Weekly e-newsletter for Visit NC partners - February 15, 2023
IN THIS ISSUE: * Visit NC Tourism Conference Xpress sessions
* Visit NC’s TRAC coming to Lumberton next week
* PR team efforts lead to Asheville Glamping,
the Triangle in the spotlight
Visit NC Tourism Conference Xpress sessions
The schedule for this year's Visit NC Tourism Conference finds the return of the popular Xpress sessions – in-depth, 30-minute sessions offering a range of topics. On Tuesday morning, keynote speaker and travel enthusiast Samantha Brown offers “The Emotional Value of Travel.” Following a short break with the exhibitors will be two Xpress sessions: “The Outlook for the Economy and the N.C. Travel Industry” and “How REI Co-op Engages Customers with Stories and Solutions.” Opening Remarks on Wednesday morning will be followed by two Xpress sessions: “Short-Term Rental Market Trends and Working with Airbnb” and “Hospitality Workforce Development in N.C.”
Registration is open for the Visit NC Tourism Conference, at the Omni Grove Park Inn in Asheville, March 6-8. Click here to register to attend the conference. The agenda, as well as other information such as sponsorship opportunities, can be found here.
While other accommodations are available near the conference, the Element Hotel Downtown is offering a special lodging rate starting at $114 per night; this room block closes Feb. 20. Book online or by calling (828) 575-5881. The Renaissance Asheville Downtown Hotel is offering a special lodging rate for March 5-8. Rates start at $169 per night; this room block closes Feb. 28. Book online or by calling (828) 252-8211.
A previous TRAC near Lake Gaston
Visit NC’s TRAC coming to Lumberton next week Tourism-related businesses in Robeson 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 held next week on Thursday, Feb. 23, from 3 - 7 p.m. TRAC will be at Robeson Community College's Dr. Charles V. Chrestman Workforce Development Center Building (18) at 5160 Fayetteville Rd. in Lumberton 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 North Carolina'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 North Carolina and its partners. Representatives from the EDPNC's Business Services, N.C. Welcome Centers/Visitor Services, N.C. State Parks, Agritourism, and NC GreenTravel 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 Naborsat (919) 447-7771.
Visit NC PR team connection at IMM leads to Asheville Glamping in the spotlight
Asheville Glamping’s domes, treehouse and other accommodations are in the Travel + Leisure spotlight, thanks to Visit NC’s pitching at Travmedia's recent International Media Marketplace. In her meeting with the writer, Visit NC’s Veda Gilbert highlighted Asheville Glamping’s soon-to-open Mirror Hotel in Marshall, then provided contact information for an interview with the properties’ owner, Joanna Cahill. In the online article “Asheville Glamping’s Dome, Tents, and Tree Houses
,” Cahill described the existing options as well as the 18 cabins that will make up the Mirror Hotel; she also shared a glowing view of the Asheville area as “an outdoor wonderland with endless hiking opportunities including the Appalachian Trail; river sports on the French Broad River; a vibrant art and local business community; and more breweries than I can count.” In addition to Travelandleisure.com’s 10.6 million unique visitors per month, the coverage enjoyed extended reach via syndication on Yahoo! Life, which attracts 404 million UVPM.
A separate PR team pitch led to Asheville Glamping coverage in Australia’s Onya Magazine. The roundup “Onya’s Top Ten: The Best Glamping Spots Around The World” highlighted the options from “family-friendly Domes with indoor slides to a fairy-tale treehouse built for two – discover all their unique retreats and choose the perfect jumping-off point to your Asheville stay.” Onya’s reach is 24,000 UVPM.
The Triangle highlighted in Visit NC PR team-organized visit
The dining scene in Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill and Cary found the spotlight in the extensive Food & Wine article “North Carolina’s ‘Triangle’ Is the Perfect Destination for a Weekend of Eating
.” The Visit NC PR team coordinated the writer’s visit during the December holidays with support from Visit Raleigh, Discover Durham, the Chapel Hill/Orange County VB and local partners. “Often overlooked as a conglomerate of college towns hosting the University of North Carolina, Duke University, and North Carolina State University, the Triangle offers much more than just college stadiums and breweries,” the online article said. “Visitors can sample farm-fresh cuisine from award-winning chefs, go to a host of distilleries and breweries, or explore outdoor art galleries.” With distinctions drawn among the destinations (Durham is “cool,” Raleigh is “modern” and Chapel Hill “is where I go to take it easy”), the
writer sampled a range of restaurants, highlighted lodging choices and suggested things to do between meals. Foodandwine.com draws 11.6 million unique monthly visitors. Fans can also follow @foodandwine for future social media posts, which began with this Instagram story from Kingfisher cocktail bar, a James Beard semifinalist.
