World Cup welcome: GCSU alumnae leading tourism throughout Georgia

Samantha Joiner ('23) representing the Atlanta CVB at the IPW international trade show. (Photo: Samantha Joiner)

By Gil Pound

G eorgia's already booming tourism industry is set to receive a jolt over the next month with Atlanta serving as a host city for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

The international soccer tournament is expected to bring some 520,000 visitors and an estimated $500 million in economic impact to the state when eight matches, including a semifinal, are played inside Mercedes-Benz Stadium from June 15 to July 15.

The over half a million visitors will be in good hands with many Georgia College & State University alumnae in tourism ambassador roles from the capital to the coast.

Samantha Joiner ('23) will be in the middle of the action as a public relations specialist with the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau (ACVB). Her organization is working alongside the Atlanta Sports Council to ensure the city shines brightly on the international stage.

"We're excited that the tournament is going to bring millions of eyes to our city through broadcast measures alone," said Joiner.

As a mass communication major, Joiner interned at the Georgia World Congress Center before transitioning to the ACVB. In her role she collaborates with journalists from around the world who produce content promoting Georgia's capital as a travel destination. Her work will become even more prominent as the World Cup ramps up with Atlanta hosting teams from countries like Spain, South Africa and Morocco during the tournament group stage.

Bobcats know Southern hospitality

Marcie Kicklighter ('12) works at the state level for the Georgia Department of Economic Development. (Photo: Marcie Kicklighter)

Even without the World Cup economic infusion, Georgia is recognized as a national leader in tourism, ranking fifth in the country for overnight visitation. With mountains, beaches and many unique historic stops in between, tourism is a key economic driver as the state's second-leading industry behind agriculture. Georgia in 2024 welcomed 174 million visitors that spent $45 billion on hotels, restaurants, attractions and more. Tourist spending produced an overall economic impact of $82 billion, supporting more than 470,000 jobs for Georgians.

Numbers like that don't happen without friendly faces at the forefront, offering a smile, kind words - and the best restaurant recommendations.

"We are often visitors' first impression of a community," said Rebekah Cline Snider ('06), executive director of Visit Milledgeville. "When people ask us where to eat and shop, we see that as more than just a referral to a locally owned business. It's really a referral to make an economic impact within our community."

"You're helping someone send their child to summer camp or put food on their table," said Marcie Hunter Kicklighter ('12), regional tourism manager with the Georgia Department of Economic Development. "It's an incredibly rewarding industry."

Snider says tourism found her. As an undergraduate she double majored in mass communication and history with the plan to pursue a law degree. But she found her true career path in completing her mass comm practicum at a chamber of commerce. A few stops later she returned to Milledgeville to market Georgia's antebellum capital.

"I think Georgia College and its location in Milledgeville really prepared me for an environment that was warm, hospitable and architecturally compelling," Snider said. "My love of just how charming and beautiful the campus is really prepared me to come to a town where we would be selling leisure travel to those interested in history and culture."

Ansley Connor Roberts ('18) is the social media manager for Visit Savannah. (Photo: Ansley Roberts)

From a young age, Kicklighter had an appreciation for hospitality. She's a native of St. Simons Island, part of the Golden Isles along the Georgia coast where families flock for beach vacations. Her mass comm degree led to an internship at the Georgia Aquarium and later a role with the Golden Isles CVB. In 2025, she joined the Georgia Department of Economic Development's tourism office ("Explore Georgia"), where she partners with communities and attractions across North Georgia to elevate their local tourism efforts.

"One day, I might be speaking at the 100th anniversary celebration for Lake Winnepesaukah, Georgia's oldest amusement park," Kicklighter said. "The next day, I might be looking at zebras at the new safari conservation park in Madison or exploring Fairyland Taverns at Rock City. Those first-hand experiences help our team more effectively promote Georgia's diverse destinations and further our mission to inspire travel to and within the state."

The World Cup tourism wave is expected to reach all those areas and even the Georgia coast where Ansley Connor Roberts ('18) is putting her GCSU mass comm degree to work as content and social media manager for Visit Savannah. She has been there since graduation, and believes Georgia College was the perfect stepping stone to a successful career in tourism.

"My time at Georgia College was extremely valuable," Roberts said. "It prepared me for this industry in so many different ways."

Header Images: The 2026 FIFA World Cup is expected to bring some 520,000 visitors and an estimated $500 million in economic impact to the state. (Image: Explore Georgia) Alumna Samantha Joiner (left) representing the Atlanta CVB at the IPW trade show, the premier trade show driving international travel to the United States. (Photo: Samantha Joiner) Alumnae Reese Quillian, Rebekah Snider and Lacey Cummings promote Milledgeville as a destination. (Photo: Peyton Miller)