GEORGIA NORTHEAST MOUNTAINS

BY: JAQUELINE DIAZ, HELEN LE, KAMAH BIVINS AND MEAGAN HEAD

TOURISM, RESEARCH AND SOLUTIONS

TABLE OF CONTENTSCHAPTER I: CURRENT RESEARCH (2014)

SECTION I.I: DESCRIPTION OF AREA

SECTION I.II: DEMOGRAPHICS

SECTION I.III: CURRENT ATTRACTIONS

SECTION I.IV: CURRENT EVENTS AND FESTIVALS

CHAPTER II: WHO VISITS AND THEIR MEDIUMS OF TRANSPORTATION

SECTION II.I: AIRPORTS

SECTION II.II: RENTAL CARS

CHAPTER III:

SECTION III.I: SUCCESSES

SECTION III.III: SOLUTIONS

SECTION III.IV: CONCLUSION

INTRODUCTION: DESCRIPTION OF AREAWELCOME TO MOTHER NATURE’S

PLAYGROUND!The GA Northeast Mountains offers multiple outdoor activities and family adventure.Visitors come in contact with nature by experiencing blue mountains, sparkling rivers, thundering waterfalls and green forests. Since its location is not so urbanized or populated, the GA Northeast Mountains welcomes its visitors with fresh air and a peaceful environment where they can relax and forget about their stressful demanding life schedule.

DEMOGRAPHICS: PURPOSE OF VISIT(2014)❖ Vacation: 29% of visitors

General vacation overnight: 5%

Getaway Weekend-overnight: 14%

Day Trip Vacation/Getaway: 11%

❖ Non-Vacation: 59% of visitors

Visit friend/relative: 30%

Special event: 7%

Medical/Health Care: 1%

Seminar,Class, Training(personal): 1%

Convention, Show, Conference: 0%

Other leisure/Personal: 21%

❖ Meetings: 5% of visitors

Seminar/Training: 3%

Other Group Meeting: 2%

Convention: 1%

❖ Transient: 6% of visitors

Sales/Purchasing: 1%

Inspect/Audit: 0%

Construction/Repair:2%

Government/Military: 0%

Client Service/Consulting: 1%

Other Business: 2%

TOTAL LEISURE: 90%

TOTAL BUSINESS: 10%

DEMOGRAPHICS: ACTIVITIES PERFORMED BY VISITORS

DEMOGRAPHICS: EXPENDITURE SUMMARY

❖ Avg. Per Person Per Day Spending :$80.20

❖ Transportation: Avg. ($)= $26.7o

❖ Food: Avg. ($)= $23

❖ Lodging: Avg. ($)= $29.80

❖ Shopping: Avg. ($)= $12.90

❖ Entertainment: Avg. ($)= $5.40

❖ Miscellaneous: Avg. ($)= $1.40

DEMOGRAPHICS: AGE GROUPS

Current Attractions: Foxfire Museum❖Find cabins, tools, trades, crafts and

a look at the lifestyle of the all-but-vanished pioneer culture of the Southern Appalachian Mountains.

❖Experience the simple interior of a single room 1820s log home that raised three generations of ten children each.

❖Look over a 1790s “tar grinder” wagon, the only one in the world documented Trail of Tears.

Current Attractions: Brasstown Bald

❖Georgia’s highest mountain lays claim to the most inspiring vistas in the state.

❖Rises 4,784 feet above sea level and offers breathtaking views of the mountains in South and North Carolina, Tennessee and nearly half the state of Georgia.

Current Attractions: Tallulah Gorge State Park❖One of the most spectacular

canyons in the eastern U.S., Tallulah Gorge is two miles long and 1,000 feet deep.

❖Visitors can experience and enjoy the waterfalls, hiking trails, rugged terrain, rock climbing, kayaking and gripping mountain history.

Current Attractions: Habersham Winery❖Habersham Winery has been

producing award winning Georgia wines since 1983 and is one of Georgia’s oldest and largest wineries.

❖Guests can see the winemaking process from the tasting room through the viewing windows.

Current Attractions: Chattahoochee National Forest

❖The Chattahoochee National Forest is a great place to have fun and adventure doing the things you love such as: hunting and fishing; hiking, biking, and horseback riding; swimming, canoeing and kayaking; nature study, photography and viewing the great scenery.

FESTIVALS AND EVENTS❖ September

➢ Chattahoochee Mountain Fair

■ A family tradition in the Northeast Georgia Mountains since 1975. Features: Gospel Group Remnant, B-Shoc, Etched in Blue, adult art and photography contests, rodeos and dog shows.

