The city of Cornelia was one of five cities given an award for its tourism development in a state magazine earlier this week.
The city was given the 2022 "TravelBlazer" award by Georgia Trend Magazine. The award recognizes tourism development projects and Cornelia received the award for the recently opened Fender's Alley, a restaurant with an outdoor dining area and music venue.
“It’s quite an honor to be the recipient of this award so soon after the opening of Fenders Alley," Owensby said. "Our partnership with the Reeder family has been creative and innovative, and I think that people around the state are intrigued by what we’ve been able to achieve through collaboration and determination.”
Cornelia was one of the smallest cities to receive the award, according to a release from the city Wednesday.
Jay Markwalter, executive director of the Georgia Convention and Visitor's Bureau, said the award looks to recognize cities who find unique ways to attract visitors.
“The visitor has so many different interests across market segments. We know the traveler wants unique experiences and they want to enjoy a destination the way a local does," Markwalter said.
