06/13/2024
Join us June 25 at our office for another in-depth Discussion, this time on Southern Hospitality – the important business of welcoming people! Meet our expert panelists and moderator below and today at the link in bio!
Charlene Lopez: Executive Vice President & Chief Sales Officer,
Atlanta’s hospitality industry is valued at around $16 billion annually. Visitor spending in Augusta has surpassed the $800 million/year mark, and that same figure is $3 billion/year in Savannah. The ACVB, established in 1913, is the official marketing organization for the Atlanta area. Atlanta welcomed 57 million visitors in 2019 – the last year before the pandemic.
Tom Curry: Senior Vice President, Global Corporate Affairs,
Metro Atlanta is the Americas headquarters for global hotel and resorts giant IHG. Statewide, Georgia’s hotels generate and support a substantial amount of economic activity from the mountains in the north to the capital city to the southern coast. Almost 10% of all jobs in the state are directly or indirectly related to the lodging industry, with hotels, motels, resorts, and lodges churning almost $4 billion in direct sales.
Stephanie C. Fischer: President & CEO,
Georgia is home to almost 19,000 restaurants with total sales of about $25 billion. This important cultural and economic sector supports about a half million jobs statewide. The Michelin Guide recently made its first official tour of Atlanta restaurants, marking a historic achievement for the culinary industry in the American South.
🎤 Moderator - Amy Wenk: Reporter,
Amy Wenk covers the film and entertainment industry, hotels and business travel for the Atlanta Business Chronicle. The Georgia Press Association has honored Wenk for her business reporting. Prior to the Chronicle, she worked at several local newspapers around Atlanta.
