Douglasville featured in the 2021 Explore Georgia Official State Travel Guide

The Douglasville Convention and Visitors Bureau announced on Monday it is featured in the 2021 Explore Georgia Official State Travel Guide. Explore Georgia, the state tourism office within the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD), recently released the new guide to increase visitation and support tourism recovery in the state.  Douglasville, GA is included on page 71.

In time for summer travel planning, the 2021 Explore Georgia Official Travel Guide includes trip ideas for exploration throughout Georgia. Designed by Blue Sky Agency in Atlanta, the guide’s cover features a call to action: EXPLORE. Within each letter, a photo – taken by actual Georgia travelers – provides a glimpse of the state’s most beloved, inspiring, and unexpected destinations. The 2021 Explore Georgia Official Travel Guide is produced in partnership with Atlanta Magazine Custom Media. The guide’s modern, clean design uses the colors within the imagery to offer an engaging visual experience and highlight the wide range of travel experiences across Georgia.

“Georgia’s ‘open for business’ approach and success with vaccinations has given the travel industry the license to operate, meeting a steady increase in demand as travelers convert a year’s worth of pent-up demand into solid travel plans,” said Mark Jaronski, deputy commissioner of tourism at GDEcD. “The 2021 Explore Georgia Official State Travel Guide will help us capture this demand and ensure that we provide inspiration and travel planning tools to begin welcoming visitors back to Georgia.”

Explore Georgia promotes the guide via ExploreGeorgia.org, as well as its monthly consumer e- newsletter, social media channels, at each of the nine state-run Visitor Information Centers, and various paid and earned media opportunities. The guide’s editorial content was informed by listening to visitors, input from state tourism partners, leveraging data from the state’s travel website ExploreGeorgia.org, social media performance, as well as traveler sentiment research.

2021 Explore Georgia Official State Travel Guide is available for free and can be found at the Douglasville Welcome Center, 12385 Veterans Memorial Hwy., Douglasville, GA 30134.

Douglasville Convention and Visitors Bureau Awarded Explore Georgia Tourism Recovery Marketing Grant

The the Douglasville Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) announced it has been awarded a Tourism Recovery Marketing Grant from Explore Georgia, the state tourism office within the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD). The Explore Georgia Tourism Recovery Marketing Grant program supports marketing efforts to bolster the recovery of Georgia’s tourism industry from the COVID-19 pandemic. The Douglasville CVB was among 34 tourism entities across 27 counties who received a combined total of nearly $1.5 million in recovery marketing funding as part of this one-time grant program.

Governor Kemp and the Georgia General Assembly approved $1 million in the amended FY21 state budget for tourism recovery. Because of the substantial number of grant applications – from 58 organizations totaling nearly $2.5 million in funding requests – Explore Georgia contributed an additional $1 million from the state tourism marketing budget to fund as many grants as possible. The Explore Georgia Tourism Recovery Marketing program also includes $500,000 in co-op matching funds, for a total of $2 million in recovery support. 

Douglasville’s recovery marketing campaign consists of several components – including, but not limited to, promoting Douglasville as a destination for Group Travel, using paid social advertising and marketing Douglasville as the premier destination for Sports Tourism.

“Due to the coronavirus (COVID) pandemic, Douglasville saw a decrease in bed tax of 23%. While these numbers are small in comparison to other Destination Marketing Organizations across the state, they’re still substantial,” stated Tourism Program Manager, Samantha Rosado. “It’s time to move forward because the desire for experiences and connections has not changed. The pandemic has only heightened those trends. Traveler expectations may have changed, but the desire to visit new places and explore familiar favorites has not. We are ready to welcome visitors back into our community.”  

