Savannah tourism thrives on troops' trips to founder's home

SAVANNAH - To Girl Scouts across the country, a visit to founder Juliette Gordon Low&#39;s birthplace here is a chance to learn about their movement&#39;s history. To the local tourism industry, however, their pilgrimages mean big business. <br> <br> Girl Scout troops spend about $8 million a year in Savannah taking in ghost-story tours, downtown carriage rides and, of course, the Juliette Gordon Low Girl Scout National Center, officials at the center said. <br> <br> ``They are a steady stream of business here,&#39;&#39; said Katherine Keena, program manager at the Gordon Low House, where scouts annually spend $1.2 million at the gift shop alone. ``The economy goes up and down, but Girl Scout tourism is not impacted.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> The money for the trips comes from various fund-raisers - including the sales of those famous cookies - and the planning often starts far in advance. <br> <br> For example, troop No. 1343 from Charlotte, N.C., worked the last two years to raise more than $3,000 through cookie and garage sales for their recent four-day trip. The girls rated the visit a success, naming the lighthouse and various tours among the highlights. <br> <br> Beth Nunley, co-owner of Tootsy Tours, said the scout trips are highlights for her business, too. The Girl Scout trips she helps arrange bring in about $200,000 in revenue each year, about 60 percent of her business. <br> <br> ``It was interesting when the birthplace house was closed for renovations and the girls weren&#39;t here,&#39;&#39; Nunley said. ``When it reopened April 1, the merchants were so happy to see the girls come back. I think they really missed them and didn&#39;t think about the impact they had until they were gone.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> Brian Mueller, interim general manager for the downtown Best Western, said about 600 troops stay at his hotel each year. Girl Scouts traveling this spring break booked 70 percent of the rooms at the hotel, which, like other local companies, offers special discounts for the girls. <br> <br> Scout tours and programs at the Gordon Low house are booked through 2003 and troops can&#39;t begin making reservations for 2004 until this October. <br> <br> Keena, the program director, said she&#39;s already had one troop leader ask about 2005 tours. <br> <br> ``It means a lot to Girl Scouts to see the birthplace of Juliette Gordon Low,&#39;&#39; Keena said. ``For some kids, this will be the biggest thing they&#39;ll remember doing as a kid.&#39;&#39; <br> <br> Those memories hopefully will bring them back to Savannah later in life, said Anthony Schopp, president of the Savannah Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. <br> <br> ``Over the years, hundreds or thousands of young ladies visit the Juliette Gordon Low birthplace and years later, a large percentage return either to enjoy the night life on River Street, be married in one of our squares or to escort their own daughters with their Girl Scout troops,&#39;&#39; he said.