Reporting for the months of April, May, and June of 2024
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Golf Week Momentum All Year Long
Augusta loves the Masters, both for the excitement it brings as well as the positive economic impact it has on our community.
As Augusta’s Destination Marketing Organization, funded by a percentage of the city’s lodging tax collections, we are invested in — and value — the success of Golf Week. Lodging tax collected this April is over three times greater than an average month the rest of the year. It’s a boon for our entire city and allows our organization to reinvest in innovative ways to draw attention to Augusta all year round.
We want everyone to know that Augusta has so much more to offer the other 51 weeks in the year. We are a vibrant, diverse, some would say funky, city that’s rich in culture, creativity and Southern hospitality that’s open to everyone.
Celebrate with us as our Authentic Augusta Experience collection was named as one of the 2024 TravelBlazers chosen by the Georgia Association of Convention & Visitors Bureaus and Georgia Trend magazine. The goal of these 10 experiences is to engage all five senses and immerse our visitors in elements that are uniquely and authentically Augusta.
Let’s not forget our award-winning experience center — Augusta & Co. — that celebrated its fifth anniversary in May. Many of our partners and friends joined us as we toasted this innovative approach to educating and engaging travelers and locals alike. We’ve taken the concept of a visitor center and gone way beyond a rack of brochures. Instead, we introduce them to our Augusta experts for tips to enjoy our city and surround them with locally crafted goods and art.
I invite you to learn more about how we showcase Augusta to various groups, from filmmakers to meeting planners, golf enthusiasts to experience seekers. Keep scrolling to see our impact and outreach.
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Mastering the Art (and Impact) of Storytelling
Is it too bold to say we’ve “mastered” spring storytelling beyond Golf Week? The Masters is an incredible catalyst for drawing eyes to Augusta. It’s a media behemoth that we value for both its notoriety and prestige, but also to tee off more conversations as to what our city has to offer all year round. Visiting media and social influencers understood the assignment when we’ve collaborated on articles, posts and Reels that demonstrate Augusta is accessible to everyone, all year round. We’re proud of our Augusta Pride coverage. We celebrate when our tourism partners and local businesses get their time in the media spotlight. Our goal is to help our city grow and share it with the world.
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Masters Guests
During Masters week, we rolled out the red carpet for our clients, treating them to an unforgettable experience during one of Augusta's most illustrious weeks of the year. It's our chance to showcase the city's charm and hospitality to meeting planners, clients, and business partners alike. From guided tours of our beloved city to locally crafted dinners, we ensure they get a taste of everything Augusta has to offer. And of course, there's nothing quite like witnessing the excitement of the Masters firsthand, an experience that leaves a lasting impression on all who attend. We take pride in seeing the tangible results of our efforts as clients immerse themselves in the magic of Augusta, solidifying our city's reputation as a premier destination for business and leisure alike. This year we hosted nearly 30 clients and their guests the week of Masters.
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Encouraging Meeting and Convention Attendees to Explore More
This summer, we launched the Dynamite Deals pass, an exclusive perk for meetings, conventions, and groups coming to downtown Augusta. Each large event receives a personalized code for attendees to use, enabling us to track opt-ins and deal redemptions effectively.
Key Benefits:
- Personalized Codes: Each event gets a unique code to ensure accurate tracking.
- Email Capture: We subscribe pass holders to our Insiders Guide leisure travel newsletter.
- Enhanced Communication: Meeting planners can share the pass information with attendees before their arrival and via their event's landing page on visitaugusta.com.
- On-Site Promotion: Our team will also promote and recruit signups at info booths during expos and events.
The Dynamite Deals pass is a fantastic way to welcome visitors and showcase Augusta's unique offerings. We look forward to helping your attendees make the most of their time in our city!
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Jet Bridge Project - Beautifying the Airport
The next time you fly out of our exceptional local airport, you will encounter touch points that showcase Augusta's leisure experiences to passengers via the jet bridge. Our Marketing and Destination Development teams collaborated with Augusta Regional Airport to install vinyl graphic murals that convey the essence of Augusta to travelers as they arrive. We take great pride in this initiative, which creates a memorable first impression for air travelers entering Augusta's River Region. Four distinct murals are displayed on all four passageways at the airport. This collaborative project was brought to life with the support of our ad agency, Wier/Stewart, and the production team at Quality Printing.
