ATLANTA – During the 2010 Governor’s Conference on Tourism, State Representative Ben Harbin (R-Evans) was chosen as the state’s top legislative supporter of tourism. Governor Sonny Perdue personally presented the sole Legislative Award to Rep. Harbin in recognition of his unwavering support for the tourism industry.
“Tourism is a major economic force in Georgia, especially in Augusta,” said Rep. Harbin. “Whether it’s the Masters Golf Tournament in the spring, the Augusta Southern Nationals in the summer, the Arts in the Heart Festival in the fall, or the Augusta Futurity in the winter, tourism brings people from all over the world to our area, and they support our local restaurants, hotels, and stores. We all benefit from tourism, and I’m honored to be able to support this valuable economic engine.”
Georgia’s tourism economy currently ranks 8th in the nation and 2nd in the Southeast. The annual conference serves as an opportunity for state and industry leaders to discuss ways to increase those rankings by growing tourism and make Georgia a premier travel destination. This year’s conference hosted more than 400 tourism professionals from Georgia’s convention centers, visitor bureaus, attractions, hotels and other industries.
The convention was hosted by the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD), Georgia Association of Convention & Visitors Bureaus (GACVB) and the Tourism Development Alliance of Georgia (TDAG) in Athens from August 30th to September 1st.
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Representative Ben Harbin represents the citizens of District 118, which includes portions of Columbia County. He was elected into the House of Representatives in 1994, and currently serves as Chairman of the Appropriations Committee and is an ex-officio member of the Ways & Means Committee. He also serves on the Energy, Utilities & Telecommunications; Insurance; and Intragovernmental Coordination committees.