| Weekly e-newsletter for VisitNC partners | August 24, 2016 |
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| IN THIS ISSUE:
* Partners inspire North Carolina-based media at Raleigh Media Mission * VisitNC seeking info about food trucks
* Motorcoach associations learn about N.C.
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 Partners inspire North Carolina-based media at Raleigh Media Mission
The Visit North Carolina PR team and 36 partners from across the state shared their story with more than 25 media representatives from print, broadcast and online outlets at the annual in-state media reception Tuesday (yesterday). The event was hosted at the Melrose Knitting Mill event space, located above Babylon Restaurant in downtown Raleigh.
The media mixer also gave representatives of DCI, Visit North Carolina's New York-based PR agency, the opportunity to hear directly from partners about developments that should be of interest to national media as well as outlets in North Carolina markets. After hearing pitches from the state on a range of topics - including new attractions, the latest on the winery, distillery and brewery front; new hotels and restaurants; and below-the-radar destinations - journalists left parting comments about ideas and inspiration from the event. For more information about Visit NC's public relations programs, contact Scott Peacock at (919) 447-7783. |
VisitNC seeking info about food trucks
The VisitNC team is putting together a story to feature some of the best and most unique food trucks across the state. If you have a recommendation for a food truck in your area that has won an award or accolade, please send information about them to socialmedia@visitnc.com for consideration. |
 | | | Attendees had numerous opportunities to learn about N.C., including during this luncheon |
Visit North Carolina promotes group travel at regional motorcoach association meeting
Visit North Carolina, along with more than 10 industry partners from across the state, promoted motorcoach tour travel in Concord last week during the N.C. Motorcoach Association Meeting and Marketplace, which again this year was combined with the motorcoach associations of South Carolina and Virginia. More than 160 tour operators attended. Delegates at the conference had face-to-face business meetings with people from all across Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina. Attendees also took advantage of familiarization tours of the Concord and Charlotte area as well as networking opportunities with fellow business leaders.
During Thursday's lunch event, Wit Tuttell gave an overview of the attractions in the state and discussed several items featured in Project 543. Amanda Baker took more than 20 appointments with tour operators during the event, promoting group travel throughout the state. These qualified leads will be available next week.
For more information about Visit NC's domestic group travel program, contact Amanda Baker at (919) 447-7765. |
| | | A previous fam with U.K. tour operators hosted by Visit NC |
U.K. visitors interested in authentic South; Visit NC more than happy to help them discover it
It will probably come as no surprise that for the more than 3.8 million Brits who travel to the United States each year, their most-visited regions stateside are California and the Northeast, reports Condé Nast Traveler. But during the past 18 months, travel agents in the United Kingdom have noticed a surprising surge in inquiries around trips to the Deep South - making it the third most-requested destination at travel agencies such as the U.K.'s Audley Travel, who curate individual itineraries for clients. In part, this renewed curiosity is rooted in a search for an authentically American experience - and an interest in the U.S.'s culture and history, said an Audley representative. "Word has gotten out that there's a whole host of experiences that can be had there within a two-week timeframe - most of which are quite unique, offering some real flavor, while, at the same time, in a relatively safe and accessible area. Previously ... we had a lot of clients who would travel to more popular locations, mainstream locations, and would only consider the Deep South on a second or third visit. Now we get requests from clients who've never been anywhere else in the United States before." The cross-cultural exchanges don't seem to disappoint either, plus visitors can't stop raving about the music legacy and the regional food. Audley Travel is one of several tour operators working with Visit North Carolina. In 2014, North Carolina welcomed more than 100,000 U.K. visitors to the state, an increase of 15 percent compared to the previous year. These visitors spent $33.3 million in N.C. alone. The Southern U.S. is one of the fastest growing regions of the U.S. for international visitation. Visit North Carolina has marketing and public relations representation in the U.K., working with tour operators such as Audley Travel, providing itineraries, hotel and attraction product covering all 100 counties. For more information about Visit NC's international marketing programs, contact Heidi Walters at (919) 447-7762. |
Visit NC provides talking points for Zika virus; toolkit available
Visit North Carolina and state officials are actively monitoring developments surrounding the Zika virus and its potential impact on travel to and within the state. While North Carolina currently has no cases of locally acquired Zika virus, cases have been reported in Florida and media reports are starting to mention North Carolina even though the primary mosquitoes that carry Zika virus are not believed to be widespread in the state. Visit NC has developed talking points for visitors regarding the Zika virus. They will be updated as new information is received and can be found here. For more information, contact Scott Peacock at (919) 447-7783. The U.S. Travel Association has created a toolkit regarding the emergency preparedness and response regarding the Zika virus for DMOs with information, such as general talking points and other resources, as well as links to the most up-to-date official sources of information. Visit NC recommends partners bookmark this page for future reference. On a related note, Visit NC has added a page on the partners.visitnc.com site where it will strive to keep industry partners up-to-date on important tourism-related information. Please use this link for the latest news, media talking points and other Visit North Carolina updates. For more information on this page, also contact Scott Peacock. |
 Carowinds adding vintage fair rides, WinterFest holiday event
Carowinds is bringing back the 1950s with vintage rides and a Christmas event. Starting next spring, the theme park delves back to the past with four vintage rides as it opens its new County Fair section of the park. The rides are the result of an initiative by parent company Cedar Fair Entertainment to bring antique rides from Europe and the U.S. to the company's theme parks. The holiday event at Carowinds will be called WinterFest and it premieres in November 2017. Carowinds will also bring Christmas crafts and activities to the event, such as ornament decorating and cookie making, plus ice skating on Snowflake Lake. |
 Buxton Hall among 'America's Best New Restaurants 2016'
Buxton Hall Barbecue in Asheville is among Bon Appetit's "Hot 10 - America's Best New Restaurants 2016." Of Buxton Hall, the magazine said, "You can smell great barbecue long before you walk through the door. Outside Buxton Hall Barbecue, it's no different: The air hangs with the faintly smoky aroma of crispy pork. It only intensifies as you enter the brick-walled space, past T-shirts for sale (my favorite: SMOKED WHILE YOU SLEEP). In the open kitchen, pitmaster Elliott Moss stands over a whole pig, picking and chopping hunks of smoked meat. This is hog heaven." |
 Cape Lookout NS among '8 Most Beautiful National Park Beaches in the U.S.'
