Tourism Reaches Out and Hoteliers Answer

For Further Information
Cayce Lee
Cayce@visitathensal.com

For immediate release
May 23, 2013
www.visitathensal.com

Tourism Reaches Out and Hoteliers Answer

With modern media resources access to real time events have become exceptionally easy especially to anyone with internet access.  One of the duties in the Social Media Department of the Athens-Limestone County Tourism Association is to keep a finger on the pulse on the community from events to races, road closures to emergencies and share that information on its many services.  It’s times when disaster strikes that the Athens-Limestone County Tourism Association (ALCTA) switches gears and provide information not only about blocked roads and power outages but how people can help, needs list, and community response efforts.

On Friday, May 17^th, the eyes of ALCTA turned local as the Limestone community was caught unaware of the spinning storm that would touch down across the county – delaying school children, impacting businesses and delaying community events.  The goal that day was to provide as much accurate information to help the followers of our Facebook and Twitter accounts stay safe and informed.  The day ended with sharing pictures and recounts of the damage as they were flowing over internet.

It was on Monday, May 20^th that ALCTA’s social media eyes turned westward.  Real time feeds were watched and devastation reaped upon the landscape of Oklahoma City and City of Moore rapt our attention.  The raw images spread across the internet, fanning already frayed nerves in the valley.  The pangs of sympathy and sorrow set the wheels in motion with searching solutions to share with the public.

Athens-Limestone County Tourism Social Media Specialist, Cayce Lee, put out the call to area hotels and Best Western manager, Lynn Horn, answered.  Lynn put the wheels in motion at the corporate level to get gift cards shipped into her hotel on U.S. 72, so anyone interested in purchasing them for the Gift Card Rally at the Athens Police Department on Saturday, May 25^th could just visit her location. 

“We want to be part of our community and to help and give back,” said Lynn about adding this new service program to her hotel.

“It’s great to see the response Lynn and the Best Western staff are making.  They’re sensitive to this situation, knowing the pain people experienced following our tornadoes of April 27^th 2011. How our displaced homeowners had to turn to the local hotels for somewhere to live after their homes were destroyed and their lives devastated,” said Teresa Todd, Co-Tourism Director.

 Cayce again reached out to Marriott’s Renaissance Oklahoma City Convention Center Hotel and Spa who recently made headlines for not only hosting the National Tornado Summit but helping convert the Summit’s Marriott Rewards points into rooms for the American Red Cross with enough points to provide 13 nights.  Tracy Swibold, Director of Sales and Marketing of the Renaissance location, responded rapidly to the request, providing information for donating Marriott Rewards points to the American Red Cross.

“We have so many people who travel in the Athens area and Marriott is a well-known chain that offers points for staying at any of their tiers and for partner services.  Someone may not have the ability to offer money right now but they can donate their points to help.  It’s fairly simple, anyone with Marriott Rewards can donate points to the American Red Cross by visiting https://mr.userewards.com/charity/index.jsp, signing in with their Marriott Rewards Number and search American Red Cross and donate,” said Cayce.

Other hoteliers in the area said that gift cards could be purchased at their corporate websites. 

Choice Hotels … www.choicehotels.com
Hilton/Hampton Hotels … www.hhonors3.hilton.com/en/gift-card/index.html
Best Western … www.travelcard.bestwestern.com
Holiday Inn/Intercontinental Hotel Group … http://www.ihg.com/hotels/us/en/global/offers/giftcard

Jeanette Jones, Co-President said, “We encourage other hotels to get involved and help us help others.  We’re here to help spread the word not only for fun but also disasters.” 

Jennifer Adair said, “If you can’t make it out to the event on Saturday, you can send gift cards directly to Journey Church in Norman, Oklahoma.  So if you send them directly, please let Holly Hollman with the City of Athens know so we can add your amount to our goal.”  Mrs. Hollman can be contacted via email at HHollman@athensal.us with your amounts.  To mail your cards directly to the church helping in the distribution, Journey Church P.O. Box 722764, Norman, OK 73070.

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