Tens of thousands of out-of-state travelers saw Georgia’s reopening as an invitation to visit, according to an analysis of cellphone location data.
A week after the Peach State allowed hair salons, barbershops and other businesses to turn on their welcome signs, a staggering 62,440 additional visitors flocked there daily in hopes of patronizing businesses still shuttered in their home states due to the coronavirus.
The data, reported by University of Maryland researchers, reveals that the bulk of out-of-towners came from surrounding states including Florida, Alabama and South Carolina.