The Marietta Visitors Bureau, Marietta’s contracted Destination Marketing Organization, is assembling an advisory committee to help develop a new three-year business plan for the organization based on recent research results. Members of the diverse advisory committee bring nationwide experience in tourism, professional business skills, and local media and communications perspectives to the table. The Marietta Visitors Bureau has served the community for over 30 years and wants to build upon that foundation of southern hospitality and rich heritage to help propel Marietta to become a world-class travel destination.
The Marietta Visitors Bureau, with assistance from the City of Marietta, recently hired Marietta/Atlanta based research firm focused on the travel and tourism industry, Tourism Skills Group, to conduct research to assess how to best reach potential visitors thereby maximizing the economic impact of the travel industry in Marietta. To complete a comprehensive view of the visitor and how Marietta is perceived, Tourism Skills Group conducted face-to-face visitor intercept studies, inquiry conversion e-surveys, and a lodging survey. The advisory committee and Board of Directors will be using the research results and recommendations of Tourism Skills Group to help develop the organization’s new strategy.
As the leading industry in Cobb County, tourism has a significant economic impact on Marietta. According to Georgia Department of Economic Development, in 2015 Cobb County’s tourism industry:
Supported 17,449 jobs
Generated $1.6 billion in direct tourist spending
Created $ 71.2 million in state tax revenues
Generated $ 44.9 million in local tax revenues
Each Cobb County household would need to be taxed an additional $432 per-year to replace taxes generated by tourism economic activity.
Katie Peterson, Executive Director of the Marietta Visitors Bureau, believes, “the better we understand our traveler, the better we can convince them that our Gem City is the perfect destination for their next getaway or meeting, which ultimately is a win-win for everyone, resulting in more business for our hotels, restaurants, and attractions, which means a higher quality of life for our residents.”
