Georgia tourism officials are attempting to lure baby boomers to its plantations, Civil War battlefields and other “heritage tourism” sites.
Greg Paxton, president and CEO of The Georgia Trust, said hundreds of downtown revitalization projects in the state are already under way.
“What we’ve had is a series of independent sites and institutions,” he said. “What we’re seeking to do is have the marketing, the outreach and the trip planning integrated.”
Visiting such sites is a US trend, according to John L. Nau III, chairman of the national Advisory Council on Historic Preservation.
Before 9/11, a survey found that 60% of baby boomers planned to tour the country with their grandchildren, he said. But after 9/11 the percentage leaped to 75%.
Report by David Wilkening
