Christy Sherman, executive director of the Richmond Hill Convention and Visitors’ Bureau, recently attended Tourism, Arts and Hospitality Day at the Georgia Capitol in Atlanta.

Tourism professionals from across the state visited the Capitol to present a $3 billion “check” to Gov. Nathan Deal, illustrating the tax revenue generated by tourism in 2014.

“Many people only think of large manufacturing plants as economic development, but tourism is also an important driver of economic, social and cultural development in our community,” Sherman said. “It brings in outside dollars to be spent locally in businesses that may not survive by relying on local customers alone.”

In 2014, Bryan County’s tourism industry supported 269 jobs, generated $41.8 million in travel spending and $1.3 million in local sales taxes, and created $1.5 million in state tax revenues.

The annual event, a collaborative effort between several public and private organizations including the Georgia Arts Network, Georgia Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus, Georgia Department of Economic Development, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Georgia Hotel and Lodging Association, Georgia Restaurant Association and Georgia Agritourism Association, highlights the larger travel and tourism community during the legislative session.