them on Saturday. Dress casually in layers for the weather and wear comfortable shoes.

Victorian Santa in Summer! Gourd Art Workshop
Saturday, August 2, 10:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Create an Old World, traditional painted Victorian Santa on a gourd. Learn about growing, drying and preparing nature’s pottery and creating your unique design.
All materials included.
Instructor: Billie Strickland
Fee: $50 includes all materials

Creative Botanical Journal
Saturday, August 23, 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
In this fun, fast-paced botanical journal workshop, participants will create and take home an original, bound journal of their own design; hand-carved rubber stamps; supplies for image transfer and instructions. Techniques include botanical drawings, paper photo transfers, carving rubber stamps, collage techniques in combination with watercolor and ink, innovative design ideas for recording information about plants. Open to all skill levels.
Instructor: Val Webb, an award-winning illustrator and author of The Illustrated Garden of Mobile, AL.
Fee: $175 includes all materials
Minimum: 10 Maximum: 25

A Fun and Easy Introduction to Digital Photography: How to Take Great Pictures
Saturday, August 23, 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
A true basic digital photography workshop – a fun and easy introduction to digital photography! Learn to get the most from your camera’s automatic mode, how to use flash effectively, and master the macro feature – all in a fun and non-technical manner. The workshop includes classroom instruction, outdoor photo shoot, working lunch, and then a discussion about equipment readiness, including useful information about camera batteries, digital media cards, and care for your digital camera. Plenty of time for questions and answers, concluding with an introduction to artistic composition – how to take great photos of any subject.
Instructor: Jim Henderson, award winning “serious amateur” photographer of LaGrange, GA.
Fee: $70; includes lunch and course syllabus.
Bring your digital camera, owner’s manual, plenty of charged batteries, and storage media. Dress casually in layers for the weather and wear comfortable shoes.

Oriental Watercolor (Chinese Brush Painting) Workshop
Saturday, September 27, Session 1: Sunflowers; 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Session 2: Irises 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
Oriental Watercolor, also known as Chinese brush painting, with its emphasis on the beauty of simplicity, flowing brush strokes and graceful designs, reflects time-honored principles of Chinese philosophy and culture. Practicing Chinese brush painting helps one quiet the mind and expand creative self-expression and discipline. Work with bamboo brushes, using watercolor on rice paper, and develop confidence in your painting through demonstrations, individual instruction and practice. These classes are ideal for all ages with or without previous art training.
Instructor: Tehwan Tso, long-time student, now artist, has been teaching Chinese brush painting for the past 20 years.
Fee: $60 plus materials
Minimum: 7; Maximum: 16

Take a Hike!
Join us for a hike in The Preserve at Callaway Gardens, an area accessible to visitors only on guided programs. Trails have a natural, uneven surface and require sturdy walking shoes. In case of inclement weather, hikes and walks may be canceled.

Plumleaf Azalea Hike
Saturday, July 26, 10:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Age limit: 10 years and older
Length 2.5 miles; moderately strenuous
Fee: $5 for members; $6 for nonmembers
Registration required; directions sent with confirmation letter.

Special Gardening Events
Smaller Gardens: Real Solutions: A Horticulture Magazine Symposium with Nan Sinton
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Learn how to design and plant in limited space with a host of experts presenting “Successful Planting in Shade & Sun,” brought to you by Horticulture magazine and Callaway Gardens. Speakers include Helen Dillon “Down to Earth Gardening Working with the Reality of Your Site;” John Elsley “Hostas, Hellebores & Hydrangeas;” C.Colston Burrell “Natural Design for the Shaded Garden;” and Stephanie Cohen “Light Fantastic – Transitioning from Sun to the Edge of Shade.” For details and to register, visit hortprograms.com or request a brochure by calling toll-free at 877-GDN-PROG (877-436-7764).

Enrollment is limited and preregistration is required for all programs. Programs fill quickly, so register soon. Workshop fees include admission to Callaway Gardens. To register call the Education Department at 1-800-CALLAWAY (225-5292) ext. 5153, 706-663-5153 or email education@callawaygardens.org or check out education event listings at www.callawaygardens.org and click on “Education.”

For overnight accommodations for any of these workshops or hikes, ask for the special workshop rate starting at $109 in the Mountain Creek® Inn at 1-800-CALLAWAY (225-5292).

Callaway Gardens®, a premier travel and meeting destination in the South, is owned by the non-profit Ida Cason Callaway Foundation™ (ICCF). Within the 13,000 acres of Callaway Gardens is a resort, preserve, residential community, almost 100,000 square feet of meeting space, 931 guest rooms, restaurants, shops, golf, tennis, fishing, shooting club, gardens, butterfly conservatory, horticultural center, chapel, inland beach, nature trails, and additional attractions. For more than 50 years Callaway Gardens has provided “a place of relaxation, inspiration and a better understanding of the living world” for millions of visitors. Callaway Gardens is committed to its mission of environmental education and land stewardship for the benefit of future generations.

Callaway Gardens®, is in Pine Mountain, Ga., 60 minutes southwest of Atlanta and 30 minutes north of Columbus. To experience Mother Nature at its finest, call 1-800-CALLAWAY or visit www.callawaygardens.com.

