Georgia breaks tourism record, but small tour operators feel the pressure
Georgia saw record-breaking tourism numbers for the third consecutive year, with visitors spending more than $45 billion on hotels, restaurants, and recreation, according to state data. However, some small business owners in the tourism industry say those gains aren't reaching them.
Alexa Ro, the founder of Hop 'N Go Tours in Atlanta, said rising operating costs are threatening the future of her company, even as more people are visiting the state.
"My father was in the army, and so we traveled around with him...We had an RV, and we used to have so much fun," Ro said. That love for travel eventually led her to start her own tour business in 2020.
Hop 'N Go Tours takes tourists to major Atlanta landmarks, but Ro also curates experiences for locals, with stops at other family-owned businesses around the city.
"I like to experience different cultures, people, you know, traditions that are not just our regular American standard," Ro said.
Ro describes her tour bus as more than just a sightseeing vehicle. "It's a multi-purpose bus. It's a party bus. It's a learning bus. It's a community," she said.
But maintaining that community has become increasingly difficult. Ro said her expenses for insurance, advertising, storage, and vehicle maintenance have surged by thousands of dollars over the past year.
"I don't have a staff. It's just me, myself, and God, you know, keeping us in business," she said. "Storage fees, maintenance fees, these vehicles break down...We're paying our bills with credit cards, and it's not really great."
Ro's experience reflects broader challenges facing small businesses in Georgia. A 2025 report from the University of Georgia found that 44% of small businesses in the state are struggling to cover operating costs. More than half (59%) reported uneven cash flow, and 42% are seeing weak sales this year.
"The smaller companies are getting crushed just a little bit, you know, and it is hard to get the marketing dollars and advertisements and things like that to be able to be visible," Ro said.
She believes partnerships with local and state governments to promote small businesses like hers could help bridge the gap.
Lisa Cannon, a visitor who took Ro's tour, said supporting local operators is vital.
"After the pandemic, a lot of them didn't survive, so the ones that are still around, it's important for us to support those," Cannon said.
Ro is now working a second job to keep her business afloat, looking ahead to the potential influx of visitors during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
"This business is my heart. A lot of blood, sweat, and tears have went into this, so I wouldn't want to see it go just, just so easily, because of the economy," Ro said.
Despite the financial strain, Ro continues to run her tours - turning up the music, keeping the energy high, and holding onto the hope that her small business will ride out the storm.
