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Georgia Governor: Tourism had $60.8 billion impact last year

In this photo provided by the Georgia Port Authority, Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal provides opening comments for the Savannah State of the Port event, Thursday, Oct. 12, 2017, in Savannah, Ga. Deal says the federal government needs to "step up" and increase funding to deepen the busy shipping channel to the Port of Savannah. (Stephen Morton/Georgia Port Authority via AP)
In this photo provided by the Georgia Port Authority, Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal provides opening comments for the Savannah State of the Port event, Thursday, Oct. 12, 2017, in Savannah, Ga. Deal says the federal government needs to "step up" and increase funding to deepen the busy shipping channel to the Port of Savannah. (Stephen Morton/Georgia Port Authority via AP) In this photo provided by the Georgia Port Authority, Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal provides opening comments for the Savannah State of the Port event, Thursday, Oct. 12, 2017, in Savannah, Ga. Deal says the federal government needs to "step up" and increase funding to deepen the busy shipping channel to the Port of Savannah. (Stephen Morton/Georgia Port Authority via AP)

By Associated Press 1 min read

JEKYLL ISLAND, Ga. (AP) – Georgia’s governor says tourism had a record-breaking economic impact of $60.8 billion statewide last year.

Gov. Nathan Deal spoke Thursday at the 2017 Georgia Governor’s Tourism Conference on Jekyll Island. He said more than 450,000 jobs across the state were somehow tied to tourism in 2016.

State Department of Economic Development Commissioner Pat Wilson said tourism dollars and jobs can be found in nearly every Georgia community.

More than 400 tourism professionals are attending the Jekyll Island conference to learn more about recent industry issues and trends. Next year the conference will move to Atlanta.