The best kept secret in Georgia.

That’s how state tourism officials described Troup County to Page Estes when she became president of LaGrange-Troup Chamber of Commerce last year.

Chamber staffers and leaders of local attractions hope to change that, in a big way, as hosts of the 2010 Georgia Travel Media Marketplace, which gets under way Thursday.

Organized by the tourism division of the Georgia Department of Economic Development, the three-day event will bring some 30 travel writers from across the country to see for themselves the varied travel and recreational opportunities available in Troup and Coweta counties.

It’s the first time two communities have partnered to host the event which has been held previously in Savannah, Macon, Augusta, Athens and Hiawassee. It’s also the first time this area of the state has been featured, and organizers are playing that up, using the theme “Georgia’s West Side Story.”

Estes believes it’s a story worth telling.

“We’re in the ideal location - close to the Atlanta airport, at a point where two interstates merge and directly on the route that ‘snowbirds’ drive twice a year. We have great attractions. The problem has been figuring out how to get Troup County on the tourism map,” she said.

That’s where the travel writers come in. The group includes writers with broad experience in both print and Web publications - from major publications like Southern Living and USA Today to niche publications like RV America and Y’all magazine. There’s even a Canadian writer who focuses on Southern destinations and several newspaper and newsletter travel columnists whose work is considered influential.

“This is our shot to put Troup County in publications across the country for the next few years. It’s a priceless opportunity,” Estes said.

Priceless, but it’s an opportunity with real dollar value, she adds. Tourism is big business, with significant impact on jobs, business revenue and local tax receipts, Estes said.

“Almost 5 percent of our residents are employed in some type of tourism-related profession. Add in the hotel/motel tax and the multiplying effect of the guests eating at our restaurants, shopping at small businesses and visiting our attractions and the economic impacts expand exponentially.”

LaGrange will be pitched as a good location for day trips and also longer stays for what’s called “hub and spoke” tourism.

“We think LaGrange can be attractive to visitors as a hub, because of our reasonably priced lodging. We want them to see our local attractions, then stay here while they make side trips to the Little White House, Callaway Gardens, the Infantry Museum in Columbus and so on,” said Laura Jennings, the chamber’s tourism director.

She’s put together travel package suggestions that tout another advantage: value.

“We have big attractions with tiny prices,” Jennings said. “That’s really important. Everybody is looking for bargains.”

Friday will be the primary day for the writers to experience LaGrange and Troup County. The day begins with a visit to Hills and Dales, the Fuller Callaway family home and gardens, made more attractive to visitors by the recent opening of the second and third floors to visitors.

Following a lunch featuring locally grown foods, catered by C’Sons on Lafayette Plaza, writers will have a chance to drive a Kia Sorento from the new local dealership on Lafayette Parkway to the Kia Motors plant in West Point, where they’ll tour the facility, which plans to begin free public tours later this year.

“The Kia tours can be a huge draw, and the lead time is perfect. Writers are always looking for stories about something new,” said Stephanie Paupek, communications specialist for the Department of Economic Development and coordinator of the marketplace.

Highland Marina will host the writers for a sunset cruise on West Point Lake, another major draw, and the day will conclude with a biblical meal and tour of the Explorations in Antiquity Center, described in state promotional material as “the only attraction of its kind in North America.”

Packets with photos and information on other local attractions, including Bellevue, the Legacy Museum on Main and LaGrange Art Museum, will be presented to each writer.

“The goal is for the writers to walk away with a million story ideas. Page and Laura have done an awesome job of putting together a varied visit that will appeal to a diverse group,” Paupek said.

Derrick Lewis of the Antiquity Center sees the Travel Media Marketplace as a great opportunity for exposure to potential visitors.

“People are always looking for something to do. One thing we’ve learned in our seven years here is that it’s hard to get the word out. This is a great opportunity for exposure to a targeted audience of people who travel and wouldn’t know about us otherwise,” he said.

Lewis also hopes the “surprise” of finding an unusual attraction like the Antiquity Center in a small town like LaGrange will work to the museum’s advantage.

That’s really what the marketplace visit is about, adds Estes - giving writers an opportunity to experience what their readers would see and do if they visit West Georgia.

“I want us to put our best foot forward, but I think it’s so important that we keep it honest. Our goal at the chamber is to ‘wow’ our visitors by exceeding their expectations to the point that they want to come back … or tell their friends about us … but if we put on a show that no one else can experience, we’ve created unreal expectations and folks will be disappointed.”

Based on the planning and past experience, LaGrange and Newnan can expect to see dozens of stories, “not just immediately, but for years to come,” said Paupek. Both local and state tourism staffers will stay in touch with the writers, offering followup ideas, answering questions and arranging additional interviews.

“You can’t ask for more than this, to have 30 writers in your back yard, and the state picking up most of the tab. This is big. What they produce will go far,” Paupek said.