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 Sliding Rock included in 'Beat the heat: Swimming holes, waterfalls and lakes around the USA'
Sliding Rock is included in USAToday.com's "Beat the heat: Swimming holes, waterfalls and lakes around the USA." The photo essay explained, "There's something nostalgic about searching for a good swimmin' hole during the heat of the summer. Those days don't have to be gone for good, though." Of Sliding Rock, it was noted, "Sliding Rock is a famous waterfall in North Carolina that attracts visitors who slide from the top into the pool below. It is a very popular swimming spot, especially during the hot North Carolina summers. The US Forest Service runs the recreation at Sliding Rock and surrounding area." |
 Burlington/Alamance County CVB seeking executive director
The Burlington/Alamance County CVB is seeking an executive director. The position is open until filled. View the job posting here. |
Saving with lights
With the cost of energy increasing, many tourism businesses are looking for ways to cut back on costs while still providing the highest level of quality for their guests and customers. One of the easiest ways to reduce expenses is to invest in more energy efficient lighting. Before purchasing new light bulbs though, it is important to first research which lighting system is the best for each situation. In many situations, simply encouraging customers and staff to turn off lights when not needed, using appropriate signage and changing staff procedures can result in significant reduction in utility bills. If investing in new lighting technology is an option, it is important to remember not all light bulbs perform the same. Lights bulbs vary not only in how much light they emit, but also in the color of light they emit, which can change what color objects and spaces appear to be. Different light bulbs also differ in where they can be most efficiently used. For example, compact fluorescent light can have difficulty in cold temperatures while LED light bulbs can perform quite well in extreme weather conditions. It is also important to develop a system of monitoring energy usage to ensure that the changes made are leading to real results. For more information on energy efficiency in the tourism industry, contact Tom Rhodes at (19) 707-8140. |
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| | For the week of Aug. 25 on North Carolina Weekend, get revved up at Bull City Rumble Vintage Motorcycle Show in Durham. Get back to nature with Cape Fear River Adventures in Lillington. Find something unique at Pickers at the Old Tater Barn in Oriental. Lift a glass at Broadslab Distillery in Benson. And check out the scene at The Depot at Cody Creek in Dobson. (Please note: listings are subject to change.) North Carolina Weekend is underwritten by Visit North Carolina. In addition, UNC-TV has made recent editions of North Carolina Weekendavailable online. | The tourism industry contributed nearly $5.3 billion to the state's payroll in 2015 and directly employed more than 211,000 North Carolinians. For more facts on North Carolina tourism, contact Tourism Research Director Marlise Taylor at (919) 447-7748.
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Upcoming Industry Meetings & Events
Aug. 25 - Visit NC Regional Listening Session, Kinston Aug. 27-30 - ESTO, Boca Raton, Fla. Aug. 29-30 - NCRLA Expo, Raleigh Sept. 1 - Visit NC Regional Listening Session, Greensboro Sept. 9 - NC Sports Assn. Meeting, Greensboro Sept. 13 - NC Assn. of Festivals & Events Fall Seminar, Cary Sept. 15-16 - MPI-CC Education & Business Exchange, Raleigh Sept. 22-24 - AFCI Cineposium, Atlanta, Ga. Sept. 27 - Visit NC Regional Listening Session, Manteo Sept. 28-29 - NC Tourism Leadership Conference, Winston-Salem Oct. 5-6 - Blue Ridge Parkway Association Fall Meeting, Roanoke, Va. Oct. 11 - Visit NC Regional Listening Session, Cary Oct. 12 - Visit NC Regional Listening Session, Charlotte Oct. 13 - Visit NC TRAC, Pender County Oct. 20 - NC Coast Host Quarterly Meeting, Swansboro |
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