The city council of the Route 66 town of Atlanta, Illinois, voted last week to create the position of tourism development director and has begun advertising to fill it.
According to a news release from Bill Thomas, chairman of the Route 66 Road Ahead Partnership who is based in Atlanta:
The Tourism Development Director will work to attract tourists to Atlanta, focusing specifically on increasing the amount of time and money they spend when visiting the community. To do so, the TDD will work with Atlanta’s restaurants, bars, golf course and other businesses to increase the number of bus, tour, car clubs and other large groups that choose to visit Atlanta. The new director will help ensure Atlanta’s set of current attractions and experiences, such as the J.H. Hawes Grain Elevator Museum, Bunyon Giant, golf course, bars and restaurants, overnight accommodations, sports complex, etc., are effectively marketed. The creation of new tourist attractions and experiences will also be part of the new Tourism Development Director’s responsibilities.
The Tourism Development Director position will involve approximately 1,000 hours per year, with a salary of $20,000. The Tourism Development Director will be supervised by Atlanta’s mayor and make bi-monthly reports to the City Council. The city desires to fill the position as soon as possible. Individuals interested in applying for Atlanta’s Tourism Development Director position should forward a cover letter and resume to Atlanta City Hall, 102 NW Vine St., Atlanta, Illinois. Application materials may also be emailed to: atlantailcityhall@gmail.com. Cover letters and resumes need to be submitted by or before 12/24/2020.
Some may be astonished that Atlanta doesn’t already have a tourism director. However, the town’s population only is about 1,600, and many municipalities that size and larger lack such a position.
Atlanta is a gem, though, and extolling its virtues would be easier compared to many other towns.
(Image of the east side of S.W. Arch Street business district in downtown Atlanta, Illinois, by Randy von Liski via Flickr)