Editorial: Kudos to Savannah’s tourism industry

The latest Visit Savannah Visitor Study, an annual report compiled by Longwoods International, gives our city plenty to celebrate, as the local tourism industry continues to serve as a strong regional economic driver.

Georgia’s First City continues to earn accolades as one of the nation’s top tourist destinations, attracting a growing number of tourists who aren’t afraid to break the bank while they’re in town. Last year, visitor spending increased by 3.2 percent, hitting a record high that shattered the $3 billion mark for the first time. The total number of visitors reached 14.5 million in 2018, up from 14.1 million in 2017.

In addition, the average length of stay increased from 2.4 nights to 2.6 nights, which means travelers are staying longer and spending more money while they’re here. According to the study, tourists spent an astounding $1 billion on lodging, $785 million on food and beverage, $502 million on retail and $359 million on recreation.

Interestingly, 57 percent of all visitors in 2018 were female, up 3 percent from the previous year. Savannah is a fast-growing destination for girlfriend getaways, bachelorette parties and other female-centric celebrations.

A changing landscape

The addition of new hotels like Perry Lane and Alida as well as high-end restaurants like Husk and La Scala helped fuel increased visitor spending in 2018. With The Grey’s culinary mastermind Mashama Bailey winning a James Beard Award in 2019 and a number of high-profile projects currently under construction -- from Eastern Wharf to Starland Village -- it’s likely that 2019 tourism numbers will push even higher.

Visit Savannah does an excellent job promoting the Hostess City’s charm to top magazine editors, leading convention planners and individual tourists. The organization’s strategically revamped website and artfully redesigned visitor publications emphasize the wide range of experiences and opportunities available for today’s tourists.

Best of all, Visit Savannah has expanded and marketed the city’s appeal well beyond River Street and City Market, the traditional epicenter of the visitor experience. Increased promotion of neighborhoods like the Starland District, the Victorian District and the Moon River Historic District is encouraging new generations of travelers to explore other areas of the city.

With a growing number of direct flights landing the Savannah/Hilton Head International Airport, it’s no wonder that the Coastal Empire is welcoming a record number of travelers from across the country and around the world.

Kudos to Visit Savannah for spreading the word about Savannah. And hats off to the 27,000 area residents working in the local hospitality industry, since they’re the ones on the front line, making sure every visitor enjoys exceptional service, Savannah-style. Every day, they prepare meals, pour cocktails, handcraft pralines, clean hotel rooms, lead tours and ensure that every guest experience is as close to perfect as possible.

A bigger box

So, is Savannah’s tourism industry close to maxing out? Visit Savannah’s President Joseph Marinelli doesn’t think so.

“I think those folks who wonder about the tipping point, they think in the context of what Savannah’s visitor experience has been the last 30 years,” he recently said. “What we look at in this organization is a much more expanded overall visitor experience with... development happening along the riverfront, an expanded convention center with a hotel on Hutchinson Island. It’s always fit into this box, but the box is getting bigger all around.”

There’s still plenty of room for growth, particularly in the convention sector, among international travelers and in the upscale travel market.

Fortunately, the visitor experience in Savannah is richer and more multifaceted in 2019 compared to 20 years ago or even 10 years ago. Over the years, John Berendt’s bestseller, “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil,” and Paula Deen’s popular cooking shows helped raise Savannah’s profile nationally, but the city offers a wider range of experiences now than ever before.

As tourism numbers hit record levels, Savannah keeps growing and evolving. And that’s certainly something to celebrate.

Read more here.