The Valdosta-Lowndes Conference Center & Tourism Authority and the Valdosta-Lowndes Industrial Authority presented mid-year reports at the Valdosta-Lowndes Chamber of Commerce board meeting on June 25.

Tim Riddle, executive director of the James H. Rainwater Conference Center, highlighted the increased growth of the Conference Center and the number of visitors to Valdosta during 2013.

During FY 2013, there has been a 10 percent increase in the number of event days, a 16 percent increase in the number of meals served and a 14 percent increase in food and beverage tax revenue.

Riddle said that $5 million annually is generated by visitors in the community. He noted that this is direct impact, not including any multiplier effect. The economic impact of the Conference Center is measured by the number of hotel room nights booked and the number of conference attendees.

He also announced the launch of visitvaldosta.org, which will include a list of hotels, restaurants and attractions, as well as other information visitors may need before staying here.

Riddle said that the mission of the tourism board is to increase visitation in Valdosta. They are going to continue marketing Valdosta as the perfect overnight stopping point on I-75 south of Atlanta because of its high level of hotels, restaurants and shopping.

While Riddle is attracting visitors to Valdosta, Andrea Schruijer, executive director of the Industrial Authority, is recruiting new industries to open facilities here.

During 2013, Schruijer said the Industrial Authority focused on business retention and expansion. They set up a “Community Business and Industry Partnership” to plan how to better prepare Valdosta’s manufacturing sectors to compete globally and how to build the community capacity for new industry.

In order to better prepare Valdosta’s workforce for jobs in emerging industries, such as energy technology and specialty food packaging, the Industrial Authority partnered with the Chamber, Wiregrass Georgia Technical College and VSU to offer students the necessary training for new and existing job sectors.