A new travel film released on May 20 puts Jekyll Island Georgia and the wider Golden Isles in the spotlight, with Atlanta creator Annie Jiang guiding viewers across the coastal region off Georgia's southern shore. Golden Isles: Georgia's Best-Kept Secret was released by the Golden Isles Convention and Visitors Bureau and Matador Network.

The film follows Jiang, who posts as @GoAnnieWhere, as she visits five locations across the destination's barrier islands and port city. The Golden Isles sit midway between Savannah, Georgia, and Jacksonville, Florida, and include St. Simons Island, Jekyll Island, Sea Island, Little St. Simons Island and Brunswick.

The release matters because the video is being pushed to a large audience at a moment when destination marketers are competing hard for attention. Jiang has more than 15 million followers, and Matador Network says it reaches over 1 million consumer users while drawing more than 140 million monthly views.

Ross Borden said the film captures the area's appeal as something calm and unhurried. “This film really captures the serene, refreshing vibe of the destination — worlds away from crowds and overdevelopment,” he said.

Jiang said the trip changed her view of the region. “It is so much more than just beaches here,” she said. “Every turn offers something different, from lively beach towns to quiet, untouched wilderness.”

She said downtown Brunswick was one of the biggest surprises. “Downtown Brunswick surprised me a lot,” Jiang said. “Seeing the beautiful houses, the historic buildings and the restaurants and shops, I was like, ‘Why was I sleeping on this?’”

The Golden Isles Convention and Visitors Bureau says the Golden Isles are made up of four barrier islands and the port city of Brunswick. Matador Network describes itself as the world's No. 1 media brand for modern adventurers. That framing fits the film's pitch: a place close enough to know, but broad enough to feel new.

The question now is whether the campaign can do what these travel films are meant to do — turn a polished introduction into actual visitor traffic for Jekyll Island Georgia and the rest of the Golden Isles. The region has the scenery and the geography. This week, it also has the marketing push.