| February 18, 2015 |
 In this issue:• N.C. Governor's Conference on Tourism opening night reception promises to be a Hole in One • Popular N.C. Beer Month returns in April •RetireNC promoted at Ideal Living Expo in Michigan ...and more |
| N.C. Governor's Conference on Tourism opening night reception promises to be a Hole in One | ||
Registration is available online for the 2015 Governor's Conference. Save even more with an additional discount of $25 per person for three or more attendees from the same organization. There's no better opportunity than the Governor's Conference to network with more than 500 of the state's tourism industry leaders and gain insights into North Carolina's growing travel industry. Room reservations may be made by contacting Pinehurst Resort at (855) 412-4803. Book your room at the resort by Feb. 23 and mention the N.C. Governor's Conference for the group rate. Conference rates, per night, start at $139 at the Manor Inn and $160 at the Carolina, Holly Inn or golf course/lake view condominiums. Both of these rates are for single or double occupancy. For area information, including a list of restaurants for Monday night's Dine Around consideration, visit the Pinehurst-Southern Pines-Aberdeen Area CVB's Governor’s Conference page. |
| Popular N.C. Beer Month returns in April |
 North Carolina, one of the nation's top craft beer states, celebrates the craftsmanship of 125 breweries along with the destinations that embrace it with the return of NC Beer Month in April. N.C. Beer Month, co-sponsored by Visit North Carolina and the N.C. Craft Brewers Guild, directs travelers to a rising range of beerscapes, from brewery-rich cities and welcoming towns to unexpected finds in lesser-known places. Major festivals, singular events, special-edition beers, lodging packages, beer dinners, and brew schools showcase the breadth and depth of the state's appeal.Participation extends beyond the 110 breweries and DMOs that have registered as partners for the third annual N.C. Beer Month celebration. Any tourism-related business that is interested in hosting a special event to spotlight North Carolina beers is welcome to have its event listed on the N.C. Beer Month website. Contact your local VisitNC/Extranet contact to get N.C. Beer Month-related events listed. Accommodation packages and other special offers may also be included. For inspiration, visit NC Beer Month to see what's already there. To discuss ideas or special offers by accommodations and/or restaurants, contact Media Specialist Suzanne Brown at (919) 447-7766. The inaugural N.C. Beer Month in 2013 received a 2014 Mercury Award for niche marketing from the U.S. Travel Association’s National Council of State Tourism Directors. In 2014, the campaign posted nearly $1.2 million in PR value and 6.8 million in social media reach. |
| RetireNC promoted at Ideal Living Expo in Michigan | ||
|
| American Airlines/US Air adds seasonal flight between ABQ & CLT |
| American Airlines is adding a seasonal flight between Albuquerque (N.M.) International Sunport and Charlotte Douglas International Airport. The US Airways-operated flight is scheduled to run June 5 – Aug. 18. |
| Vote for Southport for 'America's Happiest Seaside Town' |
 Coastal Living is seeking America's Happiest Seaside Town 2015 – and Southport is among the 10 nominees. To vote or to find out more, click here. The online contest is open through March 31.
|
| Cape Hatteras #5 among '101 Sand n' Surf Hotspots' | ||
|
| Retro 1980s skiing weekend is real life Hot Tub Time Machine |
 Movies about skiing have not generally fared well at the box office, but 2010's Hot Tub Time Machine was a surprising success for the genre. The best (and only) comedy about time travel and skiing, it grossed more than $50 million domestically by celebrating dated and kitschy eighties trademarks. As a result, a sequel is due in theaters nationwide next month. And, as ForbesLife notes, "No ski resort destination has capitalized on this quite like North Carolina's Beech Mountain, which may lack the snow accumulation and vertical drop of more famous rivals, but makes up for it with a sense of humor and fun. This month the resort will roll out its yearly Totally '80s Retro Ski Weekend. The weekend in question is February 20-22 and includes live music, contests, special guest appearances, retro festivities and ‘80s-themed specials on lodging and meals."
