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Wednesday, July 10, 2013

Interview: Southern Hospitality Expands into New Touring Experiences

Article link: http://www.ntaonline.com/articles/index.cfm?action=view&articleID=2651&menuID=791#Headline1

Member Voices: Southern Hospitality  

Savannah, Georgia, offers its 12 million visitors a wealth of ways to tour the city, and according to Mindy Shea of Visit Savannah, the options for tours are expanding.Mindy Shea
"The motorcoach is still the primary way groups tour our city, but we're seeing that groups aren't always satisfied to just sit and look out the window at key sites. They want to stop more often, get a closer look at attractions and have an interactive experience at the attractions. They frequently request a "behind-the-scenes" experience: something the average visitor doesn't have access to.
"For individual travelers, self-guided and walking tours are definitely on the rise. Walking tours give visitors a chance not only to see the city close-up, but to take popular niche tours such as craft brew tours, culinary tours and haunted tours. These tours don't always work as well for senior groups, as there are often mobility issues. We've also seen an increase, especially among older visitors, in the use of smartphone apps for self-guided tours." 

Shea added that overview tours are popular with seniors, while school groups gravitate toward Civil War tours, African-American tours and eco-tours.

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