| January 21, 2015 |
 In this issue:• Pre-conference sessions spotlight popular themes • Only one spot remaining in April 2015 Family Fun print co-op • Surveys, Industry, Marketing & Travel Trends ...and more |
| Pre-conference sessions spotlight popular themes |
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This year’s N.C. Governor's Conference on Tourism, at the Pinehurst Resort's Carolina Hotel March 8-10, unofficially kicks off with two popular themes for pre-conference sessions: Tourism Research and PR Bootcamp. The Center for Sustainability at ECU and Visit North Carolina are bringing together academics and practitioners to increase familiarity with their respective roles and further developing tourism research agendas, as well as to seek out opportunities for collaboration. This event will be of particular value to destination managers who would like to increase their research capacity, as well as researchers who would like to work more closely with industry and community partners. The Tourism Research Symposium is scheduled for 12 noon - 3 pm on Sunday. The PR Bootcamp workshop will cover crafting pitches, cultivating sources, vetting wannabe media visitors and calculating ROI. Recommended for partners who want to learn the basics or refine their knowledge about earned media. Designed to help industry partners learn the drill for creating and making the most of media opportunities, the PR Bootcamp will be 1 - 4 pm on Sunday. Plus, from 3 - 4 pm, join Visit North Carolina and its marketing partner agencies, LGA and DCI, to preview the cooperative marketing opportunities planned for 2015-2016. Learn about all the programs available, how to extend your limited marketing dollars in collaboration with Visit North Carolina, and have time to follow up with the staff, agencies and media partners for more details. Registration is now available online for the 2015 Governor's Conference with an early bird rate of $399 through Jan. 28. Save even more with an additional discount of $25 per person for three or more attendees from the same organization. The early registration rate ends Jan. 28. 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. Prospective conference sponsors should contact Heidi Walters at (919) 447-7762 to learn more about sponsorship opportunities. Be sure to join On Event Service, Amtrak, Hearst Women’s Travel Group, The Local Palate, Atlanta Magazine, Journal Communications, Luquire George Andrews, N.C. Sports Association, Pinehurst-Southern Pines-Aberdeen Area CVB, and Harrah’s Cherokee Casino at the Governor's Conference this March in Pinehurst. |
| Only one spot remaining in April 2015 Family Fun print co-op |
 Limited availability remains in the Family Fun print co-op for April 2015. The magazine has a readership comprised of 84 percent women with a median age of 38 and average household income more than $66,000. Partners will receive a circulation of 428,000 within the following states: North Carolina, South Carolina, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee, West Virginia and Virginia. The partner investment for a directory-style ad is $2,500 and space commitments are due by Friday, Jan. 23. If you are interested in reserving one of the remaining placements, please contact Crandall Turner at LGA at (704) 552-6565.
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| Limited availability in May 2015 Southern Living print co-op | ||
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| Leland officials consider seeking retirement community certification |
| Leland Town Council members are considering applying for identification as a North Carolina Certified Retirement Community. The council's original hesitancy stemmed from worry about image, that, in fact, Leland was much more than a place for retirees to settle. Indeed, community leaders were more interested in attracting families, council agreed last week. Not to worry, Leland TDA Director Glenda Browning told the panel last Thursday. "If you look at what's happening, we are already getting people 50 and above," she said. "What's happening is their families are following, and because they have moved here, they are also requiring services. When you have services, those entities that provide them … are run by working people, not retirees. Retirees bring the families; it's a domino effect." Already-existing promotion of Leland as an active community will not change, she said. The program is state-run and involves a considerably detailed grant-application process that Browning estimated might take up to a year to complete. Winning a grant would mean Leland's "inclusion in all of the state promotions that they do in other places. It would be cost-effective for us to be a part of that group (of communities) that get that ‘extra,'" she said. |
| Sleepy Hollow leaving for Atlanta if renewed |
 According to the Wilmington Star-News. Fox Television Group chairman and CEO Dana Walden said if it's renewed for a third season, Sleepy Hollow will move production from Wilmington following the demise of the North Carolina film tax credit program. “We've explored other places to produce that show and I will tell you it came down to Atlanta and Vancouver and it looks like we'll head to Atlanta,” she said following a news conference at the Television Critics Association winter 2015 press tour. Last year, the N.C. General Assembly opted to let the state's tax incentive program benefiting film and television projects expire. Lawmakers replaced it with a grant program that will dole out no more than $10 million total to qualified productions this year. Crews are scheduled to wrap production next week on Sleepy Hollow’s second season with filming in Wilmington and New Bern.
