| Weekly e-newsletter for VisitNC partners | January 3, 2018 |
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| IN THIS ISSUE:
* Hansen opening keynote speaker for Visit NC 365 * Visit NC's Canadian fall campaign sees strong response
* N.C. selected as North American Golf Destination of the Year
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 Hansen opening keynote speaker for Visit NC 365
Phil Hansen, referred to by his fans as "the artist for the people," is an internationally recognized multimedia artist, speaker, author - and the opening keynote speaker for the Visit NC 365 conference, in Winston-Salem, March 4-6. His inspirational story was first shared on the TED stage to a standing ovation, and then shared around the world via such outlets as PBS, BBC and CCTV. Hansen's artistic journey nearly came to an end when a tremor developed in his drawing hand. In exploring new ways to create art, Hansen discovered that by embracing his shake, limitations could become the passageway to creativity. Hansen is at the forefront of bringing art to a wider audience. He works at the intersection of traditional art, electronic media, offbeat materials, and interactive experiences. He is most widely known for his meta art, videos that document the creation process showing millions that art is action, not just result. Hansen's ability to draw parallels to the business setting has won him followers among industry and business leaders. Conference attendees may also register to take part in the Collaborative Art Experience with Phil Hansen on Sunday from 2:30-3:30 p.m. (Free for conference attendees). A hands-on interactive art experience bringing attendees together to create a stunning and unexpected work of art. This fun, engaging and collaborative project furthers the experience of embracing challenges through teamwork and demonstrates the power of how our individual roles make up the world. Join in creating a collaborative piece of art in the City of Arts: Winston-Salem. Advance registration is required. Conference registration is now open. Regular registration is $499/person now through Feb. 14. Tell everyone you've registered by tagging #VisitNC365 and @NCarolinaTourism. For more information on the conference, contact Dana Grimstead at (919) 447-7761. |
 Visit NC's Canadian fall campaign sees strong response
Visit North Carolina's Canada office launched a one-month fall campaign with Travelalerts.ca, a leading digital travel resource for Canadian consumers. The campaign included multiple e-blasts, display advertising, social media posts and a national contest (promoted in English and French). The campaign generated more than 4 million impressions across the network and received 12,834 unique entries in the contest. Prizing was provided courtesy of Brevard/Transylvania County TDA. To learn more about Visit NC's international marketing opportunities, contact Heidi Walters at (919) 447-7762. |
 North Carolina selected as IAGTO North American Golf Destination of the Year
North Carolina has been named 2018's Golf Destination of the Year for North America by the International Association of Golf Tour Operators (IAGTO). The group's press release noted, "With stunning landscapes cradling courses from the mountains to the Atlantic coast, North Carolina ranks as a premier place for championship rounds and leisurely play. Courses that make headlines include Pinehurst No. 2, the Donald Ross masterpiece that made history by hosting both the U.S. Open and the U.S. Women's Open in 2014; Quail Hollow Club in Charlotte, where the 2017 PGA Championship was played; Sedgefield Country Club in Greensboro, home of the Wyndham Championship; and Eagle Point Golf Course in Wilmington, site of the 2017 Wells Fargo Championship... North Carolina's selection speaks to the quality of the travel experience as well as the excellence of its courses." The recognition was announced during the 20th International Golf Travel Market (IGTM), in the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès in Cannes, France, last month. |
 Greensboro to host 2019 World Irish Dancing Championships
Greensboro has been chosen as the host for the 2019 World Irish Dancing Championships, After making the short list, Greensboro was among three cities invited to make a presentation to the Irish Dancing Commission in Dublin, Ireland. Representatives from the Greensboro Area CVB and the Sheraton Four Seasons/Koury Convention Center pitched why Greensboro was the best place to hold the championships in 2019. The event will be held April 14-21, 2019; the last time the event was held in the U.S. was 2013. |
 Raleigh, Asheville among '30 Most Exciting Food Cities in America 2017' Zagat.com has named Raleigh and Asheville among its "30 Most Exciting Food Cities in America 2017." Of Raleigh, ranked #12, it was noted, "This Southern capital city has often been overshadowed by hipper-seeming neighbors like Asheville, Charleston and Durham. But no more. This year finally saw local restaurant legend Ashley Christensen, who owns six spots in the city, as a much-deserved James Beard Award semifinalist for Outstanding Chef (she's a past winner for Best Chef: Southeast). And, her Poole's Downtown Diner was named by Eater as one of America's Essential Restaurants for the second year in a row. Steven Devereaux Greene of Herons and Cheetie Kumar of Garland each garnered first-time nominations for Best Chef: Southeast and bread wizard Lionel Vatinet of La Farm Bakery was nominated for the third time for Outstanding Baker. Other recognition for the city came in the form of new spot Brewery Bhavana, from the owners of beloved Laotian restaurant Bida Manda, nabbing spot number 10 on Bon Appetit's Best New Restaurants for 2017. Other exciting openings include seafood spots Cortez Seafood and Cocktail and St. Roch Fine Oysters + Bar (from an Ashley Christensen protégé), and French-American bistro Royale cementing Raleigh's place in the South as a food city on par with its flashier neighbors."
