We had the good fortune of connecting with Georgia Turner and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Georgia, we’d love to start by asking you about lessons learned. Is there a lesson you can share with us?
The most valuable lesson I learned was to not burn any bridges! The tourism industry is VERY small and you are likely to work with the same people over and over. If you have a bad experience (which luckily I did not have many of them), the word gets around. If you handle situations professionally, you will have a good reputation. Enjoy the clients you work with and don’t alienate anyone. You never know when you’ll get to work with them again!

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
This is my basically my resume. I am proud of my accomplishments in the tourism industry.

Georgia Turner has 43 years of experience in journalism, public relations, marketing and sales. Since December 2016, she has been the Executive Director of the West Volusia Tourism Advertising Authority, where she is responsible for developing marketing and advertising programs to increase tourism in the 14 communities in West Volusia County, Florida (located in between Daytona Beach and Orlando), demonstrating the desirability of the area as a destination. With an $800,000+ budget that comes from a countywide lodging tax, the Authority works with area hoteliers, tour providers, attractions and event promoters, to represent the area to leisure visitors, tour operators, travel and meeting planners and the media.

She held marketing and public relations positions at several Destination Marketing Organizations in Florida and Alabama before landing in West Volusia. She also owned and operated Georgia Turner Group, a full-service marketing and communications agency specializing in the travel and tourism industry for 10 years. Services included management consulting, public relations, marketing and sales support, promotions and advertising. Specialty was media tours to destinations in the Southeast. Her client list included Convention & Visitors Bureaus, Chambers of Commerce and regional and state tourism agencies.

A graduate of Auburn University with a degree in journalism, she worked at her hometown newspaper and an airline magazine in Atlanta before her career in tourism began.

Today she is a member and past Chair of the Southeast Tourism Society (STS) as well as an Associate member of the Florida Outdoor Writers (FOWA) and the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW). In her spare time, Georgia enjoys craft beer, NASCAR races and yoga!

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I’m fortunate to be in travel planning for a living!

We would start in the city where I work, DeLand, on a Friday night. The award-winning MainStreet is at its most vibrant on the weekend, starting with a Farmer’s Market in Artisan Alley, held every Friday from 6-9 pm, right beside my office.

We would eat at one of my favorite restaurants (too many to choose from) in DeLand and end the night with live music in the courtyard at Cafe Davinci!

On Saturday we would go to Blue Spring State Park. Depending on the time of year, we would walk the Boardwalk and view hundreds of manatees in the spring, or we would grab a tube and float!

On Sunday we’d end up for church services at Cassadaga, which was established as a Spiritualist community in 1894, We might get lucky and get a reading from a medium at the afternoon Grove Service. We’d end the day with a fantastic meal at Sinatra’s in the Cassadaga Hotel.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I’ve been fortunate to have been raised by and taught by (personally and professionally) several strong women. I appreciate their love and support throughout my life.

Website: www.visitwestvolusia.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/visitwestvolusia/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgiaturner/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/westvolusiafla

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/VisitWestVolusia/

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/VisitWestVolusiaFL

Nominate Someone: ShoutoutMiami is built on recommendations and shoutouts from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.