ATLANTA, Dec. 14, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- In 1960, the
soulful, Georgia-born singer
Ray Charles hit the Billboard Hot
100 for the first time with the song "Georgia On My Mind." To this
day, that iconic tune is one of his most-loved recordings. Fast
forward to present day, and Georgia, it seems, is on everyone's mind.
That's why IHG Hotels & Resorts is teaming up with Explore
Georgia, the tourism division of
the Georgia Department of Economic Development, to promote
that Georgia has much more to
explore. Guests can book IHG's Stay Longer and Save rate
and save up to 20% when they stay three nights or more at select
properties across the state through Feb. 28,
2021. With scenic mountains and tranquil beaches, big cities
and small towns, places that shaped democracy and civil rights,
majestic National Parks and State Parks, and Southern food that is
good for the soul – it's easy to see that there is so much more to
Georgia than its peaches.
"We're proud to call Georgia
home to our U.S. headquarters and the thousands of our colleagues
who work, live, and play here," stated Brian Hicks, SVP, Americas Commercial &
Revenue Management, IHG Hotels & Resorts. "We've partnered
with Explore Georgia because we both share a deep passion for the
vast experiences the Peach State has to offer, including the places
and stories that don't make the news but are so essential to the
fabric of Georgia. Our company's
passion is delivering True Hospitality, and what better way to
showcase that than in our own backyard."
"We're thrilled to partner with our friends at IHG Hotels &
Resorts to showcase so many great places to stay in our state,"
said Mark Jaronski, Deputy
Commissioner of Tourism for the Georgia Department of Economic
Development. "No matter where you call home, a safe, enjoyable
escape to Georgia's great cities,
small towns, mountains, beaches, state and national parks is never
far away."
Peach State locations to stay and explore include:
Atlanta: The
birthplace and home of Dr. Martin Luther
King, Jr., Atlanta was the
spiritual epicenter of the Civil Rights movement. Visit Dr. King's
childhood home and Ebenezer Baptist
Church, where he preached his famous sermons. The National
Center for Civil and Human Rights and the King Center are dedicated
to the movement's struggles and achievements. Crowne Plaza Midtown
is close to all these sites, and rooms provide ample space for work
and rest, while the Buckhead
neighborhood is home to InterContinental Buckhead Atlanta, a luxury flagship hotel. The
recently renovated Crowne Plaza Atlanta Perimeter at Ravinia
is also close to all that Atlanta has to offer and just 20 minutes away
in Roswell is Chattahoochee Nature
Center and Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area – one of 11
stunning National Parks in Georgia. For a quieter, more distinct
experience, drive 20 minutes north to Alpharetta and stay at the
wellness-focused EVEN Hotel Alpharetta – Avalon Area. View the trip planning guide to
Atlanta here.
Savannah: Settled in
1773 by General James Oglethorpe,
Savannah is Georgia's first city, and there is no shortage
of reasons to visit this quintessential southern locale. Visitors
may recognize the majestic live oaks draped with Spanish moss and
gothic architecture from popular movies, but the city's beauty and
rich legacy are worth experiencing in person. Book a guest room at
the charming Kimpton Brice Hotel in Savannah's Historic Landmark District, perfect
for a scenic stroll along the Savannah River. View the trip
planning guide to Savannah
here.
Macon: With a thriving
river economy that started with the indigenous community long
before European settlers arrived, Macon is now a bustling city with many
historical sites, eye-catching architecture, and a legendary music
scene. It's also home to Wesleyan
College, the first college in the world chartered to grant
degrees to women. Stay just five minutes from the historic downtown
at the Holiday Inn Express & Suites Macon North. View the trip
planning guide to Macon here.
Athens: Home to The
University of Georgia and birthplace of
iconic American music groups R.E.M. and The B-52s, Athens boasts historic homes, the 300-acre
State Botanical Garden of Georgia,
and nationally recognized craft breweries (Tropicália, anyone?).
Although called "The Classic City," there isn't anything
conventional about Athens, and to
really get a feel for its neighborhoods, stay at Hotel Indigo
Athens Downtown. View the trip planning guide to Athens here.
Augusta: Famous for
hosting the annual Masters Tournament, Augusta was also the boyhood home of President
Woodrow Wilson, who served as the
28th President of the United
States. George Walton, the
youngest signatory to sign the U.S. Declaration of Independence,
was also from Augusta. Visit these
historical home sites or the new mural of the Godfather of
Soul, Augusta's own James
Brown, while staying at avid hotel Augusta W – Grovetown, one of IHG's newest hotel brands.
View the trip planning guide to Augusta here.
Responsible Travel
Safety precautions to combat
COVID-19 are critical to both the state and its visitors right now.
Therefore, Explore Georgia continues to promote safe travel and
encourages all visitors, residents and businesses to follow the
Georgia Safety Promise, which includes wearing a mask, maintaining
a social distance and washing hands. While visiting an IHG
hotel, be reassured that cleanliness and safety are top of mind.
The company's longstanding commitment to rigorous cleaning
procedures includes the IHG Way of Clean program
developed with Ecolab and Diversey, both world leaders in hygiene
and cleaning technologies.
About IHG®
IHG® (InterContinental Hotels Group) [LON:IHG,
NYSE:IHG (ADRs)] is a global organisation with a broad
portfolio of hotel brands, including Six Senses Hotels Resorts
Spas, Regent Hotels &
Resorts, InterContinental® Hotels &
Resorts, Kimpton® Hotels &
Restaurants, Hotel
Indigo®, EVEN® Hotels, HUALUXE® Hotels
and Resorts, Crowne Plaza® Hotels &
Resorts, voco™, Holiday Inn® Hotels &
Resorts , Holiday Inn
Express®, Holiday Inn Club
Vacations®, avid™ hotels, Staybridge
Suites®, Atwell Suites™, and Candlewood
Suites®. IHG franchises, leases, manages or
owns nearly 6,000 hotels and 890,000 guest rooms in more than 100
countries, with approximately 1,900 hotels in its development
pipeline. IHG also manages IHG® Rewards Club,
our global loyalty programme, which has more than 100
million enrolled members. InterContinental Hotels Group
PLC is the Group's holding company and is incorporated in
Great Britain and registered in
England and
Wales. Approximately 400,000 people work across IHG's
hotels and corporate offices
globally. Visit www.ihg.com for hotel information
and reservations and www.ihgrewardsclub.com for more on
IHG Rewards Club. For our latest news,
visit: https://www.ihgplc.com/en/news-and-media and
follow us on social media at: Twitter,
Facebook and LinkedIn.
About Explore Georgia
Explore Georgia, the tourism
division of the Georgia Department of Economic Development, is the
state's official destination marketing organization. Through its
home office in Atlanta, nine
visitor information centers, and a network of representatives
across the globe, Explore Georgia inspires travel to and within the
state. The division works to advance Georgia's $68.82
billion tourism industry that supports 484,056 jobs. As home
to the biggest cities in the region, the most diverse population,
and a geographical range from the mountains to the beach,
Georgia has the South's most
unexpected sights and stories. Learn more at
ExploreGeorgia.org.
About GDEcD
The Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) is the
state's sales and marketing arm, the lead agency for attracting new
business investment, encouraging the expansion of existing industry
and small businesses, aligning workforce education and training
with in-demand jobs, locating new markets for Georgia products, attracting tourists to
Georgia, and promoting the state
as a destination for arts and location for film, music and digital
entertainment projects, as well as planning and mobilizing state
resources for economic development. Learn more at
georgia.org.
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