Weekly e-newsletter for Visit NC partners - January 18, 2023
IN THIS ISSUE: * Sponsorships available for Visit NC Tourism Conference
* Spaces still available for Winter & Spring co-ops
* Wilmington among the 'Best Places to Live and Work as a Moviemaker, 2023'
Sponsorships available for Visit NC Tourism Conference
Sponsorships are available for Visit NC Tourism Conference, March 6-8 in Asheville. The sponsorship program has been redesigned to offer a range of options. Customized to better suit potential vendors, sponsors may participate on a variety of levels that best suit budgets and promotional efforts. The Visit NC Tourism Conference offers sponsors the ability to connect directly with North Carolina’s largest gathering of travel leaders, while supporting the efforts of Visit North Carolina as the state’s official destination marketing organization. There is no other event in North Carolina that brings such a diverse group of tourism professionals together for networking, insights on trends and issues, and educational, career development. As the foundation of the event, the sponsorship program provides organizations the opportunity to speak directly with North Carolina's largest gathering of tourism professionals, while supporting the efforts of Visit North Carolina as the state's official destination marketing organization. To find out more, click
here; to view a .pdf of the Sponsor Packet, click here.
Spaces still available for Winter & Spring co-ops
Winter and Spring co-ops are still available for partners to join as part of Visit NC’s 2022-’23 Partner Programs, but deadlines to secure space are approaching quickly. In addition to these limited offerings, check out the evergreen opportunities in the Visit NC Partner Programs Brochure. To reserve space or for more information, contact the Partner Programs Team. These opportunities will be secured on a first-come, first-served basis.
Southern Living
- Quarter-page ad, May, $9,500– Materials due Jan. 20
Digital Garden & Gun Digital - ROS Display, $5,000 – Materials due Feb. 13
- ROS Display + HPTO, March 27 and April 24, $10,000 – Materials due Feb. 13
Our State Travel E-news
- March 9 mailing – Materials due Feb. 15
- April 13 mailing – Materials due March 13
VisitNC.com & Social Travel Deal: Social Promotion
- May – Materials due March 1
- June – Materials due April 3 Featured Event: E-news Spotlight
- March – Materials due Jan. 20
- May – Materials due March 15
- June – Materials due April 14 Featured Event: Instagram Story Promotion
- March – Materials due Jan. 20
- April – Materials due Feb. 1
- May – Materials due March 1
- June – Materials due April 3 Interest Overview page Feature
- Spas & Wellness, March-June; this program will be offered at $1,000 instead of $1,500 – Materials due Jan. 20 Instagram UGC Promotion
- April – Materials due Feb. 1
Wilmington among the 'Best Places to Live and Work as a Moviemaker, 2023' Wilmington is among MovieMaker's "Best Places to Live and Work as a Moviemaker, 2023." Wilmington was ranked #2
among Smaller Cities & Towns. Of Wilmington, it was noted, in part, "A quiet powerhouse of film that doesn’t rest on its considerable laurels, Wilmington offers a low cost of living for a high quality of life. Known for charming homes and gorgeous beaches, Wilmington looks so idyllic that filmmakers can’t help but cast it against type in scary stories... Rather than jump scares, the real Wilmington offers security and dependability: there’s steady work from TV shows that hire mostly local crews, and some crew members have worked here for decades… It earned roughly $210 million in film and TV spending last year – highly impressive for a city of about 120,000 people – thanks in part to a 25% North Carolina rebate on qualifying expenses and
purchases.
Lionsgate has released the first trailer for the N.C.-filmed “”Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret.” The feature film adaption of the beloved Judy Bloom book by the same name, “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret” opens in theaters April 28. The coming-of-age story filmed in Cabarrus, Mecklenburg and Union Counties in Spring 2021. It was approved for a N.C. Film and Entertainment Grant award of up to $7 million, with expectations of a direct in-state spend of at least $28 million.
Research reports ‘Americans Intend to Travel in 2023 Despite Economic Concerns’
Travel Pulse reports that “Americans Intend to Travel in 2023 Despite Economic Concerns.” The article says research from MMGY Travel Intelligence reveals Americans will likely travel even more in 2023 than in 2022. According to the Winter Edition of the Portrait of American Travelers, 6 in 10 American adults plan to take a trip in the next 6 months.
MMGY also reports that loyalty to specific travel brands is waning with less than half of travelers reporting loyalty to a specific airline or hotel brand. As potential visitors seek new experiences and save money, this trend may continue. Online travel agencies, however, are still popular with three-quarters of American leisure travelers using at least one to compare prices and availability.
Visit NC will be providing frequent research updates through Newslink with links to available studies.
Maybee new executive director for Person County TDA
Julie Maybee is the new executive director for Person County TDA. She may be contacted at (336) 583-6220 or via director@itsbetterinperson.com.
Vote for Charlotte’s Billy Graham Library for ‘Best Religious Museum’
Vote for the Billy Graham Library in Charlotte as Best Religious Museum, among the nominations for 10Best's Readers' Choice Awards categories for Best of Museums. Online voting by readers is now open via USAToday.com; click on the hyperlink to vote. Voting ends at noon Feb. 13.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park starts parking tag program March 1
Beginning March 1, visitors to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park planning stops within the park will be required to have a parking tag. Parking tags will not be location-specific nor will they guarantee a parking spot at any parking lot within the park. A parking tag will be required to park in any designated parking spot anywhere within the boundaries of the park. Parking tags will not be required for motorists who pass through the area or who park for less than 15 minutes. Parking tags are available for Daily ($5), Weekly ($15) and Annual ($40) durations. They may be purchased online in advance or at select sites near or at the park; North Carolina locations include the Clingmans Dome Visitors Center in Cherokee, Oconoluftee Visitors
Center in Cherokee and Swain County Visitors Center in Bryson City.
All revenue generated through these user fees will remain in the Smokies to directly support operational costs for managing and improving services for visitors including trail maintenance, custodial services, trash removal, and supporting more staffing to increase the presence of personnel across the park. To find out more, click here.
‘North Carolina Ski Resorts: The Ultimate Guide to a Perfect Weekend Ski Trip’
Last week, Conde Nast Traveler offered “North Carolina Ski Resorts: The Ultimate Guide to a Perfect Weekend Ski Trip
.” The online article noted, "Winter sports may not be the first thing that comes to mind when you think of the Appalachian Mountains, much less powder-y slopes of North Carolina ski resorts. The area is known for warmer outdoor pursuits, boasting some of the best climbing, kayaking, and mountain biking east of the Rockies. But in the Blue Ridge Mountains – Western North Carolina’s section of the Appalachians – there are a handful of wholly unexpected ski resorts that are worth a visit." Ski sites included in the article were Sugar Mountain Resort in Sugar Mountain, Beech Mountain Ski Resort in Beech Mountain, Cataloochee Ski Area in Maggie Valley, Appalachian Ski Mountain in Blowing Rock, and Wolf Ridge Ski Resort in Mars Hill. For the sampling of
ski options, the article provided information on ski passes, where to stay and where to "apres, eat, and drink" for each site.
‘North Carolina Weekend’
For the week of Jan. 19, "North Carolina Weekend” offers “Remembering John,” which initially aired Oct. 20 and spotlights the storytelling of John Litschke, who died last spring. Featured segments include Linney’s Mill in Union Grove; RiverGirl Fishing Company in Todd; Turtle Island Preserve in Boone; a profile of Traphill; and Qualla Arts and Crafts in Cherokee. (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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