ATLANTA Atlanta and the Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau have stepped up marketing to the motorcoach tour industry, releasing a new tour manual for the area and an Atlanta is Motor Coach Friendly guide.

"Weve made it easier than ever to plan a trip to our city," says Jessica Lumsden, Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau spokeswoman. "Our 2007 Tour Manual includes everything necessary for planning the perfect trip, including hotel and restaurant charts, new to the 07 edition."

Plus, the coach guide "is a new publication designed to make a group trip to Atlanta easy and enjoyable," adds Lumsden.

The guide has information for scores of attractions and destinations, including contacts, highway exit numbers, schedules and hours, and whether destinations have a coach parking policy, offer group rates, and have food service.

"Its all at your fingertips with the new Motorcoach Friendly guide, said Lumsden.

Atlantas new promotional program precedes the opening on May 24 of the doubled-in-size World of Coca-Cola, a major attraction next to the Georgia Aquarium. Coke World tells the story of the worlds most famous soft drink through interactive exhibits, the worlds largest collection of Coke memorabilia, and other Coca-Cola-related material.

The Aquarium and World of Coke are just two of a handful of popular attractions that ring downtown Atlanta and include the CNN Center, Centennial Olympic Park and Imagine It! Childrens Museum. All are within walkable distance of each other, according to the Atlanta CVB.

Other openings this year include a $106 million multipurpose performing arts center at Cobb Galleria and Snow Mountain, a sprawling snow park at Stone Mountain that will be open between November and late January.

To request a tour manual, motorcoach friendly guide and sample itineraries, contact Lumsden at (404) 521-6645, or e-mail jlumsden@atlanta.net. Or, go to www.atlanta.net.