“Georgia is a beautiful state and as we continue to recover, I look forward to working alongside our industry partners to promote the state’s incredible tourism assets to travelers across the globe,” said Pat Wilson, commissioner of GDEcD. “These grants are an important tool for our industry organizations, the majority of which are small businesses, to begin their recovery efforts. We are dedicated to rebuilding travel and tourism across our state because Georgia’s diverse economy cannot fully recover until our tourism and hospitality industry is thriving once again.” 

The Explore Georgia Tourism Recovery Marketing Grant program was designed to provide relief to areas of the state most impacted by the drop in tourism and will fund promotional efforts to aid the travel industry’s recovery in 2021. The grants awarded have prioritized organizations and communities that have experienced the greatest impact from the loss of visitors and subsequent tourism spending during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“As we head into a summer when we expect to see a tremendous reemergence of domestic tourism and the economic prosperity that travel brings, the funding of these grants recognizes the importance of communicating the diversity of visitor experiences across Georgia that are close to home for so many Americans,” said Mark Jaronski, deputy commissioner of tourism at GDEcD. “Thanks to a great working relationship with our destination marketing partners across the state, we believe that we can be most effective in what’s expected to be an incredibly competitive landscape by marketing Georgia to the American public together and complementing the state’s tourism recovery campaign Ready. Set. Georgia.”

The applications were evaluated based on need, quantified by the year-over-year loss in Hotel-Motel Excise Tax collections for the organization, and the change in unemployment in the organization’s county. Grant recipients received 100% of the award amount requested on their applications.

Douglasville celebrates the Power of Travel

National Travel and Tourism Week 2021 (May 2-8) spotlights the collective strength of the U.S. travel industry.

This National Travel and Tourism Week (NTTW), there is more reason than ever to celebrate the collective strength of the U.S. travel and tourism industry and its dynamic workforce.

The 38th annual NTTW, taking place May 2-8, recognizes the Power of Travel and the critical role our industry will play in bringing back our vibrant communities, restoring the economy, rebuilding our workforce and reconnecting America.

Prior to the pandemic, the travel industry was a powerful economic engine, supporting jobs and driving local economies in every pocket of America. The industry had experienced 107 straight months of growth, generated $2.6 trillion in economic output, supported 17 million American jobs and delivered a $51 billion trade surplus to the U.S.

Here in Douglas County 2,275 jobs were supported within the travel and tourism industry in 2019. Douglas County was directly impacted by $272.47 million in tourist spending. While the unemployment rate was low, at just 3.5%, without the jobs supported by the tourism industry, it would have been 6.6%. Each Douglas County household would need to be taxed an additional $399 per year to replace taxes generated by tourism economic activity.

Unfortunately, that strong growth trend plummeted last year due to the pandemic. Travel spending in the U.S. declined 42%, costing the economy $1.1 trillion, while hardworking Americans supported by travel made up a staggering 65% of all U.S. unemployment.

However, Douglasville – and the travel industry – is resilient.

While we faced extraordinary challenges in the past year, our industry united like never before, lifted each other up, aided one another, and devoted ourselves fully to the task of supporting and restoring all sectors of travel. This year’s NTTW is an opportunity to turn the page to a new chapter in our industry’s story and celebrate its collective power by spotlighting the innumerable ways travel will drive recovery, bring Americans together again, and help define our country’s path forward.

Douglasville is participating in NTTW by having our annual Travel Rally, participating in a Downtown Scavenger Hunt, and hosting a 50/50 raffle.

From West Pines Golf Golf Club to the Douglasville Conference Center, Douglasville’s travel and tourism industry contributes so much to our local economy and our community’s unique character. From all of us at Visit Douglasville, we are so excited to share the full power of our industry – and the strength and spirit of Douglasville – this NTTW.

Explore Georgia Awards Grants to Support Tourism

Explore Georgia, the tourism division within the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD), announced today that it has awarded $20,000 in tourism product development grants to four new and expanding projects across the state.

