State To Talk Tourism in Toccoa

State officials are headed to Toccoa this month to talk tourism with local leaders.

The Georgia Department of Economic Development’s Tourism division has announced that a Tourism Product Development Resource team will visit Toccoa on March 7 and 8.

According to state officials, Georgia Tourism’s resource team is a statewide initiative that provides communities with the resources needed to identify potential tourism product and increase visitor activity throughout the community.

The Tourism Product Development Resource team members are comprised of experts in a variety of fields that are specific to areas of potential development in Toccoa. The experts range from traditional downtown development to innovate concepts in experiential tourism and agribusiness.

State officials said during the research mission, team members will work with local leadership to assess the portfolio of tourism-related assets within the county in areas including heritage and cultural tourism, nature-based tourism, agritourism and retail development. The resource team’s objectives include cataloguing and discussing assets that are probable candidates for further developing an expanded tourism-based economy within the city. The team will also define solutions to overcome obstacles that may challenge such efforts.

Toccoa-Stephens County Chamber of Commerce President Julie Paysen says it is a great opportunity for Toccoa and Stephens County.

“We are grateful to have been selected by the Georgia Department of Economic Development to partner with their Georgia Tourism Product Development Resource Team as we share our community with them and help them discover that Toccoa is a hidden gem,” said Paysen. “We have great expectations and are eager to hear the recommendations of the Resource Team. Our goal continues to be to let the world know that Toccoa is a destination point well worth the travel and this partnership will only help us to further accomplish that goal!”

Echoing those thoughts was Toccoa Main Street Director Connie Tabor.

The City of Toccoa was selected by the Office of Tourism Product Development to participate in this year-long development program which provides technical assistance in the form of a reconnaissance visit and strategy for a local community interested in developing and enhancing its tourism product.

The resource team will conduct additional research following the site visit and return to the community in approximately 120 days with a full written report and community presentation of recommendations.

Details of this community presentation will be announced at a later date.