| Weekly e-newsletter for VisitNC partners | February 26, 2020 |
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| IN THIS ISSUE:
* Visit NC 365 Welcome and Going Forward Breakfast
* Have you reserved accommodations for Visit NC 365 yet?
* TRAC coming to Polk County region tomorrow
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 | | | A previous Visit NC 365 Conference |
Visit NC 365 Welcome and Going Forward Breakfast
Join us for breakfast as Visit North Carolina kicks off this year's Visit NC 365 Conference. We'll review our strategy to connect with travel audiences and provide an exciting preview of cutting edge marketing initiatives and themes for 2020-'21. Learn how your organization will benefit from Visit North Carolina's commitment to connecting, attracting and retaining audiences. This will be a plated breakfast with programming. Registration is open for the Visit NC 365 Conference, where stimulating keynote speakers and sessions will offer new ideas and inspirations. The Visit NC 365 Conference, named for the year-round tourism industry across the state, brings together more than 500 of the state's tourism industry leaders during this three-day premier travel industry event. This year's Visit NC 365 Conference is March 22-24 in Asheville. The conference brings together more than 500 members of the tourism industry to discuss the latest trends and issues facing the industry and hear insights from other tourism industry professionals. Find out more details, including a schedule of events, at visitnc365.com. Register nowthrough March 3 with a rate of $499/person. Click here to register. When you register, don't forget to share in the action with the hashtag #VisitNC365 on Twitter @NCTourism and Facebook @NCarolinaTourism. For more information on the conference, contact Amanda Baker at (919) 447-7765. Sponsorship opportunities are also available; to learn more, click here. |
Have you reserved accommodations for Visit NC 365 yet? Visit NC has secured room blocks in Asheville for the Visit NC 365 Conference, March 22-24, but the accommodations are filling up. When making your room reservation at either of these hotels, don't forget to say you're part of the Visit NC 365 Conference so you'll receive the special conference rate, if it's still available. The contracted room block is full at the Omni Grove Park Inn. Additional rooms may be available at the property at $279 + tax per night. Additional sleeping rooms for Sunday and Monday night are available at the Cambria Hotel in downtown Asheville. The $129 + tax per night rate includes a $25 Visa gift card to cover transportation costs to and from the Omni Grove Park Inn. Valet parking is $17 per night at the Cambria location. To make your reservation, please use this link. The Group code is AO98X5. These rooms are available until 12:00 noon EST March 6. |
| | | A previous TRAC in Hertford | |
TRAC coming to Polk County region tomorrow
Tomorrow (Thursday), tourism-related businesses in Columbus and Polk County - plus the surrounding counties - will have an opportunity to work with Visit North Carolina 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 North Carolina's Tourism Resource Assistance Center (TRAC) is a community-based training program designed to help small tourism-related businesses. TRAC will be held 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the Polk Center at Isothermal Community College at 1255 W. Mills St. in Columbus. 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 BLNC, 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 Nabors at (919) 447-7771. |
| | | A presentation in Greenville |
N.C. Travel Guide Road Show sees strong ideas, participation
Last week's North Carolina Travel Guide Road Show was a huge success. Meetings with DMO partners from across the state took place in Lake Junaluska, Winston-Salem and Greenville; these provided the Visit NC and Meredith Travel Marketing teams a variety of information on what's new and what's being promoted in the participating partners' areas. Each DMO did a presentation using the PechaKucha format, a timed style in which 20 slides are shown for 20 seconds each (6 minutes and 40 seconds in total). A Q&A followed if there were questions for each presenter. In addition, representatives from the N.C. Welcome Centers from each region attended, allowing the information from each presentation to be shared with them, too. This is the second year the Road Show has been offered, providing a unique and succinct way for partners to offer potential editorial ideas for consideration for the 2021 North Carolina Travel Guide. Meredith Travel Marketing contracts with Visit NC to produce the North Carolina Travel Guide. |
Visit NC's Taylor, Heart of NC VB's O'Kelley, ASU's Kline honored among 2020 Top Women in Travel
