Weekly e-newsletter for Visit NC Partners - July 25, 2024
IN THIS ISSUE: * Visit NC webinar: ‘Crisis Communications & Issue Management Best Practices’
* PR team effort helps underscore ‘Home of Golf’s literary side
* NC-filmed feature “Monster Summer” releases trailer
* NC-filmed series ‘Blue Ridge’ debuts this Sunday
Visit NC webinar: ‘Crisis Communications & Issue Management Best Practices’
For Visit NC's August webinar, "Crisis Communications & Issue Management Best Practices," partners will learn how Visit NC and its agency partners manage responses to natural disasters and crises statewide, collaborating with officials to provide visitors with timely information. Partners will also be able to discover how local DMOs can communicate area-specific updates to Visit NC as well. Additionally, insight will be shared on Visit NC's protocol for addressing political issues, travel boycott threats, and other sensitive topics during this election year. Attendees will also gain insights into effectively handling visitor, local, and media inquiries across their own social media, websites, and with media outlets. The webinar will be at 10
a.m. on Aug. 8. Click here to register.
PR team effort helps underscore ‘Home of Golf’s literary side
The Weymouth Center for the Arts & Humanities in Southern Pines was highlighted in Garden & Gun’s “Southern House Museums for Literature Lovers.” The former estate of novelist James Boyd and wife Katherine Lamont Boyd serves as a cultural hub and is home to the NC Literary Hall of Fame. It was included on a media tour organized by the Visit NC PR team in partnership with the Pinehurst-Southern Pines-Aberdeen Area CVB in advance of the 2024 US Open. The outlet has a reach of 438,106 unique monthly visitors.
The first trailer has been released for the NC-filmed feature “Monster Summer.” The movie filmed in and around Southport in late 2021 and early 2022. The feature stars Mel Gibson, Kevin James, Lorraine Bracco, Mason Thames (from NC-filmed “The Black Phone), and NC actress Lilah Pate. The story centers around a group of teenagers who team up with a retired police detective to embark on an adventure to save their island from a mysterious force that is disrupting their normal summer fun. The production had a direct in-state spend of more than $8.9 million, while creating 620 job opportunities. “Monster Summer” debuts in theaters on Oct. 4. View the trailer
here.
NC-filmed series ‘Blue Ridge’ debuts this Sunday
After dropping on the Cowboy Network earlier this year, season 1 of “Blue Ridge” debuts on its primary home, the INSP Network, this Sunday (July 28). The series, primarily filmed the greater Charlotte metro area, follows newly hired sheriff Justin Wise as he fights to protect the town of Blue Ridge from criminals. Production on the series took place in Spring 2023 and was expected to have a direct in-state spend of more than $6.3 million. Learn more about the series and see a trailer here.
Federal government grants are an important source of funding for parks and recreation in North Carolina. For states to be eligible for the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF), a Statewide Comprehensive Outdoor Recreation Plan (SCORP) must be updated every five years. The NC Department of Natural and Cultural Resources and the NC Division of Parks & Recreation manage the LWCF apportionment for North Carolina. In 2020, the federal Great American Outdoors Act permanently made offshore oil and natural gas royalties a dedicated funding source for the LWCF. The 2025-2030 SCORP is called "Shaping Outdoor Recreation from Mountains to Sea."
Residents of NC are asked to provide their input for the SCORP. It’s doesn't matter if someone has ever visited any state park site or if they're an avid outdoors person. This is an opportunity for any resident to steer grant funding towards things that matter the most to them.
The Public Opinion Survey is open through Aug. 30. The survey should take 5-10 minutes to complete. Click here for the survey.
Vote for NC sites among ‘Gluten-free awards’
North Carolina has three sites among the nominations for 10Best's Readers' Choice Awards categories for “Gluten-free awards.” Online voting by readers is now open via USAToday.com; click on the hyperlink to vote. Voting ends at noon onAug. 19.
Best Restaurant for Gluten-Free Dining – Posana, Asheville
Best Cider – Stargazer Cider’s Beehive Ginger, James Creek Cider House, Cameron – Vacation Station, Urban Orchard Cider Co., Asheville
Atlantic Beach, Asheville among Trip Ideas
In its Trip Ideas’ “5 Beach Vacations You Can Take for Less Than $100 a Day,” Travel + Leisure included Atlantic Beach. The article explained, in part, "Atlantic Beach is set along North Carolina’s 'Crystal Coast,' an 85-mile stretch that has 56 miles of protected beach... When you’re ready to go beyond the beach, rent a bike and make your way to Fort Macon State Park."
In a another Trip Ideas article, T+L included Asheville in its "10 Affordable Mother-daughter Trips to Take Around the World." Of the inclusion, the article noted, in part, “Outdoors-loving mother-daughter duos will have a blast in Asheville. Nestled in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains, this North Carolina city offers an abundance of scenic biking and hiking opportunities ranging from easy to advanced; favorites include the Upper Whitewater Falls Trail and Pink Beds Trail Loop in Pisgah National Forest.”
For the week of July 25, "North Carolina Weekend” offers “Tasty Travels,” which originally aired April 25. Featured segments include Seabird in Wilmington; Seoul Food Meat Company in Charlotte; The Chocolate Boutique in Raleigh; Cocoa Cinnamon in Durham; and The Hen and the Hog in Halifax. (Check local listings, as 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.
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