| Weekly e-newsletter for VisitNC partners | August 29, 2018 |
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| IN THIS ISSUE: * First Mid-Year Marketing Update next week; other regional locations still available to attend
* 2019 NCTG ad sales close Sept. 21
* Visit NC promotes student group travel to N.C.
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 | | | 2014 MYMU in Winston-Salem |
First Mid-Year Marketing Update next week; other regional locations still available to attend This first of Visit North Carolina's six scheduled regional Mid-Year Marketing Update sessions is next Wednesday (Sept. 5) in Kannapolis. Registration is open to all tourism-related businesses who are interested in attending this or any of the other five free sessions, which will be held 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Sites and dates for the other sessions are: Sept. 18 - Plymouth Sept. 19 - Jacksonville Sept. 20 - Chapel Hill Sept. 25 - Wilkesboro Sept. 26 - Haywood County This year's fall meeting is a return to the Mid-Year Marketing Update, informing attendees on Visit NC's current marketing programs and co-op initiative, and programmatic updates from marketing, film and partner and industry relations. Visit NC seeks to gain insight from members of the N.C. tourism industry to help fuel Visit NC's strategic planning. |
2019 North Carolina Travel Guide ad sales end Sept. 21 Opportunities to purchase advertising space for the 2019 Official North Carolina Travel Guide, with enhanced added value and online opportunities on VisitNC.com, end Sept. 21. The North Carolina Travel Guide is the primary consumer fulfillment publication for Visit North Carolina in its international and national marketing efforts to promote the state as a premier travel destination. The guide serves as the best source for selecting what to do and where to stay when visiting North Carolina. Space is limited. Advertising sales are available untilSept. 21. View the 2019 NC Travel Guide Media Kit here. For more information, contact Regional Sales Director Stacey Rosseter at (678) 571-7445. |
Visit NC promotes student group travel to N.C. Visit NC's Amanda Baker attended the SYTA (Student & Youth Travel Association) Annual Conference and Showcase, Aug. 24-28 in Baltimore, Md. Baker took more than 25 appointments with tour operators during the week, promoting student group travel throughout the state. Other N.C. participants included Biltmore, Cabarrus County CVB, NASCAR Hall of Fame and Carowinds. More than 900 delegates gathered at this year's conference and engaged in pre-scheduled meetings, networking events and educational sessions. These qualified leads will be available next week.
For more information on Visit NC's student group travel program and for leads from the SYTA Conference, contact Amanda Baker at (919) 447-7765. |
SportsNC promotes N.C. at Connect Sports Marketplace The SportsNC team met events rights holders at the annual Connect Sports Marketplace, held in Salt Lake City, Utah, last week. The annual tradeshow brought together rights holders and sports planners from across the U.S. North Carolina's facilities and sports organizations were showcased through prescheduled appointments and networking functions.
Participating SportsNC partners included Cabarrus County CVB, Crystal Coast TDA, Fayetteville Area CVB, Gaston County T&T, Goldsboro Parks & Rec, Greater Raleigh Sports Alliance, Greensboro Area CVB, Greensboro Sports Commission, Jacksonville/Onslow Sports Commission, Explore Asheville, Mecklenburg County Parks & Rec, Mooresville CVB, Nash County T&T, Outer Banks VB, Raleigh Convention Center, Visit Charlotte, Visit Lake Norman, Visit Winston-Salem, and Wilmington and Beaches CVB.