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| The Remaining sees Blu-ray, DVD release next week | ||
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| N.C. tourism partners sparkle with AAA Diamonds |
 AAA has announced its 2015 Five and Four Diamond Award winners for Hotels and Restaurants. In North Carolina, Five Diamond Lodging includes The Umstead Hotel and Spa in Cary, The Ritz-Carlton in Charlotte and the Fearrington House Country Inn in Pittsboro. Five Diamond Restaurants are Heron's in Cary and the Fearrington House Restaurant in Pittsboro. AAA reviews nearly 30,000 restaurants, but just 0.2 percent make the AAA Five Diamond list. This exclusive group represents just 0.3 percent of the more than 58,000 AAA/CAA Approved and Diamond Rated hotels and restaurants.Four Diamond Hotels include Asheville's 1889 WhiteGate Inn & Cottage, 1900 Inn on Montford, Abbington Green Bed & Breakfast Inn, Albemarle Inn, Biltmore Village Inn, Grand Bohemian Hotel Asheville, Hilton Asheville Biltmore Park, Inn on Biltmore Estate, and The Omni Grove Park Inn; Boone’s The Lovill House Inn in Boone; Cashier's Innisfree Inn By-The-Lake; Chapel Hill's The Carolina Inn and The Siena Hotel; Charlotte's Marriott SouthPark, Hilton Charlotte Center City, Renaissance Charlotte SouthPark Hotel, The Ballantyne; The Duke Mansion Historic Inn & Meeting Place, and The Westin Charlotte; Duck's Sanderling Resort; Durham's Arrowhead Inn Bed & Breakfast, The King's Daughters Inn and the Washington Duke Inn & Golf Club; Greensboro's Grandover Resort & Conference Center Golf & Spa, O. Henry Hotel and Proximity Hotel; Highland's Old Edwards Inn & Spa; Pinehurst's The Carolina Hotel and Holly Inn; Raleigh's Renaissance Raleigh North Hills Hotel; and Wilmington's Graystone Inn and The Verandas. Four Diamond Restaurants include Asheville's Vue 1913; Boone's Gamekeeper Restaurant & Bar; Chapel Hill's Carolina Crossroads Restaurant and Bar and Il Palio Ristorante; Charlotte's McNinch House and Zebra Restaurant and Fine Catering; Duck's Kimball's Kitchen; Durham's Four Square Restaurant and The Fairview Dining Room; Gibsonville's Saint Jacques at the Burke Manor; Highland's Madison's Restaurant and Wine Garden; Kinston's Chef and The Farmer; Pinehurst's 1895 Grille; Raleigh's Second Empire Restaurant & Tavern; and Wilmington’s Manna.. |
| Expanded gorilla exhibit coming to the North Carolina Zoo | ||
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| DPAC among top five theatres in U.S. |
 For the fifth consecutive year, the Durham Performing Arts Center (DPAC) has placed in the top five theaters in the U.S., as tracked by multiple industry-leading trade magazines. In their year-end published attendance rankings, Pollstar, Billboard and Venues Today all placed DPAC among the top five venues in the U.S. among reporting venues of its size and type. DPAC's 2014 calendar year featured 199 events, which drew more than 412,000 guests and saw a record 93 sellouts.
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| Researchers hopeful N.C. site is that of Lost Colony |
| A clue discovered just a few years ago on a centuries-old map has led researchers back to a North Carolina site in hopes of discovering whether the men, women and children of North Carolina's "Lost Colony" settled there. In 2012, researchers with the First Colony Foundation and the British Museum announced they had found a tantalizing clue about the fate of the Lost Colony, the settlers who disappeared from Roanoke Island in the late 16th century. The clue was on the "Virginea Pars" map of Virginia and North Carolina created by explorer John White in the 1580s and owned by the British Museum since 1866. Attached to the map were two patches, one of which appeared to correct a mistake on the map. The other – in what is modern-day Bertie County in northeastern North Carolina – hid what appears to be a fort. Another symbol, appearing to be the very faint image of a different kind of fort, is drawn on top of the patch. The American and British scholars believed the fort symbol could indicate where the settlers went. The map prompted archaeologists with the foundation to re-examine artifacts they had found years earlier on private land near the site. Although they haven't found a fort, they have found enough artifacts of the correct time period to cause excitement. |
| Richmond County seeking director of tourism |
 The Richmond County TDA is seeking a director of tourism. Information on the position can be found here. Applications are accepted until the position is filled.