“Georgia is an incredibly beautiful state. From the mountains to the coast, and from small towns to metropolitan cities, Georgia has destinations and experiences to satisfy the needs of every traveler, and we’re eager to welcome visitors who are ready to get out and explore,” said Georgia Department of Economic Development Commissioner Pat Wilson. “Safely welcoming more tourists to Georgia will make a significant difference in our economic recovery from COVID-19. We’re grateful for the opportunity to provide our partners with this additional funding.”

Recipients and projects receiving tourism development grants include:

• Food Truck and RV Park, Claxton – A Food Truck Park will be developed in downtown Claxton. Existing greenspace with mature oak trees will have new benches and lighting added to create a pleasant outdoor dining experience. The venue will host a food truck festival and serve as a stop on the 25th annual Cruisin’ in the Countryside bike tour. The 2021 bike tour will be held on November 13. The space will also offer electrical and water hookups for short-term RV visitors, creating lodging downtown.
• “Love Where You Live” Hearts public art, Douglasville – The “Love Where You Live” heart public art project invites local artists to create designs on fiberglass heart sculptures placed around the community. The artists will install painted heart sculptures in high-traffic areas to create photo opportunities for visitors. 
• South Georgia Food & Wine Festival, Jeff Davis County – South Georgia Food & Wine Festival grew from three smaller food truck events in Hazlehurst. The event will feature Georgia Grown foods, craft beer, wine, and music. The 2021 event will be held April 16-17.
• Alleyway Restoration, Toccoa – The Alleyway Restoration project will include restoration work in accordance with historic preservation standards to two alleyways in downtown Toccoa. The alleyways will have bistro lighting added to make the space an outdoor entertainment and event area.

“It’s as important as ever to create and grow tourism products to help aid the recovery of our tourism industry and the broader economy,” said Deputy Commissioner of Tourism Mark Jaronski. “We are grateful for the opportunity to help communities expand and boost their appeal as a destination for tourists, encourage spending in local businesses, create jobs, and restore economic activity.”

The grant’s review panel consists of members from the public and private sector, as well as fellow professionals who are experienced in the tourism industry or the type of grant being reviewed.

About Explore Georgia

Explore Georgia, the tourism division of the Georgia Department of Economic Development is the state’s official destination marketing organization. Through its home office in Atlanta, nine visitor information centers, and a network of representatives across the globe, Explore Georgia inspires travel to and within the state. The division works to advance Georgia’s $68.96 billion tourism industry that supports more than 484,000 jobs. Learn more at ExploreGeorgia.org.

About GDEcD

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 destination for arts and location for film, music and digital entertainment projects, as well as planning and mobilizing state resources for economic development. Visit www.georgia.org for more information.

Georgia’s Tourism industry delivers economic impact to Douglas County in 2019

The Douglasville Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) announced today that the Georgia tourism industry generated $274.47 million in direct, domestic traveler expenditures in Douglas County in 2019, according to the U.S. Travel Association.

The study made available through Explore Georgia, the tourism division within the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD), reported travel and tourism created $11.14 million in state tax revenues and generated $8.48 in local tax revenues for Douglas County and its cities in 2019. Each household in Douglas County would need to be taxed an additional $399 per year to replace taxes generated by tourism activity. The industry also supported more than 2,275 jobs and created $54.87 million in payroll for the county. In 2019, the unemployment rate in Douglas County was 3.5%. Without the jobs supported by the tourism industry, it would have been 6.6%.

“These record-breaking figures from 2019, when Georgia’s tourism generated $68.96 billion in economic impact and supported more than 484,000 jobs, demonstrate the enormous impact the tourism industry has on our economy,” said Mark Jaronski, deputy commissioner for Tourism at the Georgia Department of Economic Development. “Travel has been important to economic recovery after past recessions. As the state’s tourism office, our goal is to not only rebuild Georgia’s tourism industry back to where it was in 2019, but also beyond by working with our partners statewide to ensure that Georgia is positioned better than ever before across a very competitive, global tourism marketplace.”