For more information on SportsNC, contact Amanda Baker at (919) 447-7765. |
American Animals now available on DVD/BluRay
The N.C.-filmed feature American Animalsis now available on DVD/BluRay as well as on digital platforms and via rental. According to the N.C. Film Office, the feature filmed in Gaston, Iredell and Mecklenburg counties in 2017, and had a direct in-state spend of nearly $6.3 million, while creating 1,222 job opportunities. The project received a rebate from the state's film and entertainment grant of more than $1.5 million. It had its world premiere at the prestigious Sundance Film Festival this past January and has played at several festivals across the U.S., including South By Southwest, and opened the RiverRun International Film Festival in Winston-Salem. The DVD/BluRay includes deleted scenes, featurettes, a still gallery, and commentary from the director and cast as part of its special features. To find out more about the movie or to view the trailer, click here. |
Vote for N.C. cities, towns among Southern Living's South's Best awards Voting is now open for Southern Living's South's Best awards 2019, and many N.C. cities and towns are among the nominees for Best Food, Best Small Town, Best Beach Town and other categories. (Hint, when voting online and, specifically, for the "What states have you visited," if you select None of the Above, you'll have N.C. cities and towns among the voting selections.) Online voting is open hrough Oct. 9. |
New airline, new Mexico flights for CLT
A Mexican low-cost carrier is bringing twice-weekly international flights to Charlotte Douglas International Airport. Volaris will add direct service from Guadalajara International Airport (GDL) to CLT beginning Nov. 22, with flights on Thursdays and Sundays. |
Wilmington Boat Show expected to reel in $1.5 million The Wilmington Boat Show is estimated to attract 15,000 people to the Port City, making waves with its late-summer tourism impact. Based on anticipated attendance numbers from boat show organizers, the Wilmington and Beaches CVB estimates that the raw economic impact from the 2018 Wilmington Boat Show will be more than $619,000, according to Connie Nelson with the CVB. The CVB used the 2.5 multiplier, putting the total economic impact estimated at more than $1.5 million. "As an upscale consumer event, the Wilmington Boat Show draws both locals and visitors who are considering a boat purchase. The types of boats that are featured at this show attract an affluent audience who enjoy spending money at local shops, restaurants, hotels and attractions when they travel," Nelson said. |
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Ocracoke among 'Best islands in America'
CNN Travel included Ocracoke among its "Best Islands in America." Of Ocracoke, the article noted, "It takes some doing to reach North Carolina's Outer Banks, home to the historic Wright Brothers flight at Kitty Hawk and a still remote-ish string of migrating sandbars set safely apart from all those Virginia-and-Myrtle-Beach-goers. It takes even more doing to reach Ocracoke, OBX's southernmost barrier island -- tucked well below the relative crowds of Duck, Nags Head, Kill Devil Hills and Hatteras. No bridge. No crowds. Almost no pulse - in the best sense - Ocracoke welcomes ferry (or private plane) commuters to do exactly what's expected of anyone on a wafer-thin, 16-mile long spit of sea grass flecked, wave-pounded Atlantic shore and former Blackbeard hideout. Put life on blissful pause. And perhaps rent an old bicycle, browse through buccaneer tchotchke shops, idly chat with pirate impersonators, gorge through a mess of oyster shooters (beer, hot sauce, pepper, raw oyster in a shot glass) at Howard's Pub, and then slowly pedal up a long quiet road to a vast, empty beach to nap it off. Where else could the word 'Ocracoma (definition: 'feeling relaxed and oh so good') have been coined?" |
Ruyle new director for Washington TDA
Erin Ruyle is the new director for the Washington TDA. She may be contacted at (252) 948-9415 or via eruyle@washingtonnc.gov. |
September issue highlights 'Camping Carolina-Style' The September issue of Our State magazine offers "Camping Carolina-Style," with articles on best campsites, glamping, camping to fish and more. The photo essay looks at Tryon "horse country." "Restaurant" features Elsewhere on 10th in North Wilkesboro; and "Farm Tour" highlights Justus Orchard in Hendersonville. The September issue is available now. |
Waste exchange and recycling markets
Every business has surplus and reusable items such as furniture, mattresses, room décor and other materials that still have life in them. The N.C. Division of Environmental Assistance & Customer Service (DEACS) provides assistance in finding homes for those materials through its online waste exchange, NC WasteTrader. Hotels, restaurants, attractions, B&Bs and other businesses can list materials they would like to trade, sell, give away, or items they would like to acquire, using the trading site. Another service that DEACS provides is its Recycling Markets Directory, with listings for numerous recycling businesses that can handle most any recyclable and reusable item, including pallets, textiles, food, furniture, paper, bottles, cans, and more. Both services are free. For information regarding NC WasteTrader, the Recycling Markets Directory and the NC GreenTravel Initiative, contact Tom Rhodes at (919) 707-8140. |
| | For the week of Aug. 30 on North Carolina Weekend, the program continues its new schedule that will preview the format for the new season, which starts in October. North Carolina Weekend will run eight episodes, one each week, and then repeat those episodes for the next eight weeks. So this week's episode is a repeat of the one that ran the week of June 28. It will feature segments on Kinston and Winterpast Farm in Wake Forest; the "House Special" visits The Prime Smokehouse in Rocky Mount. (Check local listings; segments are subject to change.) North Carolina Weekend is underwritten by Visit North Carolina. In addition, UNC-TV has made recent editions of North Carolina Weekend available online. | In 2017, the average household trip expenditure for daytrip parties to the state was approximately $215 per visit, up from $128 in 2016. For more North Carolina visitor information, visit the Visitor Profile Studies, or contact Visit NC's Marlise Taylor at (919) 447-7748. |
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Upcoming Industry Meetings & Events
Sept. 12 - NCAF&E Fall Seminar, High Point Sept. 19-20 - BRPA Regional Fall Meeting, Lynchburg, Va. Sept. 20-21 - MPI-CC XChange, Charlotte Oct. 1-4 - TEAMS Conference & Expo, Louisville, Ky. Oct. 8 - Visit NC's TRAC, Sanford Oct. 18-19 - AENC Fall Conference, Pinehurst |
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