Weekly e-newsletter for Visit NC partners - April 19, 2023
IN THIS ISSUE:
* Visit NC’s TRAC coming to Statesville tomorrow
* Visit NC Tourism Conference participation leads to
Asheville among ‘Best Places to Travel in July’
* Two N.C.-filmed productions selected
for Tribeca Film Festival
* Participate with N.C. Welcome Centers during
National Travel & Tourism Week
A previous TRAC in Old Fort
Visit NC’s TRAC coming to Statesville tomorrow
Tourism-related businesses in Iredell County – plus the surrounding counties – will have an opportunity to work with Visit NC staff to learn about its research, development and marketing services, and discuss best practices for reaching travelers, the media and increasing tourism visitation and spending. Visit NC's Tourism Resource Assistance Center (TRAC) is a community-based training program designed to help small tourism-related businesses. TRAC will be tomorrow (Thursday) from 3 - 7 p.m. at Southern Distilling, 211 Jennings Rd. in Statesville.
There is no charge to attend, no reservation is required, and there is no PowerPoint presentation. This is a come-when-you-can/stay-as-long-as-you-like event opportunity for all tourism-related businesses to meet one-on-one with program managers to discuss better ways to promote their property or event. TRAC brings Visit NC’s program managers to local communities to discuss the nuts and bolts of working with the organization. This invaluable program is designed to help tourism-related businesses engage more fully with programs offered by Visit NC and its partners.
Representatives from the EDPNC's Business Services, N.C. Welcome Centers/Visitor Services, N.C. State Parks, and other entities are often on hand to discuss services they can provide businesses, including strategic planning, assisting with identifying funding sources and serving as liaisons with other local, state and federal agencies. For additional information on this session or to learn more about scheduling a TRAC visit to your community, contact Visit NC's André Nabors at (919) 447-7771.
Visit NC conference participation leads to Asheville among ‘Best Places to Travel in July’
Travel + Leisure’s “11 Best Places to Travel in July
” roundup included Asheville as a result of the writer’s participation in the Media Marketplace at last month’s Visit NC Tourism Conference in Asheville. With a focus on summer road trips for families, the online post mentioned Asheville Treetops Adventure Park and its KidZip, the WNC Nature Center, Minor League baseball at McCormick Field, Sliding Rock near Brevard, and Biltmore with its audio tour narrated by Cedric, the Vanderbilts’ Saint Bernard pup. The Grove Park Inn and the Foundry Hotel were recommended as lodging options. Travelandleisure.com attracts 12.7 million unique monthly visitors.
Two N.C.-filmed productions selected for Tribeca Film Festival
Two N.C.-filmed feature films, “Eric LaRue” and “I.S.S.,” will have their world premieres at this year’s Tribecca Film Festival, being held June 7-18 in New York City. The projects, both of which filmed in the greater Wilmington area, were expected to have a combined direct in-state spend in excess of $16 million while creating more than 550 job opportunities. Both projects were approved for rebates via the N.C. Film and Entertainment Grant.
The Tribeca Festival features program includes films from 36 countries and 43 first-time directors. The lineup has 93 world premieres, one international premiere, eight North American premieres, one U.S. premiere and six New York premieres. Forty-one percent of all films in the feature lineup are directed by women, with more than half of the competition feature films directed by women at 68 percent. Thirty-six percent of all feature films are directed by BIPOC filmmakers, including two Indigenous filmmakers.
Participate with N.C. Welcome Centers during National Travel & Tourism Week
Each year during National Travel & Tourism Week, North Carolina's nine Welcome Centers celebrate the occasion by inviting tourism partners to help thank visitors for traveling here. Tourism Week provides an excellent opportunity to bring your message directly to visitors in the state seeking travel information. Attractions, accommodations and other tourism-related businesses are invited to participate in Tourism Week; there is no charge to participate, but space is limited and reservations are required. To coordinate participation, interested partners should contact the N.C. Welcome Center of their choice.
National Travel & Tourism Week observances at the N.C. Welcome Centers will take place from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.; dates for activities at each Welcome Center are
* May 8: I-40 West
* May 10: I-26 East, I-77 North and I-85 North
* May 11: I-77 South, I-95 North
* May 12: I-26 West, I-85 South and I-95 South (at Fayetteville Northbound Rest Area)
Research shows inflation impact lessening for trip cancellations
While expectations for a U.S. recession are still high among American travelers, according to Destination Analysts, the impact of inflation on trip cancellations have decreased the last several months. Just more than a quarter of travelers say that recent inflation as caused them to cancel an upcoming trip.
Forty percent of travelers say that high travel prices have kept them from traveling in the past month, but for those who are still planning to travel, the importance of travel rewards programs remains a strong factor. More than half of American travelers say that these programs are important when planning for leisure travel and more than one-third have used credit card points or rewards for travel-related purposes within the last year.
Visit NC will be providing frequent research updates through Newslink with links to available studies.
First Atlantic hurricane season forecast issued on the same day as El Niño watch
The Atlantic hurricane season doesn’t officially begin until June 1, but early signs indicate there is more uncertainty than normal with this particular season – all thanks to El Niño
. Colorado State University released its 2023 Atlantic hurricane season forecast last Thursday and is predicting 13 named storms, six hurricanes and two major hurricanes (Category 3 or higher). Each of these numbers is slightly below the typical season average of 14 named storms, seven hurricanes, and three major hurricanes. While CSU’s forecast calls for slightly below-average numbers overall, the odds of a U.S. landfall appear to be as high as in any normal year.
‘North Carolina Weekend’
For the week of April 20, "North Carolina Weekend” “Celebrates Earth.” Featured segments include Green River Adventures in Saluda; Cherry Treesort in China Grove; Greensboro Science Center in Greensboro; Willabee Market in Vass; and Weymouth Woods Nature Preserve in Southern Pines. (Check local listings for schedule; segments are subject to change.) "North Carolina Weekend" is underwritten by Visit North Carolina. In addition, PBS North Carolina has recent editions of "North Carolina Weekend" available online.
Visit North Carolina is part of Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina
150 Fayetteville St. Suite 1200 Raleigh, North Carolina, 27601, United States
