2004 tourism expenditures up 9 percent in Hall County

GAINESVILLE - Tourism expenditures in Hall County just released by the State of Georgia were $196.29 million in 2004, an increase of 9 percent over 2003 figures and a record high for the county. The tourism industry now contributes $5.95 million in local taxes for Hall County Governments and Boards of Education.

"We are seeing the results of hard work beginning to pay off for our local hospitality industry," said Helen Fincher, president of the Gainesville-Hall County Convention & Visitors Bureau. "It has been difficult since 9/11, but the industry is finally getting back on its feet. I'm thrilled that we have had such a large increase."

According to research done by Travel Industry of America for the State of Georgia, Hall County retained its status as 11th in the state and leads the Georgia mountains in tourism expenditures, producing $7.92 million in state tax revenues for state government. State of Georgia tourism expenditures were $15.4 billion in 2004, up 6 percent from 2003, making Hall County's rate of increase 50 percent above the statewide average.

"Tourism here in the county produces 2,490 jobs with a payroll of $48.2 million," Fincher said. "Additionally, our hotel occupancy in 2004 was 54.7 percent, more than five percentage points higher than the North Georgia region's hotel occupancy of 49.4 percent."

Hotel revenues in the North Georgia region were $189.5 million, with Hall County hotel revenues contributing $35.93 million of that total in 2004.

"Thanks to the hard work of the bureau and others in the hospitality industry in Hall County, we are reaching new heights in this industry," said Bill Sanders, chairman of the Gainesville/Hall County Convention and Visitors Bureau board of directors. "It has been a long time coming."

Hall County's tourism industry is the top producer in the mountains, with Cherokee County in Northwest Georgia second with $151.23 million. Other adjacent Northeast Georgia counties' tourism expenditures were: Dawson County - $26.66 million, Forsyth County - $97.44 million, Habersham County - $33.44 million, White County - $42.45 million, Lumpkin County - $25.29 million, Jackson County - $39.17 million, Banks County - $10.75 million and Barrow County, $34.34 million.

Georgia hosted a total of 46 million visitors in 2004, a decrease of 3.8 percent over 2003. By comparison, total U.S. domestic travel volume increased just 2.1 percent from 2003. On average, every $72,664 spent in Georgia by U.S. travelers generated one job in 2004. Direct domestic travel expenditures in Georgia generated $1.2 billion in tax revenue for state and local governments in 2004, up 5.3 percent from 2003. Of that amount, travel expenditures in Georgia's mountains contributed $109.58 million in local and state taxes. 79 percent of the Georgia mountains travel business was in the leisure segment, with business trip travel 21 percent. 81 percent of overnight visitors traveled by automobile. 42 percent of the overnight visitors stayed in hotels or bed and breakfasts in the Georgia mountains. Average age of head of household was 49, highest of any of the Georgia regions. 65 percent of those visitors traveled with no children and had a mean income of $62,800, the lowest of any of the regions. 12 percent of Georgia's overnight travelers visited Georgia's mountains region, a slight decrease from 2003.