Just in time for Independence Day, Georgia Tourism, a division of the Georgia Department of Economic Development, has launched the state’s newly redesigned tourism website. ExploreGeorgia.org now offers visitors fresh custom features including the new Georgia Trip Planner, shareable trip ideas, interactive maps and much more.

“ExploreGeorgia.org is now loaded with new technology like Smart Content, which will help deliver the right content to the right potential visitor at the right time, providing users with exactly what they are looking for,” said Kevin Langston, deputy commissioner for tourism for the Georgia Department of Economic Development. “The responsive design gives it an effortless and seamless transition between computers, smartphones and tablets.”

The enhancements made to ExploreGeorgia.org focus on all aspects of the consumer’s travel decision-making process. The site offers inspirational content for planning and booking to sharing trip ideas on social media. One key component of the new site is the ability to create a shareable itinerary by adding tourism sites to the new Georgia Explorer Trip Planner. The Georgia Explorer Trip Planner provides visitors with a customized approach to exploring the website by organizing and mapping out the things they want to see and do in Georgia.

At the heart of the site is new engaging content with featured articles, itineraries, top-ten lists, must-see attractions, and the Explore Georgia blog. Not only will visitors find information about iconic Georgia destinations, attractions, accommodations and events, but the brand new easy-to-navigate website also features:

• Slide shows and image galleries
• interactive maps
• travel deals and packages
• trip ideas
• a complete list of dining options

Additions to the site create greater exposure for the state’s thousands of tourism partners – making it easy for potential travelers to find and access tourism partners’ profile pages where they can find directions through Google Maps, nearby attractions, information and amenities, and deals all in one location. For the first time ever, Georgia Tourism partnered with the Georgia Restaurant Association (GRA) to incorporate the association’s complete list of restaurants on the state’s tourism website.

ExploreGeorgia.org is Georgia Tourism’s main marketing tool in distributing travel information to visitors throughout the world. The advanced functionality and new design incorporates inspirational content encouraging visitors to plan their next vacation in Georgia.

About GDEcD

The Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) is the state’s sales and marketing arm, the lead agency for attracting new business investment, encouraging the expansion of existing industry and small businesses, locating new markets for Georgia products, attracting tourists to Georgia, and promoting the state as a destination for arts events and location for film, music and digital entertainment projects, as well as planning and mobilizing state resources for economic development. www.georgia.org

The Georgia Department of Economic Development’s Tourism Division has won the National Council of State Tourism Directors’ Public and Media Relations Mercury Award for the state’s “Twist Road Trip.”

“The Twist Road Trip was an outstanding opportunity to build awareness of Georgia’s unique tourism assets, the economic impact of tourism in the state and to introduce our new ‘The South with a Twist‘ advertising campaign,” said Kevin Langston, deputy commissioner for tourism for the Georgia Department of Economic Development. “From February through June 2012, we visited 26 cities, conducted 40 media interviews and met with more than 200 key tourism partners and influencers.”

The NCSTD 2013 Mercury awards winners were announced during U.S. Travel Association’s annual Educational Seminar for Tourism Organizations (ESTO) conference on Tuesday, September 20 in Richmond, Virginia. The Mercury awards are given to state tourism offices by NCSTD, recognizing members for excellence and creative accomplishment in tourism marketing and promotion, and inspiring the continued development of exciting destination marketing and promotion programs. The awards are comprised of twelve categories, including: Print Advertising; Print Visitors Guide; Broadcast Advertising: Radio; Broadcast Advertising: TV; Co-op Marketing; Niche Marketing; Travel Website; Digital Campaign; Best Use of Social Media Platform; Public and Media Relations; Special Promotion; and Overall Program.

This year, the awards were judged by JWT, an internationally recognized marketing and communications firm. Judges offered a unique perspective because the agency was chosen to help develop Brand USA’s national tourism promotion strategy.

About GDEcD

The Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) plans, manages and mobilizes state resources to attract new business investment to Georgia, drive the expansion of existing industry and small business, locate new markets for Georgia products, inspire tourists to visit Georgia, and promote the state as a top destination for arts events and film, music and digital entertainment projects. Visit www.georgia.org.

To attract visitors interested in Georgia’s entertainment industry, Georgia’s Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) has launched a new website: www.ComeTourGeorgia.com.

This interactive website promotes Georgia’s film and music history, film tours, Georgia-filmed productions, film locations, destinations, festivals and other events.

By increasing visitation to entertainment-related destinations across the state, the Georgia Film, Music & Digital Entertainment Office’s new website seeks to enhance the film industry’s long-term impact on Georgia tourism.

Georgia’s 2013 travel guide also showcases the connections between Georgia’s entertainment and tourism industries with dual covers featuring Zac Brown of the Zac Brown Band, and the most-watched television series in basic cable history, “The Walking Dead,” filmed in Senoia.

“ComeTourGeorgia.com is an opportunity to help drive tourism to Georgia by showcasing filming locations across the state,” said Lee Thomas, Director of the Georgia Film, Music and Digital Entertainment division. “’Catching Fire,’ the sequel to ‘The Hunger Games,’ opens in theaters on November 22. Not only did this production create hundreds of jobs in Georgia, but it is anticipated that the momentum generated by Lionsgate’s billion dollar franchise will benefit our tourism industry by bringing fans to Georgia.”

Georgia-filmed movies to be released in the next few months include Tyler Perry’s “Temptation” on March 29; “42” starring Harrison Ford and Chadwick Boseman on April 12; and “The Internship” starring Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson on June 7. Other Georgia projects slated to hit theaters are “Prisoners” starring Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal on September 20; “The Hunger Games: Catching Fire” on November 22; Tyler Perry’s “Madea Christmas” on December 13; and “Last Vegas” starring Morgan Freeman, Michael Douglas, Robert De Niro and Kevin Kline on December 20.

In addition, a record number of television shows are shot in Georgia including AMC’s “The Walking Dead;” CW’s “The Vampire Diaries;” BET’s “Reed Between the Lines,” “The Game,” and “Let’s Stay Together;” “Family Feud;” USA’s “Necessary Roughness” and “Royal Pains;” Lifetime’s “Drop Dead Diva” and the new series “Devious Maids.”

Feature films in preproduction or currently in production in Georgia include “Anchorman 2” starring Will Ferrell; “Prisoners” starring Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal; “Need for Speed” starring Aaron Paul and Michael Keaton; and “The Good Lie” starring Reese Witherspoon.

The Georgia Department of Economic Development’ 157 state employees plan, manage and mobilize state resources to attract new business investment to Georgia, drive the expansion of existing industry and small business, locate new markets for Georgia products, inspire tourists to visit Georgia, and promote the state as a top destination for arts events and film, music and digital entertainment projects.

Visit www.georgia.org for more information.