Houston Co. looks to become destination location for visitors

WARNER ROBINS, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Houston County’s leadership is thinking of ways to attract more visitors. The county wants to become a destination location.

“I don’t think residents realize just how many of the people they see in their restaurants and on the street shopping aren’t from here. We don’t know that they’re visitors so there’s probably a lot more visitors in town than most residents think,” consulting firm, DMO Proz Chief Investigator Bill Geist said.

Businesses, restaurants, and residents of Houston County are hoping to bring in more visitors.

“People might find other reasons to come back the next time. It may not be aviation, it may be culinary, it may be retail, it maybe something else experiential,” he said.

Warner Robins Convention and Visitors Bureau held its annual luncheon Tuesday afternoon. They want to work with the community to make Houston County a tourist destination.

“It will be a major driver of jobs of investment in Middle Georgia region and that it really all starts with a collaborative approach to marketing our community as a great place for people to come and visit,” Middle Georgia Regional Commission’s Director of Public Administration Greg Boike said.

Using social media and telling stories of Warner Robins is key for marketing.

“The traditional marketing has become less and less important as folks now pull out their smartphones and go to Yelp or Trip Advisor, so the more that we can harness those tools to our advantage the more successful we’ll be,” Boike said.

Geist says more visitors mean residents’ property taxes will be reduced.