Of Asheville, ranked #30, the article said, "The past half decade has been good for Asheville's food and drink scene. It has more breweries per capita than any other city in the U.S. and it's home to renowned chefs like James Beard-nominees Katie Button (Cúrate and Nightbell), John Fleer (Rhubarb) and pitmaster Elliott Moss (Buxton Hall Barbecue). That's enough to make food lovers in other small cities envious; however, the dynamic dining destination just keeps getting better. In 2017, Button doubled the size of Cúrate and added a Vermuteria (a vermouth-focused bar). Chef Patrick O'Cain opened a second location of his hit dumpling and noodle shop, Gan Shan West. Josh Thomsen (formerly Eau Palm Beach, The Venetian Las Vegas and Hotel Bel-Air) took over Edison Craft Ales + Kitchen, bringing international flair to the Omni Grove Park Inn's stunning terrace restaurant. Local cocktail guru Chall Gray (formerly Thirsty Monk) debuted another cocktail bar, Little Jumbo. And premium yeast supplier White Labs opened a trendy beer and fermented foods concept in October."
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 Storm Rhum among 'Coziest' restaurants
For its "Coziest Restaurant in Every State," Food & Wine selected Storm Rhum Bar & Bistro in Asheville as its North Carolina selection. Of Storm Rhun, the article explained, "Yes, Storm is a rum bar, but it might be a bistro first. Chef owner Owen McGlynn's culinary prowess shines in Southern specialties: pimento cheese and bread and butter pickles on baguettes, shrimp and grits with leek remoulade, even humbled boiled peanuts (elevated here with bacon). There are also crispy pig ears with buttermilk dressing, and grilled swordfish with Carolina Gold Rice grits (yes, grits from rice are a thing). In addition to your usual cocktail suspects (mai tais, pisco sours, mojitos), Storm offers rum flights - check your bravado at the door." The article also appeared on Southern Living.com. |
 Biltmore exhibit, Dashi recognized among best
"Glamour on Board: Fashion from Titanic the Movie" was included by USA Today in its "The best museum exhibits in the U.S. this winter." Of the exhibit, the article noted, "Legend has it that the Vanderbilts planned to sail on the Titanic's maiden voyage, but changed their plans at the last minute. Now, their namesake home, the Biltmore, will display costumes from the Oscar-winning film Titanic in a large-scale exhibit. It will feature hats, gowns, jewelry and tuxedos worn by Kate Winslet, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kathy Bates and others from the movie. The grand home is the only place to see the costumes." As part of its "50 States" series, USA Today selected Dashi in Durham as the North Carolina designation for its "50 states: 50 ramen destinations." Of the selection, the photo gallery noted, "Located in downtown Durham, N.C., Dashi cooks up a rich menu of traditional ramen styles, ranging from pork tonkotsu to soy sauce-flavored shoyu, all customizable with gluten-free rice noodles or toppings like local catfish, smoked chicken or pork meatballs." |
 January issue features the 'Best of winter'
The January issue of Our State magazine features the "Best of Winter," highlighting skiing in the state along with a photo essay, 'First Snow." "Downtown" highlights Tarboro, "Restaurant" features Lupie's Café in Charlotte, and "Farm Tour" visits Goat Lady Dairy in Climax. The January issue is available now. |
Keeping the heat inside at hotels, many attractions
According to the EPA, heating and cooling accounts for 46 percent of energy used by a typical hotel or many attractions. Annual costs average about $1.05 per square foot of space for electricity and $0.25 for natural gas. While maintaining guests' thermal comfort is of the upmost importance, putting an HVAC system on overdrive to compensate for a drafty building not only greatly increases costs, but the results may give guests cold hands and feet in the winter and discomfort in the summer. Leaks in a building's envelope are most often found around windows and doors but they can be found around electric outlets and poorly designed remodeling projects. There are several tools that energy efficiency professionals can use to identify potential envelope leaks in a building, such as a blower door and infrared imaging, but many leaks can be identified simply by walking through the property and feeling for drafts. And in many cases, repairing leaky windows and doors is as simple as re-caulking or replacing worn seals. For more information on improving a building's envelope and for technical assistance, visit www.wastereductionpartners.com, or contact NC GreenTravel Initiative Manager Tom Rhodes at (919) 707-8140. |
| | For the week of Jan. 4 on North Carolina Weekend, discover Part 2 of a segment on the Surry Wine Passport Tour in Traphill. Tour the Ava Gardner Museum in Smithfield. Whet your appetite at Queen's Feast: Charlotte Restaurant Week. Enjoy a tour of Elizabeth City. And the "House Special" visits Bob Timberlake at Timerlake's Restaurant at Chetola Resort in Blowing Rock. (Please note: listings are subject to change.) North Carolina Weekend is underwritten by Visit North Carolina. In addition, UNC-TV has made recent editions of North Carolina Weekend available online. | In 2016, the average household trip expenditure for daytrip parties to the state was approximately $128 per visit, down slightly from $131 in 2015. For more North Carolina visitor information, visit Visitor Profile Studies or contact Marlise Taylor at (919) 447-7748. |
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Upcoming Industry Meetings & Events
Jan. 10-11 - BRPA Winter Regional Membership Meeting, Hendersonville Jan. 18-19 - MPI-CC Meeting, Charlotte Jan. 18-28 - Sundance Film Festival, Park City, Utah Jan. 26-30 - ABA Annual Meeting & Marketplace, Charlotte Jan. 28-29 - NC Assn. of Festivals & Events ShowFest, Charlotte Feb. 5 - NCRLA Annual Meeting, Raleigh March 6 - NC Sports Association Quarterly Meeting, Winston-Salem March 15-16 - MPI-CC Meeting, Raleigh March 18-21 - Travel South Domestic Showcase, Biloxi, Miss. March 21-22 - US Travel Assn.'s Destination Capitol Hill, Washington, D.C. |
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