Visitors bureau tentatively approves logo

Board members of the Columbia County Convention and Visitors Bureau tentatively approved a new logo Wednesday to help sell the county as a tourist destination.

Graphic artist Todd Beasley provided the bureau five options and board members selected elements of two renderings to create a revised logo design.

Bureau executive director Beda Johnson said the board should consider the application of the logo and that it should convey a "message of leisure travel."

"We have a wealth of natural resources and we promote a lot of sporting events," she said.

The final design will be similar to the Columbia County government logo. It features a sailboat slicing through the water with a grove of trees and a cloud in the background.

"Columbia County Convention and Visitors Bureau" and the county Web site will be featured beneath the logo.

In other business Wednesday, Johnson announced the purchase of a sponsorship of a morning news segment in Atlanta, that will highlight Art in the Park, the Celtic Concert Series at the Columbia County Amphitheater and Wildwood Park.

Johnson said she is looking for outside markets to spend advertising dollars because the bureau "really has to reach an audience outside this area."

Johnson also announced a Stay, Play and Pamper golf package that the bureau could sell to tourists.