Alpharetta Gets $3 Million from Hotel Guests

Travelers to Alpharetta contributed $3 million in revenue in the 2011-12 fiscal year through the hotel occupancy tax.

The Alpharetta Convention and Visitors Bureau is inviting residents and visitors to stop by the at the intersection of South Main Street and Old Milton Parkway on Monday, May 7, between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. as part of the 29th annual National Travel and Tourism Week.

The Welcome Center staff will be offering refreshments and information about Alpharetta and the services of the CVB.  One guest will be selected to win tickets to one of the city’s most popular events, the Taste of Alpharetta on Thursday, May 10.

“Travel and tourism supports 14.4 million jobs across the nation, including many right here in Alpharetta,” says Janet Rodgers, President and CEO of the .  “We welcome the opportunity to show our appreciation to visitors and residents during National Travel & Tourism Week, and showcase Alpharetta as a great place to visit, live, work and play.”

In Alpharetta, tourism initiatives are supported by a portion of the 6 percent occupancy tax, collected by hoteliers on behalf of the city. The city’s portion will amount to approximately $1.7 million and will be used for programs that directly benefit its citizens. The Alpharetta CVB’s portion will be approximately $1.3 million and will be used to continue programs that promote Alpharetta as a tourism destination.

Travel and tourism is a $45 billion industry for the state of Georgia, providing 391,000 jobs and generating $2.4 billion in state and local tax revenue. “Travel is a force that can drive our nation’s economic recovery,” said Roger Dow, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association.  “It is one of the healthiest sectors of our economy in terms of job creation and hiring, employing one out of every nine Americans.”

For more information about Alpharetta’s observance of National Travel & Tourism Week, please contact the Alpharetta Welcome Center at 678-297-0102 or 800-294-0923 or visit www.awesomealpharetta.com.