A byproduct of years’ worth of movie and television filming is that Covington/Newton County has become known as the “Hollywood of the South.”

Displaying the vast selection of props and memorabilia is the city’s Welcome Center.  Among the offerings are “Dukes of Hazzard,” “In The Heat Of The Night” and “The Vampire Diaries.”

As a result of the strong presence of film history, the Welcome Center’s number of visitors has grown exponentially. 

In 2010, there were 14,833 visitors who donned the doors of the Center with nearly 30,000 more coming in 2019. Just last year, the Center eclipsed the 100,000-visitor mark finishing at 118,278 total guests.

Approximately 20 percent of all visitors are international travelers, too. 

As of July 6, 2024, Covington’s Welcome Center has welcomed 61,988 visitors. 

The largest attraction for the Welcome Center is film tourism with around 80 percent of guests coming for the television and film locations. Of that 80 percent, 75 percent come for the Julie Plec trilogy series, “The Vampire Diaries, Originals and Legacies,” according to statistics provided by the Welcome Center.

Greeting everyone who enters through the door is the Center’s coordinator Ron Carter. Carter recognized the significance of these statistics for the city of Covington.

“When I first started doing this, Covington…we were really like a stop through on your way to Florida or on your way home,” Carter said. “People would stay one or two nights. We have now become the destination. People are coming, staying six, seven nights with us in Covington.”

Not only are a high number of people coming to the city, but they are traveling great distances to do so. Visitors from all over the globe have come through the Center. 

So much so, Carter has had to sharpen his geography knowledge. 

“We receive visitors from all over the world…every corner of the world,” Carter said. “I had to look up an island called Mauritius. I never even heard of Mauritius before, but it’s a country off the coast of Africa. And they came for Vampire Diaries. This father and daughter came in.”

A plethora of guests took to Google reviews to share their thoughts on the experience of coming to the Welcome Center.

Words like “nice,” “great,” “awesome,” “wonderful,” “informative” and “Absolutely A+++ experience!” were used to describe their respective experiences. 

One person, in particular, was more expressive in their feedback.

“Other cities should take note of the welcome center as it’s the pinnacle of what one can be,” the reviewer said. “They have a HUGE number of displays from the shooting of movie and television shows in town. It feels like a mini-Disney World…all for free!”

Covington Welcome Center’s more official name is the Covington Regional Visitor Information Center (RVIC). Relocating from 2101 Clark Street to its current spot at 1143 Oak Street on July 2, 2020, the Center resides in a space around five times bigger than its previous one.

It is open Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

Based on factors such as the yearly number of visitors, amount of business hours, etc, the Center is a level four with level five being the highest score possible.

The Center relies completely on donations and loaned items for all displays featured. 

Over the years, the Welcome Center has undergone various alterations. The changes have been phases one and two with phase three in progress. Phase three’s ultimate aim is to bring more residents living in Covington through the door.

The Welcome Center took a significant step when it added pieces of the county’s history to the Center. It was made possible in partnership with the Newton County Historical Society. This portion of the Center opened in January 2024.

Ken Malcom, Covington’s community development director, explained why more locals browsing the Center’s offerings is a benefit. 

“We want our local folks to be tourists in their own town. That’s something we need to do periodically,” Malcom said. ‘We hear the same thing over and over and over again. When our locals walk through this door, they say, ‘I had no idea.’ We want people to have the idea. 

“This is their Welcome Center and we want everybody to enjoy it.”

Another aspect of the Welcome Center is how it provides information about what is going on in Newton County. Whether it is details for upcoming events or shops and restaurants on the Square, a lot of information is made available. 

That is an important portion of the Center for Carter.

“We’re really a marketing arm for the county and the city,” Carter said. “We want to make sure people – whether you’re a visitor or a resident — you’re enjoying your time here and you’re utilizing what we have here.”

The Covington Welcome Center brings a lot to the table to both visitors as well as local residents. All of the statistics and beyond indicate the Center’s significance for so many. 

Carter emphasized how he loves his job and considers himself “probably one of the luckiest people in Newton County.”

More than that, Carter is extremely proud of the fact that Covington, Georgia, is a household name in many spots across the world now.

“Growing up, people say, ‘Where are you from?’ I used to always say, ‘Oh right outside Atlanta,’” Carter said. “I don’t say that anymore. I say, ‘I’m from Covington.’ And they know exactly where that is. 

“It’s a very well known community throughout the world.”