We pass popular tourist sites like Ocmulgee Mounds National Historical Park every day; we may not even think of how it supports our community. But Ocmulgee Mounds and others like the Tubman Museum, Georgia Sports Hall of Fame, Cannonball House, The Big House and H&H Soul Food are the backbone of Macon, Georgia. These places define our community, provide our families with jobs and have given us—and thousands of visitors—a lifetime of memories.
Travel matters, and it improves Macon in ways that have a wide-reaching impact on Maconites. Travel supports 3,747 jobs, and it also has an impact that we do not always see: travel can strengthen families, foster hometown pride, and build bridges that connect us with one another.
Travel is powerful for cities and states, and Macon is no exception. Tourism is a great investment for Macon, generating $381 million per year for the local economy and supporting $97 million in payroll generation. That means for every $1 invested in tourism marketing and promotion, it brings about $54 back to the local economy.
Think back to your first job. Maybe you worked at the Hay House or the The Rookery, or maybe your kids work there now. For many–one third of Americans to be exact–travel is the front door to a promising career. Americans whose first job in travel have an average career salary of $81,900, and two in 5 of those whose first job was in travel are now earning more than $100,000.
Those are only a few reasons why it’s so important to keep welcoming visitors to Macon—and why our industry is elevating the message of “Travel Matters” during National Travel and Tourism Week (NTTW) 2019. We encourage you to join us in observing NTTW this year, and celebrate all that travel does for Macon, and for our country as a whole.
For more information read Visit Macon by the Numbers.