Take Care, Douglasville

In order to increase awareness and promote health and wellness, related to the COVID-19 pandemic, the City of Douglasville has launched its ‘Take Care, Douglasville’ campaign.

“The City is not requiring masks, rather, we are recommending the use of masks to help reduce the spread of COVID-19. This campaign is a way to interact with the community in a fun way. Having to wear masks has taken some getting used to, but if we can find ways to have fun with it, we can shorten the period that they’re necessary.” Mayor Rochelle Robinson explained.

As part of the campaign, the City of Douglasville will provide masks, yard signs and buttons available for pick-up at the Douglasville Welcome Center. These will be available on a first come, first serve basis starting on Monday, August 24, 2020. 

On the City’s social media pages, they’ve asked who followers are “masking for”. “Allowing our residents and followers to explain who or why they have decided to wear masks and submitting photos of themselves, their families, even their pets, engages and allows them to further build a sense of community,” described Community Relations Director, Jason Post.

The Douglasville Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) will also be working with local businesses to take a pledge committing to operate with precautions related to COVID-19. Social distancing and promoting the wearing of masks will be at the forefront of this pledge. The CVB will provide a list of businesses that have taken the pledge on their website. “It’s important for residents and visitors to know that their local businesses are open and safe to visit,” explained Tourism Program Manager, Samantha Rosado. “Tourism dollars are vital to our local economy and knowing that Douglasville is safe to visit keeps that economy going.”

Masks, signs, and buttons will be available at the Douglasville Welcome Center starting on Monday, August 24th, located at 12385 Veterans Memorial Highway, during normal business hours. Those wishing to participate can also follow the City’s Facebook page or log onto the City’s website.

The City of Douglasville is partnering with Unified Standards and the Georgia Chamber of Commerce to provide businesses in the City of Douglasville limits with training opportunities to stay updated on COVID-19 safety measures.

The City of Douglasville has secured funds from the CARES Act to provide up to 500 seats for local businesses to participate in the training free of charge.

“As businesses begin to reopen or start to slowly expand their operation back to normal, nothing is more important than the safety of those businesses’ employees and their customers,” Tourism Program Manager Samantha Rosado explained. “This training will help businesses in our community comply with mandates from the Governor’s office to keep their employees and customers safe and healthy so they can operate confidently.”

Any interested businesses within the Douglasville City limits can visit www.VisitDouglasville.com and fill out the interest form. Once the application is submitted, the Douglasville Convention and Visitors Bureau will make direct contact with further instructions, provide access to the virtual training, and a toolkit to use during and after the training. Once the business has received that information, they can begin the training at their convenience.

For more information, contact the Douglasville Welcome Center at 770-947-5920 or by emailing rosados@douglasvillega.gov.

Staying Connected while being Socially Distant

The Douglasville Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) has been dedicated to keeping the citizens and visitors of Douglasville connected throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

We’ve created several programs for people on our #Quaranteam to allow them to stay connected to Douglasville. One of our most popular campaigns was our Guide to Distancing. We thought that it would make it a little easier to understand the parameters of social distancing with some familiar reference points.

We also started Story Time Live on our Facebook Page on weekdays at 10:30 AM. This started shortly after the schools went to digital learning because we wanted to allow kids the opportunity to read books that they no longer had access too. Story Time Live readings are open to the employees of the City of Douglasville, Business Owners and other groups. So far we’ve had consistent posting and have enough content to continue this initiative until the end of the scheduled school year or until the libraries open back up.

During Spring Break (04/06 – 04/12/2020) we launched our Spring Break Bingo that included a neighborhood scavenger hunt, Douglasville coloring pages, supporting local restaurants and so much more! Our Instagram has saved stories from our attempt at Spring Break Bingo. The Douglasville coloring pages are still available, however, and can be downloaded here. You can color the following locations: O’Neal Plaza, Arbor Place Mall, Douglas County Museum of History & Art and the Douglasville Welcome Center (pictured).