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| Surveys, Industry, Marketing & Travel Trends |
| Business travel rebounds into record territory – Buoyed by a strengthening economy, U.S. businesses spent a record amount on corporate travel in 2014 and are expected to spend even more this year, according to the latest forecast from the Global Business Travel Association. U.S. companies spent an estimated $292.2 billion last year on an increased number of business trips. And they are forecast to spend over $310 billion – 6.2 percent more – in 2015. "We're at a really solid point in the economic recovery right now, so businesses are feeling comfortable sending their business travelers on the road," says GBTA's vice president of research. "In some cases we're seeing businesses start to relax their travel policies a little bit, allowing travelers to have premium economy seating, spending those extra dollars for that higher level of comfort." Are guests ready for keyless entry in hotels? – Major hotel conglomerates such as Hilton Worldwide Holdings and Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide are rolling out new mobile keyless guestroom entry systems that replace plastic hotel keycards with a guest’s mobile device, but it's not just the locks that will potentially need an upgrade. There could be a considerable learning curve and transition period for many travelers, including those who don't presently use or own a smartphone. That’s not deterring proponents, however. The change isn’t likely to be too jarring for traditionalists, considering conversion plans usually provide for locks that work with both key cards and mobile devices. Therefore, if a guest’s phone battery dies, he loses his phone or just doesn’t care for technology, he can still get into the room. Staff will be trained to handle other pertinent technical questions as well. Promoting culinary travel pays off, says report – A new study of traveler behavior reveals that the way to tourists' wallets may be through their stomachs. The study, sponsored by the World Food Travel Association (WFTA), shows that almost a third (30 percent) deliberately choose destinations based on the availability of activities related to local food and drink, whether it's a beer or wine festival, a farmers market, or a farm-to-table experience. More than half (51 percent) of all respondents said they travel to learn about or enjoy unique and memorable eating and drinking experiences, and nearly two-thirds (61 percent) are interested in taking a trip to a destination within the U.S. to engage in culinary activities within the next year. Top ten global spa + wellness trends forecast – Integral to spa design and enduring treatments are traditions from ancient cultures. It provides a deep connection and meaning to the experience, but what keeps guests coming back are modern innovations and trends with a fresh take on tradition. SpaFinder Wellness 365 offers its "top 10 global spa and wellness trends forecast." Popular trends include Forest Bathing [the simple practice of quietly and mindfully walking in the forest], Spa On Arrival (& En Route) [Treatments and easy booking options for travelers in airports and upon arrival], and Wellness Traditions from the Islamic World [more people seeking nutritional, beauty and spa traditions from Middle Eastern and African countries.] |
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| NC GreenTravel: Building commissioning can lead to savings |
| Building commissioning is a procedure in which a team of engineering consultants access a building in a means to ensure that its systems are operating efficiently. Commissioning normally occurs when a facility is under construction; however, if a building has never been commissioned, it is eligible for a retro-commissioning assessment. All buildings stand to benefit from regular re-commissioning, which should take place periodically throughout a building's lifespan. Studies have shown that commissioning can save a 100,000-square-foot facility up to 15 percent on energy costs, or approximately $20,000 annually. Cost savings typically result from resetting existing controls to reduce HVAC waste while maintaining or even increasing comfort levels for occupants and guests. In addition to saving energy, retro-commissioning can help tourism facilities reduce equipment downtime and minimize maintenance expenditures. Another reason to retro-commission and regularly re-commission facilities is to create a body of documentation that demonstrates that building systems are operating properly. Retro-commissioning is also an important tool for ensuring that a tourism facility’s indoor air quality standards are met. Safety is another consideration because problems with low-voltage electrical systems such as lighting, fire alarms, smoke-detection systems, and building management systems are frequently identified during retro-commissioning assessments. For more information on building commissioning, 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. |
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| Upcoming Industry Meetings & Events |
| thru Jan. 22 – NTA Travel Exchange, New Orleans, La. Jan. 22 – EDPNC Open House, Cary Jan. 22-Feb. 1 – Sundance Film Festival, Park City, Utah Jan. 23 – EDPNC Board Meeting, Cary Jan. 25-26 – NCAF&E Showfest, Charlotte Jan. 27 – Visit North Carolina's New York Media Mission, New York, N.Y. Jan. 29-30 – N.C. Coast Host Meeting, Sunset Beach Feb. 3 – NCRLA Annual Meeting, Raleigh Feb. 6-8 – Ideal Living Resort & Retirement Expo, Greenwich, Conn. Feb. 9-10 – Annual Emerging Issues Forum, Raleigh Feb. 10 – N.C. Travel & Tourism Board Meeting, Cary Feb. 13-15 – Ideal Living Resort & Retirement Expo, Rochester, Mich. Feb. 27-March 1 – Ideal Living Resort & Retirement Expo, McLean, Va. March 3-8 – ITB Berlin, Berlin, Germany March 8-10 – N.C. Governor’s Conference on Tourism, Pinehurst March 14-17 – AARP Life@50 + Expo, Miami, Fla. March 18-20 – N.C. Main Street Conference, Morganton 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 |
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