It’s not situated within the international terminal, but a new Georgia visitor welcome center at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport isn’t neglecting travelers from other countries.
A standard welcome guide distributed by the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau will be available at the center in five languages: German, Spanish, Portuguese, French and Chinese.
The 1,200-square-foot center launched in collaboration with the ACVB and the airport becomes the 12th operated by the Georgia Department of Economic Development statewide. It’s located at the top of the arrivals escalator in the domestic terminal and will be open in the evenings and at other convenient hours for the airport’s more than 100 million travelers. The staffed center will offer brochures, trip-planning assistance and other information about the state. It includes flat screens projecting large images of scenes from around the state.
“You almost feel like you’re in the city. It’s going to provide an immersive experience for our visitors,” said William Pate, president and CEO of the ACVB, during the opening.
The ACVB’s foreign-language guides are also offered in the international terminal.
“Atlanta videos play in international baggage claim in five languages as well,” said Heather Kirksey, an ACVB spokeswoman, in an email.
Also on hand for the grand opening, Hartsfield-Jackson General Manager Miguel Southwell has often said that the airport’s primary role is to enhance the economic development of the region. He has consulted with Atlanta’s corporate and government leaders on capture travelers’ attention during layovers to encourage them to come back and spend time in Atlanta. About two-thirds of the airport’s passengers come through on transfer flights, never leaving the airport grounds.
According to the Georgia Department of Economic Development, international visitors to Georgia increased by 22 percent to more than 860,000 in 2014, far outpacing national growth rate of 7.4 percent. They spent $822 per person per trip in Georgia, a total of $704 million.
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