➢ Oktoberfest

■ Helen’s Oktoberfest has beer, brats, bands, and Lederhosen. German-style bands from around the country and the world to play on stage.

❖ October

➢ Elberton 12 County Fair

■ Voted one of the 10 great places for the blue ribbon county fairs, will feature: Torres family one ring circus, Elberton’s Got Talent contest, homemade jellies and jams, and crafts and art.

➢ Cumming Country Fair

■ Cumming’s popular fair features: Sea Lion Splash, Brian Ruth “Master of the Chainsaw”, skylift, the Oak Ridge Boys and Corey Smith concerts, Miss Cumming and Canning pageant.

➢ Georgia Mountain Fall Festival

■ Fall Festival with its mild temperatures and beautiful scenery features: musical performances, Arts & Craft vendors, educational demonstrations, a flower show and the ever-popular Georgia’s Official State Fiddlers' Convention.

➢ Georgia Apple Festival

■ There are over 300 vendors with handmade, hand-crafted items, as well as many on-site demonstrations of how selected types of crafts are made. There is a parade and antique car show each year.

❖ November

➢ Magical Nights of Lights (Lake Lanier Islands)

■ Fill your car with family, friends while experiencing and driving: over the magnificent snowflake bridge, down through the 12 days of Christmas, up past the illuminated diamond wonder light, under the blanket-lit bridge, to the dancing Holiday House, Santa’s Workshop, Christmas Carnival and more!

AIRPORTS Jackson County Airport is a county-owned, public-use airport located three nautical miles northeast of Jefferson, in Jackson County, Georgia.It has one designated runway. The airport had 9,550 aircraft operations, an average of 26 per day.

RENTAL CARSAvailable car rental locations: 40

The primary modes of transportation include air, car, bus, train, van/small truck, and camper/RV. The distance traveled (one-way) from home is categorized into short distances (less than 250 miles), medium distances (251 to 500 miles; 501 to 1,000 miles), and long distances (1,001 miles or more). This information is useful in deciding on advertising vehicles and communication reach.

SUCCESSESIt does a great job having a variety of activities that

target every age group. For example: fishing for people on their 30s and 40s, hiking, waterfalls and parks which everyone can enjoy, and a couple of zoos and farms where kids interact with animals or do hands on activities with nature.

Great with culinary and winery experiencesNortheast Georgia Mountains prevail in a diverse

economic aspect with both domestic and international markets. Their economic drivers include the agricultural, automotive, industrial manufacturing, healthcare, and educational sectors.

SOLUTIONS❖Add more attractions

❖Focus on digital marketing

❖More Festivals

❖Atlanta CityPass

❖The moving industry...

More attractions: Mountain RollercoasterFocusing to target families: more children= more expenses=more

profit

Incorporate a rollercoaster like the Smoky Mountain Alpine Coaster from Tennessee.

More attractions continued..Add more amusement and water parks (only 1% of total attractions)

Example: Work to make waterfalls into water parks with diversity of slides and activities, add more shopping centers ( Tanger Outlets and North Georgia Premium Outlets are the only big ones).

Attention! Attention

It is the 21st century and we need to keep up with the demands from consumers. This area needs to have more social media catering to appealing this area to its audience. The marketing majors from the University of North Georgia could volunteer their time and working on this platform.

All Access Mountain Pass-Provide visitors with line- free and discounted rates on your major attractions. Allow visitors a stress- free vacation with the top attraction that have been hand picked in an easy to use pass.

MORE FESTIVALS: HOLIDAY FESTIVALSChristmas Festival: Provide a show of fireworks near the mountains,

due to big area to work with they can recreate the North Pole, perform a Santa Claus musical/show, put up lights and Christmas trees everywhere!

FESTIVALS CONTINUED...Festivals in the Summer, Fall, Winter, and Spring season should be

promoted on social media, popular websites, etc.

You can get guests excited on Facebook about the Northeast Georgia Mountains and it’s festivals through pictures, contests and links to the website.

Trending hashtags on Instagram can raise awareness of the festivals and events coming up.

Promoting current deals on Twitter can raise awareness, such as: weekend, Spring break, Fourth of July, etc.

Fashion/ Film/ Photography

Move film productions from set design-Hollywood to the real mountains of the Northeastern Georgia.

Photoshoots and commercials can be shot in this region at a lower rate.