Savannah Chamber

38 SAVANNAHCHAMBER.COM Visitor Spending (in billions): $ 1.63 in 2009 $ 1.7 in 2010 $ 1.94 in 2011 $ 2.1 in 2012 $ 2.3 in 2013 $ 2.5 in 2014 $ 2.7 in 2015 $ 2.8 in 2016 $ 2.91 in 2017 $ 3 in 2018 $ 3.1 in 2019 $ 2.75 in 2020 $ 3.3 in 2021 $ 4 in 2022 Source: Longwoods International W O R K I N G H E R E port's rail capacity and is more than halfway complete, plus ongoing road improvements involving Interstates 95 and 16, and you've got a logistics trifecta. The Georgia Ports Authority handled a record 5.9 million twenty-foot equivalent container units in calendar year 2022, an increase of 5% over . And in March 3, ports offi cials announced the GPA now handles one out of every 8.8 loaded twenty-foot equivalent container units in the U.S., its highest national market share ever. A TOURISM MAGNET Savannah and Chatham County's tourism and hospitality industry continues to be a powerhouse for Savannah's visitor economy. The industry currently supports more than 26,000 area jobs and careers. Savannah annually ranks as one of America's top visitor destinations in popular publications and websites like Condé Nast Traveler, Travel + Leisure, Trip Advisor and CNN Travel. Savannah is strategically located within 40% of the U.S. population, attracting more than 14 million visitors annually. These welcomed visitors spend more than $4 billion annually. Savannah also boasts having one of the largest convention centers in the Southeast and is serviced with nonstop fl ights from more than 40 cities around the country. AN AVIATION HUB Savannah is the home of Gulfstream Aerospace Corp. — which employs close to 11,000 in the region — and the Savannah/ Hilton Head International Airport. It's also geographically positioned between The Boeing Co. in Charleston, South Carolina, and Embraer in Jacksonville, Florida, making Savannah ideally situated for air travel and aerospace manufacturing. Local colleges sweeten the deal, creating a specialized workforce of eperts by off ering tailored educational programs, including aircraft structural and electrical assembly. STRONG MILITARY ASSETS Along with a storied military history from the Revolutionary War to the Mighty Eighth Air Force, the city is home to Hunter Army Airfi eld, a vital hub of the Fort Stewart complex, which is the largest military installation east of the Mississippi River. Fort Stewart, with headquarters located 40 miles southwest of Savannah in Hinesville, is home of the 3rd Infantry Division. Together, Hunter and Fort Stewart have an annual . billion fi nancial impact on the local economy. Savannah is also home to a signifi cant U.S. Coast Guard presence and an Air National Guard unit. A CREATIVE TECHNOLOGY MECCA Workforce development programs and a wealth of higher education options keep Savannahians on top of the latest trends in technology — from interactive entertainment design and fi lm and media production to logistics management and database develop- ment. Another resource, The Creative Coast, a nonprofi t organization in partnership with the Savannah Economic Development Authority and the City of Savannah, nurtures and sup- ports those engaged in creative or innovative endeavors. Georgia continues to be a top fi lming state, and Chatham County is second only to Atlanta in the number of movie and TV shoots hosted in the Peach State. The bright lights are nothing new to places like Savannah and Tybee Island, which were backdrops for such classics as "Glory," "Forrest Gump" and local favorite "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil. Early in , the crop of fi lm pro ductions included "Halloween Ends," in which Jamie Lee Curtis wrapped up the long-running franchise, and a movie version of the musical take on "The Color Purple." ENERGETIC MAIN STREET From valuable antiques to visitor souvenirs, Savannahs retail sector off ers it all, with national chains as well as independent and unique shops all thriving. Sample the off erings at the Oglethorpe Mall on Abercorn Street and along key commercial corridors such as U.S. 17 in Richmond Hill and Godley Station near the Savannah/ Hilton Head International Airport in Pooler. Pooler is also the home to Tanger Outlets Savannah, just off I5. Indie boutiues, multinational restaurants and trend-setting bistros enliven Savannah's downtown Historic District, including local hot spots Broughton Street, Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, the Downtown Design District near Whitaker and Jones streets, and the tourist-driven enclaves of River Street and City Market. In Midtown, the Starland District is an up-and-coming area of shops, restaurants, nightspots and venues.

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