Local events spur major economic impact

Destination Augusta, along with the Augusta Sports Council, are responsible for bringing many events to the CSRA each year.

Augusta has become a popular destination for large events, such as meetings, conferences, and athletic competitions. These events are expected to add about $4 million to the local economy in just the first three months of 2022, according to a news release from Destination Augusta and the Augusta Sports Council.

The events, which bring thousands to the city each year, help to generate revenue for local businesses, such as restaurants and hotels. “Like everything else we’ve had to work through over the past two years, the meetings and events side of tourism has been challenging,” says Bennish Brown, president and chief executive officer of Destination Augusta. “Fortunately, we saw this market begin to rebound last year, and the fact that we’ve secured group business the first quarter of this year that will generate nearly $4 million for our local economy is certainly worth celebrating.”

These are some of the events coming to Augusta’s River Region over the next two months and their estimated economic impact:

• The Augusta Home & Garden Show will be held at the James Brown Arena from Friday, Feb. 25 to Sunday, Feb. 27. Five hundred people are expected to attend the event with a total estimated economic impact of more than $378,000.
• The 2022 Augusta Half Marathon, 10K & 5K – hosted by the Augusta Sports Council – will be held on Saturday, Feb. 26 at the Augusta Common. The council estimates 1,600 people will attend with a total estimated economic impact of nearly $210,000.
• The Foreign Language Association of Georgia Annual Conference 2022 will be held Friday, March 4 and Saturday, March 5 at the Augusta Marriott at the Convention Center. Two hundred and fifty people are expected to attend, and the total estimated economic impact is almost $125,000.
• The Mary Kay Foundation Career Conference 2022 (see photo above story) will be held in Augusta and 29 other cities throughout the state from Wednesday, March 16 through Sunday, March 20. Two thousand people are expected to attend with a total estimated economic impact of nearly $2.7 million.

The total estimated economic impact calculations are based on research performed by several organizations, such as Explore Georgia, Destinations International, and the U.S. Travel Association. For more information, contact Destination Augusta at 706-823-6600 or the Augusta Sports Council at 706-722-8326.