Our two most recent programs were launched to help our #Quaranteam get out of their house. We know that kids are ready to be out of the house, so we sent them on a Bear Hunt! Communities around the nation are participating in bear hunts for little ones to enjoy.

All you have to do is place a stuffed bear in a window of your home or business so when families go on car rides or walks during quarantine, they can hunt for bears! It’s so easy to join in on the effort and is a great way for the community to come together.

We also have started mailing out FREE seeds to the community! We are mailing out four FREE seed packets to encourage keeping Douglasville beautiful! The program launched this week and we’ve already been able to serve over 50 families. To find the full list of seeds that are available, visit our website. You can e-mail your mailing address and seed requests to info@visitdouglasville.com.

We are hoping that this encourages our community to get outside and take in the fresh air, while also encouraging them to start a garden of their own!

And lastly, we are running a Signs of Hope Contest! This allows our community to show that they are #DouglasStrong by creating a sign or poster of encouragement. The entries will be judged on color, composition, creativity, design concept and how it showcases our community. The submissions will be judged and the three entries with the highest score will each receive a $25 gift certificate to a restaurant in Douglasville. The deadline to enter is Thursday, April 30, 2020. Additional information can be found on our website.

And, well, that’s what the Douglasville CVB has been up to recently! We hope that you’re enjoying the programs that we’re putting together for you!

If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us via e-mail or via phone at 770-947-5920.

Stay safe and continue to follow @VisitDouglasville on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter!

 

The holidays are just around the corner!

We want to make sure you are in the know about various holiday events that will be taking place now thru the end of the year!

Pine Mountain Gold Museum Winter Wonderland Train

Starting December 5th, each Thursday, Friday & Saturday during the month of December *weather permitting* you can take a ride on the Winter Wonderland Train at Pine Mountain Gold Museum. Rides on those days will run from 4 PM – 9:30 PM. Further information as well as tickets can be found here!

Miracle on Main Street Christmas Parade & Celebration

On December 6th, the City of Douglasville and Main Street Douglasville Program invite you to enjoy the Miracle on Main Street Christmas Parade and Celebration! Starting at 6:30 PM in downtown Douglasville.

The parade will begin on Church Street near Ace Hardware and travel west on Church Street where it will conclude at Club Drive.

Immediately following the conclusion of the parade, the tree lighting will take place as well as live musical performances. Afterwards make sure you get your FREE photo taken with Santa and live reindeer! The event is always a community favorite and kicks off the holiday season in style!

Want to enter your organization, vehicle or float in the parade? Download the parade registration packet here!

Breakfast with Santa

Then on December 7th join the Douglasville Parks and Recreation for Breakfast with Santa! Santa’s stopping in Douglasville and wants to have breakfast with your family! Indulge in a delicious meal with Mr. Claus himself and enjoy pictures, holiday tunes and family fun! Plus, all children will be able to chat with Santa and give him their Christmas wishes! Important details below.

Limited availability, register today! The cost is $8 per person and children 3 and under are free. Everyone must be registered for the event, including parents. This event is intended for children ages 12 and under and their families. Register online by clicking here and select the Special Events tab.

Operation Christmas Toys for Tots Drop Off Location

From now through December 12th, the Douglasville Welcome Center will be a drop off location for Operation Christmas Toys for Tots! Please bring your new unwrapped donations to 12385 Veterans Memorial Highway | Douglasville, GA 30134. The Douglasville Welcome Center is open Monday – Friday 8 AM – 5 PM and is located right next door to Fabiano’s Pizzeria.

Operation Christmas serves Douglas County children who:

• receive free and reduced-price meals at school
• are homeless
• are in the Head Start program
• receive WIC or other services at the Douglas County Health Department

The program has served over 36,000 children in the last four years at numerous venues. This year’s distribution will occur on December 14th.

