The city of Atlanta can now boast of being a major tourism city alongside Los Angeles, San Diego, and Las Vegas.

Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed believes new development and attractions will cause the number of visitors to grow.

According to a City of Atlanta press release, “Tourism is one of the top economic drivers for Atlanta and it’s an industry that continues to thrive,” said Mayor Kasim Reed. “We are proud that Atlanta welcomed more than 40 million visitors in 2012 and with all of the exciting development occurring in our city, this number will continue to grow.”

To mark the 40 million visitor milestone, Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau has launched a social media campaign asking residents of metro Atlanta to say thank you by using the hashtag #ATLthanks.

The future for Atlanta tourism looks very bright. An estimated $2.5 billion of tourism related development is underway. Major attractions such as the College Football Hall of Fame, the National Center for Civil and Human Rights, and the Atlanta Streetcar are all expected to be opened during 2014.

The hospitality industry supports more than 223,000 jobs and has a direct economic impact of more than $12 billion annually in Atlanta.

College Football Hall of Fame - Atlanta from College Football Hall of Fame on Vimeo.