|
| 10Best features 2 N.C. sites | ||
An earlier article offered places to "Warm Up with Crazy Cool Hot Cocoas." 10Best said, "Located in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains, the Omni Grove Park Inn invites guests to cozy up in the Great Hall Bar with a warming cup of Salted Caramel Hot Chocolate. This sweet and savory take on the classic beverage is made with caramel sauce, coarse sea salt, melted chocolate and sweetened whipped cream." |
| Surveys, Industry, Marketing & Travel Trends |
| How Hotels are Capitalizing on What Business Travelers Value Most – Hotels have long catered to business travelers, and for good reason. According to a U.S. Travel Association report, direct spending by domestic and international business travelers in the U.S. totaled $266.5 billion in 2013, representing almost a third of all money spent by travelers in the country that year. Considering this amount and the frequency with which these individuals travel, hotels need to promise more than just a business center to appease this discerning group of frequent travelers. This group of globe-trotters is changing the hospitality industry in a way that affects leisure travelers, too. According to the GBT survey, business travelers consider a hotel's brand to be the most important factor in booking a hotel. Much like with leisure travelers, those jet-setting for business particularly appreciate free Wi-Fi access. One perhaps surprising discovery the GBT survey reported was that business travelers consider a number of unconventional lodging options for work trips, including bed and breakfasts, apartments, cabins, lodges, castles and treehouses. The key to attracting and retaining significant corporate business group trends – Gone are the days when corporate group business by default only went to big-box, branded convention hotels. Today's mixed bag of corporate business often skews smaller, ranging from a 10-person C-level meeting one day to an incentive trip tomorrow or a 100-person corporate retreat next week. This trend is suited well to the variations in size, scope and experience offered by independent properties. The key to attracting and retaining significant corporate business, according to independent hoteliers, is to have a laser focus on what sets your property – and your people — apart. One director of marketing said location often is the first tool his sales team uses when going after group business. "We sell the property, accommodations and sometimes location just as much as the space," he said. Different groups have different needs, and smaller independent properties likely are flexible enough to accommodate those needs. Sometimes that might mean taking over the entire hotel if that's what the group needs. "Since many of our properties are much smaller than their branded competitors, we can offer a much more intimate experience," the same director said of his company's portfolio. "With properties as small as 40 (guestrooms), corporate groups can buy out an entire property." Price transparency has been a huge selling point when going after corporate business, and it's something they attribute to their independence. Local convention and visitor bureaus and other civic groups are huge helpers when it comes to growing group business. One hotelier generates home-grown business by seeking out partnerships with civic groups that match what his hotels can offer. For example, he works with a small business incubator. |
 |
| NC GreenTravel: Sub-meters allow for additional monitoring |
| The increasing cost of utilities can be one of the largest variable expenses for a business' operation. An effective method of managing and monitoring the fluctuating costs of these resources is through the use of sub-meters. Sub-metering is the installation of metering devices after the primary utility meter, to measure the specific resource consumption of various facets of a facility. Sub-metering allows a business to individually monitor the energy and water usage of specific departments, pieces of equipment, amenities, and other loads to account for their actual resource consumption. Sub-meters can be used as an analytical tool that provides a better understanding of how to effectively manage resources and generate an accurate record of energy and water usage. Sub-meters can also help delineate the allocation of energy and water costs to departments, serve as a method of documentation for measurement and verification of energy and water conservation programs, and ensure compliance with sustainable building initiatives. Sub-meters can also provide accurate real-time resource monitoring, actual usage data and eliminate the need for square footage estimates. Exact knowledge of where resources are being used is an advantageous tool in creating resource conservation programs, and constant monitoring allows the ability to gauge the ongoing effectiveness of these initiatives. For more information on sub-metering, click here. For information on sustainable tourism, contact NC GreenTravel program manager Tom Rhodes at (919) 707-8140, or Daniel Johnson with ECU's Center for Sustainability at (252) 737-4296. |
|
| Upcoming Industry Meetings & Events |
| Feb. 24 – NCTIA Meeting, Raleigh. Feb. 25 – NCTIA Legislative Reception, Raleigh. Feb. 27-March 1 – Ideal Living Resort & Retirement Expo, McLean, Va. March 3-8 – ITB Berlin, Berlin, Germany March 5-7 – AFCI Locations Trade Show, Los Angeles, Calif. March 8-10 – N.C. Governor’s Conference on Tourism, Pinehurst March 13-21 – SXSW Film Festival & Conference, Austin, Texas March 14-17 – AARP Life@50 + Expo, Miami, Fla. March 18-20 – N.C. Main Street Conference, Morganton March 19 – Visit North Carolina's New York Media Mission, New York City, N.Y. March 22-25 – Travel South Showcase, Shreveport, La. March 25-26 – U.S. Travel Association's Destination: Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C. March 30-April 1 – STS Spring Symposium, Charlotte March 31 – N.C. Sports Association Meeting, Greenville |
| 15000 Weston Parkway Cary, NC 27513 |
 | ||||
|
| NewsLink is a publication of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina |
| Share NewslinkUnsubscribeinfo@visitnc.com |