Georgia Henderson, Public Information Director and MMTA President, along with Blondale Thomas, MMTA Secretary/Treasurer, attended the Magnolia Midlands Travel Association Annual Retreat Feb. 2 & 3 in Vidalia.
The Magnolia Midlands Travel Association is one of the Georgia Department of Economic Development’s (GDEcD) nine (9) Travel Regions, whose representatives promote tourism and economic development in Georgia.
On Thursday, Jenny Robbins, Community Development Manager with Georgia EMC, led the group with a session of learning about individual strengths and weaknesses and how to make them work together to produce excellent job performance. Graham Sweeney (GDEcD Tourism Account Manager) shared with the members upcoming Co-Op Grant Opportunities from GDEcD. Vidalia’s local Italian restaurant, Rialto’s, hosted the group for supper.
On Friday, the opening session focused on Tourism Product Development Teams with Cindy Eidson (GDEcD Tourism Product Development Director) presenting information on how to request a team to visit MMTA communities and how beneficial it is to have the team come to look with “fresh eyes” as to what resources a community has to offer visitors and how the community can build on those resources. Afterwards, Robbins led the MMTA group into a session for the group to create their 2017 goals and strategies.
Following the learning sessions, MMTA members were treated to a tour of a local, successful olive grove, Terra Dolce, owned by local brothers Tommie and Clint Williams.
Special thanks to Georgia EMC and their partners, Altamaha EMC, Canoochee EMC, Excelsior EMC, Irwin EMC, Little Ocmulgee EMC, Ocmulgee EMC, Planters EMC, & Satilla EMC, for allowing Jenny Robbins to facilitate the retreat.
– Submitted