Community Holiday Events

To help stay up-to-date on other community events that may be going on not just for the holiday season, but any time of year, we encourage you to visit DouglasvilleCalendar.com!

DouglasvilleCalendar.com is a community based, online calendar where you can add your own events as well as find out about ones happening in and around Douglasville!

And as always, make sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter @VisitDouglasville, as you #CreateExperiencesthatMatter this holiday season!

Enjoy Fall in Douglasville

Fall is officially here, even if it may not feel like it! With that means numerous fall activities in Douglasville, that you have the opportunity to take part in!

Help celebrate Breast Cancer Awareness Month with Douglasville Parks and Recreation Department as they host a special Pink Out Movie Night featuring Toy Story 4.

Join them in bringing awareness to Breast Cancer. Popcorn and water will be provided to the first 100 guests while supplies last. You’re welcome to bring your own food, drinks and coolers with nonalcoholic beverages.

Wear pink in support of Cancer survivors and current fighters! 💕

If you’re interested in vending, please contact Stephanie Harden at hardens@douglasvillega.gov.

 

The 2019 Fall Festival and Safety Expo sponsored by the Douglasville Police Department is happening on Saturday, October 12, 2019, from 10 am – 4 pm. This FREE event takes place at the Douglasville Police Department, 2083 Fairburn Road, Douglasville, GA. 30135.

This is a big event with vendors, touch-a-truck, K-9 demonstration, bounce houses, and more. This is a rain or shine event.

For more information Contact: Stephanie McClarty at 678-293-1797 or mcclartys@douglasvillega.gov.

 

The 5th annual Hunters Harvest Fall Festival and Arts & Craft show at Hunter Park will be held on October 19, 2019 from 12 pm – 3 pm.

This event will feature vendors from all over West Georgia and Metro ATL with various arts & crafts and food and beverage items.

The festival will also include a children’s play zone featuring inflatables and other amenities for $5.

Children 3 and under are free inside the play zone. This event is free and open to the public.

For more information contact Chris Bass at bassc@douglasvillega.gov.

The 23rd annual Chili Cook Off competition will be held in downtown Douglasville on Saturday, October 19th from 6 pm – 9 pm.

This fun-filled fundraising event will be held in conjunction with the Rogue Runners Moonlight Run. All proceeds will benefit the Cultural Arts Council (CAC) and its programs throughout the year.

Make sure you come dressed in costume and join the Children’s Halloween Costume Contest portion in the evening. The kids can’t have all the fun, join the adult costume contest.

For more information on the Chili Cook Off and how you can participate visit www.ArtsDouglas.org.

Offering a variety of distances, from a tot trot for the little guys, to 1 mile for school age children, our 3rd Annual Doggie Dash, and a 5K through the streets of downtown Douglasville, this race has something for everyone…and it’s in the dark!

For additional information on registration please visit: https://www.dcroguerunners.com/annual-moonlight-run

 

 

                         Contact Us

Douglasville Convention & Visitors Bureau
12385 Veterans Memorial Highway
Douglasville, GA 30134

http://www.VisitDouglasville.com | 770.947.5920

Planning a Family Reunion? Check out our workshop!

We hope you’ll join us for our annual Family Reunion Workshop that takes place Saturday, September 14th at Hunter Park from 10 AM – 12 PM.

Learn about valuable, complimentary resources available to you courtesy of the Douglasville Convention & Visitors Bureau as well as speak to industry professionals from attractions, restaurants, hotels and more!

Participate in our Family Reunion presentation and gain beneficial information from time tables for planning your reunion to the best ways to budget for your event.

To register to attend, please go to VisitDouglasville.com. **Pre-registered attendees are guaranteed a swag bag at the event!**

 

                         Contact Us

Douglasville Convention & Visitors Bureau
12385 Veterans Memorial Highway
Douglasville, GA 30134

http://www.VisitDouglasville.com | 770.947.5920