Visit NC at Marketing Outlook Forum
Visit NC's Wit Tuttell, Scott Peacock and Marlise Taylor were in Houston, Texas last week for Travel & Tourism Research Association's (TTRA) Marketing Outlook Forum. Taylor moderated the DMO Roundtable. MOF brings together nearly 400 travel professionals from around the world for a global perspective of the state of the travel industry. The Forum is the leading travel forecast conference combining industry networking and quality educational programs into a premier event attracting delegates from nearly all state and provincial tourism offices in the U.S. and Canada, international tourism offices, airlines and hotels, as well as many travel industry suppliers. During the MOF awards program, Micaela Nardino, a tourism student at N.C. State University, was recognized with the John and Joan Markham Tourism Marketing Award.
Greenville African American Culture Trail learns about Visit NC
Visit NC’s Andre Nabors spoke at the Greenville African American Cultural Trail committee in Greenville this past Monday. Nabors shared information about working with Visit NC to promote the trail as well as the other regional and national projects that focus on preserving and promoting the African American heritage of North Carolina.
Baker among panelists as part of ‘Sports Tourism Boom’ episode
Visit NC’s Amanda Baker is among the panelists as part of PBS NC’s NCImpact’s “Sports Tourism Boom” episode, which is slated to air this Friday at 7:30 p.m. (Check local listings.) The episode descriptions reads, “Sports are one of the fastest growing sectors in tourism. Visit several communities that are trying to capitalize on the sports tourism boom, including Rocky Mount, where a state-of-the-art sports facility has helped revitalize its downtown.” View the trailer here.
Two N.C.-filmed projects selected for SXSW
The N.C.-filmed feature-length films “Angry Black Girl and Her Monster” and “Appendages” have been selected to screen at the upcoming South By Southwest Film Festival, taking place in March in Austin, Texas.
“The Angry Black Girl and Her Monster” is a modern day take on Mary Shelley’s “Frankenstein,” with this version focusing on teenage anti-hero, Vicaria, who is on a desperate quest to cure death. The project hails from Crypt TV and filmed in the greater Charlotte area in 2022; it had a direct in-state spend in excess of $2 million. The project is part of the SXSW’s “Visions” category, which includes filmmakers who are audacious, risk-taking artists in the new cinema landscape who defy traditional categorization in documentary and narrative filmmaking.
“Appendages” filmed in part in the greater Wilmington area also in 2022. It tells the story of a young fashion designer whose life spirals as her darkest inner thoughts manifest into something gruesome and that won’t stop growing. While the production did not qualify for the state’s rebate program via the N.C. Film and Entertainment Grant, its impact still was part of the production industry’s overall direct in-state spend estimate of $258 million total that year. The film is part of the SXSW’s “Narrative Spotlight” category, which includes high profile features receiving their world, international, North American or U.S. premieres at the festival.
FilmNC’s Gaster discusses ‘North Carolina working to reclaim its spot as one of the nation’s hottest film markets’
The N.C. Film Office’s Guy Gaster was interviewed for Charlotte’s WBTV’s “On Your Side” in “North Carolina working to reclaim its spot as one of the nation’s hottest film markets
.” “There’s definitely a ripple effect within the state as a result of filming,” Gaster said. “Tourism is one area where we do see down the road. People expressing interest and wanting to see where a scene was shot.” He also discussed the economic impact that the film industry has brought to the Charlotte area. “Charlotte has been a growing center of production for us. In fact, last year alone we had $55.5 million spent in the greater Charlotte area,” Gaster said. “I think that if there were, if we can continue to grow the crew base, that will make the Queen City more attractive and also some additional infrastructure.”
Research reports travel deals, discounts increasingly important to travelers
With an expected recession and travel prices being an impediment to travel, nearly half of travelers say that travel rewards programs are important to them while planning travel, says Destination Analysts. Even more than travel rewards programs, travelers say that travel deals and discounts are more important than they were six months ago. More than 70 percent of travelers agree or strongly agree.
The most common use for travel reward purchases are hotel stays and airline tickets, followed by rental cars, hotel upgrades and airline upgrades.
Visit NC will be providing frequent research updates through Newslink with links to available studies.
Breeze Airways announces new nonstop flights to RDU
Breeze Airways, which makes its debut at Raleigh-Durham International Airport this week, has announced nonstop flights from three more destinations to RDU. Breeze will begin flying twice a week between RDU and Los Angeles (LAX) in May. Seasonal summer travel flights to RDU from Louisville (SDF), Ky. and Pittsburgh (PIT), Penn. are also slated to start in May In addition, May brings flights to RDU from Jacksonville (JAX), Fla, and Columbus (CMH), Ohio.
‘North Carolina Weekend’
For the week of Feb.16, "North Carolina Weekend” spotlights “Hello from the High Country.” Featured segments include Blowing Rock Art & History Museum in Blowing Rock; Cowee School Arts & Heritage Center in Franklin; Wrong Way River Lodge & Cabins in Asheville; Open Oven Brunch & Bakery in Black Mountain; and The Depot in Marshall. (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
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