The Chattanooga Convention & Visitors Bureau officially opened the new Chattanooga Visitors Center on Wednesday. The new location sits in the heart of the tourism district, making it even easier to get in front of the visitor and provide information on all things Chattanooga.
The Visitors Center is a one-stop information, hospitality and ticketing center for the tens of thousands of visitors that come to Chattanooga.
“Every year, visitors create a phenomenal ¾ of a billion impact for Hamilton County. They generate $19 million in local sales tax revenues and support 7,800 full-time jobs in the tourism industry alone,” said Bob Doak, president and CEO of the Chattanooga Convention & Visitors Bureau.
“Since the Visitors Center originally opened in July 1993, we’ve seen an economic impact increase of 175%. Now that we’re at the street level, we expect to see a significant increase in the numbers of people coming through our doors.”
The Visitors Center relocated to make way for the Chattanooga History Center. With this transition, the CVB saw a great opportunity to grow the Center in a new location. The new Visitors Center has the following benefits:
· Much higher visibility
· Located at the northern terminus of the CARTA shuttle, visitors can now be dropped off at the front door
· Five plasma screens offer digital videos conveying the rich variety of the Chattanooga Experience
· One stop shop for ticketing and reservations
· Expanded gift shop provides more selection for people wanting to take a memorable piece of Chattanooga home with them
· The kiosk for the information specialists provide enough space to give visitors the personal attention they need to plan their stay in the city
· Guests receive 30 minutes of free parking in the Bijou garage providing them enough time to explore the brochure racks, talk with information specialists, pick up a souvenir and freshen up
Mr. Doak said, “Typically when a business moves to multiple locations, they tend to increase operating costs. Between the move of the Visitors Center and the CVB corporate offices, we have already begun to see substantial savings in maintenance and utilities. But when we save money in one place, we find new and innovative ways to spend it. As crucial as online technology is in today’s world, it was important for us to transform our website to a mobile version.”
The new mobile version of the website is accessible on a variety of platforms, including smart phones. It enables people to have access to the most up-to-date information anytime, anywhere without the restrictions of a desk or searching for WiFi. It provides location-sensitive content with a GPS. You can locate the nearest restaurant, attraction and even event pulled from our events calendar. The capabilities will continue to grow as technology advances.
Technology aside, the Visitors Center will still be what it has always been about: friendly, knowledgeable Chattanoogans greeting visitors and giving them the information they need to have a wonderful stay in the scenic city.
The Visitors Center is open daily from 8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. (Closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas Days). For more information, call 800 322-3344.