County launches new tourism site

Published 4:14 pm Thursday, August 14, 2008

The county has launched a revamped Web site to promote tourism.

The site, www.shelbycountytourism.org, features Shelby County attractions, events and cities.

“The data that was out there before was static,” said Phil Burns, IT manager for Shelby County. “Our challenge was to creative an interactive site that highlights the gems in the county.”

The new site was a joint venture between Shelby County and The Partnership, a group of local government and business leaders.

Greater Shelby Chamber of Commerce President Jennifer Trammell said the site serves visitors and residents alike.

“We see this as an incredible tool to reach out to people who might want to visit the county and people who are already here,” Trammell said.

The site features interactive maps, photo galleries and other content geared toward boosting tourism.

“This will let us toot our own horns about our big events,” Burns said.

Key parts of the new site include:

-Points of interest: Descriptions of more than 36 attractions in the county, including photo galleries and driving directions.

-Parks: List of amenities for almost 50 parks throughout the county.

-Cities and towns: Overview of each of the county’s 17 municipalities.

-Themed itineraries: Plan days based around a common theme, like golf and shopping.

-Events calendar.

The site also features information about sports revenues, libraries, hotels and regional attractions.

Since it launched July 17, the site has received more then 4,000 visitors.

“I’m very excited about it,” said Trammell. “I see this as a very interactive Web site and another way to promote our great county.”