Brand Atlanta's National Campaign Focuses On Targeted Leisure Travel

Brand Atlanta Inc. is continuing its focus on motivating increased overnight leisure travel to Atlanta via targeted marketing efforts this spring and summer, including currently active promotions aimed at increasing the city’s awareness and destination appeal.

“We’re pleased to have contributed to an overall increase of 10.5 percent in overnight leisure visitation that Atlanta experienced in 2006, leading to $792 million in direct spending by visitors here,” said Melinda Ennis-Roughton, Executive Director and Chief Marketing Officer for Brand Atlanta. “This strong momentum as well as many collaborations created using our brand platform were based on investments in marketing Atlanta made by our corporate founders and the city.”

While Brand Atlanta’s current marketing programs will continue to have a positive impact into the summer of 2008, direct funding from the City of Atlanta is concluding for the 2007-08 fiscal year, which ends June 30. Securing sustainable funding to continue actively marketing Atlanta remains a priority.

“Together with the Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau, we have already begun to actively seek solutions in collaboration with hospitality industry members and others with a stake in continuously promoting Atlanta and increasing tourist spending here,” Ennis-Roughton said. “Driving positive economic impact and new revenues to the city’s general fund via tourism and greater visitor spending is as vital now as ever.”

ACVB shares Brand Atlanta’s mission to build a long-term funding revenue stream.
“Every major city in the country has aggressive marketing efforts and advertising budgets focusing on destination appeal to visitors, which drives direct economic impact,” said Gregory Pierce, Executive Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer/CFO for ACVB. “We at ACVB are in complete agreement that we need to maintain the marketing momentum that has been achieved. ACVB and Brand Atlanta are working jointly on these tourism initiatives and the overall long-term funding plan.”

Visible, active promotions produced by Brand Atlanta now in the national marketplace include:

· Chicago, Jacksonville and Washington D.C. markets: Print advertising/cable TV and promotions are currently appearing in these three national markets as well as in travel publications. Each promotion is specially tagged with a message for readers and viewers that build a strong Atlanta tourism incentive.

· Web-savvy, home-based vacation planners: Custom web promotions and interactive programs are now on-line generating new interest in Atlanta’s assets for prospective visitors seeking their next travel destination. These were developed in close partnership with ACVB for Atlanta.Net, the destination’s official, highly-trafficked web site for visitors and tourist information.

“Our marketing strategies and tactics are yielding growing and measurable interest in Atlanta as a dynamic destination for business and overnight leisure visitors, making literally tens of thousands of new impressions daily,” Ennis-Roughton said. “None of this could have occurred without strong collaboration with the ACVB, Turner Broadcasting and many hotel and dining establishments featured in our current promotions.”

Upcoming Promotions

The National Black Arts Festival, with a full lineup of events in July, has received financial and marketing support from Brand Atlanta, which has allowed this globally unique festival to market to a national audience for the first time.

A major opportunity for fall and early 2009 in Atlanta is the simultaneous arrival here of the blockbuster exhibits Tutankhamun: The Golden King & The Great Pharaohs (presented by the Walter C. Carlos Museum) and The First Emperor: China’s Terracotta Army (presented by the High Museum).

“Each of these exhibits are demonstrating enormous drawing power in other major markets but the dual arrival of these one-of-a-kind exhibitions in Atlanta offers a major showcase and cultural reawakening for Atlanta – including greater visibility for all our arts and cultural assets – not possible since the 1990s,” Ennis-Roughton said. “Our short-term efforts will be focused on promoting all that Atlanta has to offer during the period when these exhibits greatly heighten visitation interest in Atlanta.”

Governance Update

Brand Atlanta’s chairman of the board, Ron Brown, passed away on Tuesday, April 29, 2008. Peter Aman, partner, Bain and Company, has been appointed as interim chair.

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State’s New Tourism Web Site Finalist for Coveted “Stevie” Award

The State of Georgia’s new tourism Web site, ExploreGeorgia.org, was recently named a finalist in the American Business Awards.

“I’m pleased that our online strategy has been recognized by the American Business Awards,” said Ken Stewart, commissioner for the Georgia Department of Economic Development. “Our team has worked hard to create a customer experience which translates Georgia’s attractions into a terrific visitor experience online.”

Known as the “Stevies,” the American Business Awards are compared to the Oscars in terms of prestige. GDEcD’s interactive agency, Engauge Digital (formerly Spunlogic), submitted the site to the Brand Building/Promotion Web Site category.

ExploreGeorgia.org helps visitors tailor their experience and discover the unexpected in Georgia. The site was recently launched with a number of key features, including:

· Travel planner: An interactive way to find activities, save favorites and plan a trip.
· Faceted Search: A function that narrows results for any search based on selected filtering criteria.
· Experiences: Getaway themes designed to spark travel ideas, such as At the Beach, Romantic Getaway, and Back to Nature.
· Dream Pass Integration: The popular rewards card for Georgia attractions is now integrated with the tourism website.

For more information on the American Business Awards, visit www.stevieawards.com/aba.