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Augusta & Co. Celebrates Five Years!
In May, Augusta & Co. celebrated our 5th Anniversary. Throughout the month, we offered discounts, gifts and prizes for customers visiting our center. Through pop up shops and events, we highlighted retail partners that have collaborated with us since our center opening (Watanut, Fruitland, Savannah River Brewing Company, Mod Ink and Augusta Candle Company).
Through our social media channels, we shared partner testimonials from Mod Ink, Edenberry Lettering, Fruitland and Watanut, telling their story and ours. We collaborated on local billboards with the Azalea Group, Freshwater Design and Savannah River Brewing.
On May 23, Augusta & Co hosted a celebration for our partners and stakeholders where the Mayor's office issued a proclamation declaring that day Augusta & Co. Day.
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Summer Makers Collective Market
On June 7, Augusta & Co. hosted 11 retail partners showcasing local products ranging from cookies and cake pops to candles, home interiors, and unique artwork.
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Art Gallery - New Exhibit
I Love Augusta! This was a group exhibition highlighting what artists love about Augusta's River Region curated by the Greater Augusta Arts Council.
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Augusta Expert Destination Training
On May 29, we held Augusta Expert Destination Training. This destination training highlighted the Riverfront Marina, kayak rentals, the Augusta Freedom Pedestrian Bridge, Springfield Village Park, the new Augusta University Mural Downtown, and much more.
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Southern Hospitality "Fore" Everyone
This quarter brought planes, (toy) trains and automobiles – proving that Augusta is a place where EVERYONE experiences our diverse and inclusive brand of Southern hospitality. The Masters enticed new meeting planners to COME SEE AUGUSTA and gave us a chance to steward repeat customers and thank them for their loyalty to us as a host city. Opportunity was in full bloom this spring for Group Business Development.
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Impact beyond the convention center walls...
Rolls-Royce Solutions enjoyed a reception at 2nd City Distillery. Wendy Gruschow, Rolls-Royce Marketing Manager who organized the event, said it was a highlight for the attendees. She thanked the Destination Augusta team for guidance on ways to make a big impression.
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Masters 2024
The Group Business Development Team hosted several meeting planners from Georgia and the Washington D.C. area. It was more than treating our guests to pimento cheese sandwiches during the practice rounds; we packed their trip with hotel site visits and showcased EVERYTHING Augusta has to offer, from restaurants and caterers to attractions and venues.
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Georgia Society of Association Executives Annual Meeting
Our team represented Augusta at the GSAE Annual Meeting in Gulf Shores, Alabama. The event included 300 meeting planners and suppliers and provided another opportunity to show Augusta as a funky, fun place to host groups.
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Q2 Site Visits
- Site selection tour with the Blind Veterans Association of America working to secure a conference in spring 2025
- Religious Conference Management Association (RCMA) returned to Augusta to collaborate with the Marriott and Convention Center
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Attended the International Christian Film Festival
Film Augusta returned to the International Christian Film Festival in May for the second year as a vendor, continuing to build relationships with filmmakers and producers. Our goal while there is to promote Augusta as a prime production location, showcasing how the Georgia tax incentive can be maximized here. Faith-based indie films such as "The Hill," which often have budgets well-suited to our region, are likely to hire local crew members. We gathered promising leads and look forward to hosting some of these new connections in Augusta soon for location tours.
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"The Observance" Wraps: Go Behind the Scenes
Beyond Casual Productions, a local production company, filmed "The Observance" in May. Their previous projects in our area include the thrillers "Applewood" and "Mister Sleep." As we anticipate the release and premiere, we are pleased to share some behind-the-scenes photos from the set.
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As of June 30, 2024, total current assets equaled $5,104,798 of which $651,478 are unrestricted and $4,453,320 are restricted for tourism grants, the adventure center, and wayfinding, or board designated. Liabilities equal $1,600,195 of which $4,566 are payables, $35,749 are payroll liabilities and accrued interest, and $1,559,880 are the deferred rent revenue, note on 1010 Broad Street, and Federal Disaster loan.
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