The Augusta Convention and Visitors Bureau acquired research findings conducted by Longwoods International which shows a promising 7% increase in travelers to the city of Augusta since 2013.
 
In 2015, Augusta’s hospitality industry welcomed 9.1 million visitors, including 4.2 million overnight visitors and 4.9 million day-trippers.
 
Overnight travelers alone spent over $478 million in Augusta. Broken down, this equates to 35% of this revenue spent on lodging, 25% on food and beverage, 16% on shopping in local retailers, 13% on transportation, and 11% on recreation. The average length of the Augusta travelers stay was 2.8 nights, up from 2013 as well.
 
“The results of this study emphasize how vital the travel and tourism industry is to our economy,” said Barry White, President and CEO of the ACVB. “The findings also reinforce the power of the growth and development efforts to position Augusta as a preferred visitor destination.”
 
At 51%, the amount of travelers visiting friends and family in Augusta was higher than the national average. Longwoods shows that friends and family ranked as the number one information source for visitors as well.
 
“Augustan’s are doing a great job inviting their friends and families to our city,” said White. “Residents are our number one ambassadors for Augusta, and an integral part of the tourism and travel industry.”
 
The same Augusta charm being shared by locals is also being shared by visitors, 76% of which utilize social media for both planning and documenting their trip.
 
“We expected the numbers to reflect the impressive growth Augusta has felt over the past few years,” said Dennis Skelley, ACVB board chair. “This study emphasizes the continued importance of investing in our travel and tourism industry in order to cultivate and enhance the hospitality and innovation for which Augusta is known.”