The Georgia Department of Industry, Trade and Tourism last week began a tourism marketing campaign for the G8 Summit with the launch of an email newsletter targeted to media outlets that will be covering the conference.

The initiative is designed to showcase the state during the summit, which is slated to bring at least 3,000 journalists from around the world to the Georgia coast, Kevin Langston, GDITT spokesperson, told GlobalFax.

“Since only 100-150 journalists at a time will be allowed access to Sea Island, where the summit is being held, that leaves some 2,900 reporters looking for something to do,” said Mr. Langston. “It’s a key opportunity for them to learn about Georgia.”

Initially, the agency is to send out two story ideas a week by email to identified G8 beat reporters, detailing information about Georgia sites or resources that they may be interested in writing about in the ramp up to the summit, he said.

The first newsletter, sent out Feb. 16, included information about the top foreign investors in Georgia – Japan, Germany and Britain, in that order – and also provided details about a training program for area law enforcement in detecting weapons of mass destruction.

GDITT, in cooperation with Savannah and Sea Island area development and tourism partners, is also planning “familiarization” trips for journalists who will be staying on the coast during the summit, Mr. Langston reported.

Excursions could include a visit to the Gulfstream Aerospace complex in Savannah for meetings with executives or a visit to the Savannah College of Art and Design, which in October opened a new furniture and industrial design facility, he said.

Already, press and country delegations are arriving in Savannah in preparation for the G8 Summit.

Economic development officials in the area have predicted that summit-related activity would bring an additional $40 million in revenue to Savannah and surrounding areas in Chatham County between now and June 10.

That figure is based on the number of hotel rooms already reserved by visitors from now until mid-June. For more information, contact Mr. Langston at (404) 651-8578.