Visit NC's Marlise Taylor was honored among the 2020 Top Women in Travel at an awards dinner presented by Women in Travel and Tourism International (WITTI) and held during Connect Travel Marketplace, last week in Kissimmee, Fla. Taylor was recognized as an Outstanding Woman in Tourism Research. Carol Kline, of Appalachian State University in Boone, was also recognized as an Outstanding Woman in Travel Research. In addition, Tammy O'Kelly, of Heart of North Carolina VB, was honored with a Lifetime Achievement in Travel and Tourism Award. |
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N.C. hotels, restaurants sparkle with AAA Diamonds
Four Diamond Hotels include Asheville's 1889 WhiteGate Inn & Cottage, 1900 Inn on Montford, Abbington Green Bed & Breakfast, Albemarle Inn, Biltmore Village Inn, Grand Bohemian Hotel Asheville, Hilton Asheville Biltmore Park, The Inn on Biltmore Estate, and The Omni Grove Park Inn; Cashier's Innisfree Inn By-The-Lake; Chapel Hill's The Carolina Inn and The Siena Hotel; Charlotte's Marriott SouthPark, Kimpton Tryon Park, Omni Charlotte, The Ballantyne, and The Duke Mansion Historic Inn & Meeting Place; Duck's Sanderling Resort; Durham's 21c Museum Hotel, Arrowhead Inn Bed & Breakfast, JB Duke Hotel, The King's Daughters Inn, and The Washington Duke Inn; Greensboro's Grandover Resort, O. Henry Hotel and Proximity Hotel; Pinehurst's The Carolina Hotel and The Holly Inn; Pittsboro's Fearrington House Inn; Wilmington's Graystone Inn and The Verandas; and Winston-Salem's Kimpton Cardinal Hotel. In North Carolina, Five Diamond Restaurants are Heron's at The Umstead Hotel in Cary and the Fearrington House Restaurant in Pittsboro. 2020 Five Diamond Award restaurant list makes up just 0.2 percent of the more than 30,000 AAA Inspected & Approved restaurants. Four Diamond Restaurants include Asheville's Vue 1913; Boone's Gamekeeper Restaurant & Bar; Chapel Hill's Carolina Crossroads Restaurant and Il Palio Ristorante; Charlotte's McNinch House; Duck's Kimball's Kitchen; Durham's Fairview Dining Room; Gibsonville's Saint Jacques at the Burke Manor; Kinston's Chef and The Farmer; Pinehurst's 1895 Grille; Raleigh's Second Empire Restaurant & Tavern; and Wilmington's Manna. |
Kimpton Arras among ''Hotel amenities for determined bookworms'
The Kimpton Hotel Arras in Asheville was included in The Wall Street Journal's "An Underwater Library and Other Hotel Amenities for Determined Bookworms." Of the Kimpton Hotel Arras, the article noted, "There are loaner books throughout the lobby, but you can grab one by a local author off the hotel's Serentity Cart, which wheels around in the evening." Click here to view the article. |
Pilot Mountain in the spotlight
The March issue of Our State magazine spotlights Pilot Mountain. "Downtown" tours New Bern; "Restaurant" features the Original Saltworks in Wilmington; and "Farm Tour" checks out Hoof Beat Farm in Hillsborough. The March issue is available now. |
N.C. wineries growing green
Grapes, like all other plants, convert energy from the sun's rays. Several wineries are also taking advantage of the sun's energy to produce power. Solar energy and grape growing seem to go hand-in-hand for many wineries, ranging from the very large to boutique operations. The need for hot water has also led many wineries to install solar hot water systems. Other wineries, such as RayLen Vineyards & Winery in Mocksville, are using the sun's energy to produce electricity. Electricity produced by the sun at wineries is being used for everything from powering insect traps to charging electric vehicles. And wineries are not the only beverage producer using renewable energy. Breweries, such as Mother Earth Brewery in Kinston, are also using solar energy to power its operations. To learn more about going solar and going green, visit the NC GreenTravel Initiative. For more information about sustainable tourism, contact NC GreenTravel Initiative program manager Tom Rhodes at (919) 707-8140. |
| | For the week of Feb. 27 on "North Carolina Weekend," explore the southern beaches in winter, including Sunset Beach. Meet the trio behind the revitalized Reeves Theater & Cafe in Elkin. Check out The Pour House Music Hall in Raleigh. And experience Lorraine's Coffee House & Music in Garner. (Check local listings; segments are subject to change.) "North Carolina Weekend" is underwritten by Visit North Carolina. In addition, UNC-TV has recent editions of "North Carolina Weekend" available online. | The North Central (Triangle) region of North Carolina sold more than 8.3 million room nights in commercial lodging properties in 2019. That equals an average of 22,942 rooms sold each night of the year. For more North Carolina visitor information, visit Lodging Reports, or contact Visit NC's Marlise Taylor at (919) 447-7748. |
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Upcoming Industry Meetings & Events
Feb. 27 - Visit NC TRAC, Columbus March 8-11 - Travel South Showcase, Baton Rouge, La. March 17 - Visit NC Travel & Tourism Board Meeting, Raleigh April 20-23 - Sports ETA Symposium, Kansas City, Mo. |
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