| Weekly e-newsletter for VisitNC partners | March 21, 2018 |
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| IN THIS ISSUE:
* Group tour operators, media learn about N.C. during Travel South Domestic Showcase
* TRAC coming to Haywood, Madison counties April 11-12
* APA-NC learns about Visit NC, rural tourism development |
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Group tour operators, media learn about N.C. during Travel South Domestic Showcase Visit North Carolina and many industry partners from the Coast, Piedmont and Mountain regions of the state attended Travel South Domestic Showcase this week. They met with domestic group tour operators and media to increase interest in group travel to North Carolina. This regional appointment-style marketplace focused on increasing travel to and within the southern states. Visit NC's Amanda Baker met with 24 tour operators, while Eleanor Talley met with 34 travel journalists for pre-scheduled appointments during the Monday marketplace session of the Showcase. Participating partners were Explore Asheville with Biltmore and Asheville Outlets; Burlington/Alamance County CVB; Cabarrus County CVB with Charlotte Motor Speedway, zMax Dragway and Southern Grace Distillery; Heart of NC VB; High Point CVB; Holiday Inn Express Wilkesboro & Yadkin Valley Event Center; Visit Lexington with Childress Vineyards; NASCAR Hall of Fame; Visit NC Smokies; Outer Banks Days Inn; Outer Banks VB; and Visit Winston-Salem with Historic Brookstown Inn. On Tuesday, Moravian cookies were enjoyed by attendees as a part of the Tastes & Tunes of the South. For more information on Visit NC's group travel program, such as ways to attract this market to a particular destination, contact Amanda Baker at (919) 447-7765. |
| | | A previous TRAC in Dobson | |
TRAC coming to Haywood, Madison counties April 11-12
Next month, tourism-related businesses in Haywood and Madison counties - including the surrounding counties - will have an opportunity to work with Visit North Carolina staff to learn about its research, development and marketing services, and discuss best practices in reaching travelers, the media and increasing tourism visitation and spending. Visit North Carolina's Tourism Resource Assistance Center (TRAC) is a community-based training program designed to help small tourism-related businesses. On April 11, TRAC, will be held at Lake Junaluska's Harrell Center Auditorium located at 710 N. Lakeshore Drive in Lake Junaluska. On April 12, TRAC will be in Madison County, with the specific location announced in future NewsLinks. There is no charge to attend, no reservation is required, and there are no PowerPoint presentations. This is a come-when-you-can/stay-as-long-as-you'd-like event opportunity for all tourism-related businesses to meet one-on-one with program managers to discuss better ways to promote their property or event. TRAC brings Visit North Carolina's program managers to local communities to discuss the nuts and bolts of working with the organization. This invaluable program is designed to help tourism-related businesses engage more fully with programs offered by Visit North Carolina and its partners.
Representatives from the EDPNC's BLNC, N.C. Welcome Centers/Visitor Services, N.C. State Parks, Agritourism, and NC GreenTravel are often on hand to discuss services they can provide businesses, including strategic planning, assisting with identifying funding sources and serving as liaisons with other local, state and federal agencies. For additional information on this session or to learn more about scheduling a TRAC visit to your community, contact André Nabors at (919) 447-7771. |
| | | One of the treehouses the group toured |
APA-NC learns about Visit NC, rural tourism development
Visit NC's Andre Nabors addressed the NC Chapter of American Planning Association (APA-NC section 5) in Windsor last Friday. He discussed rural tourism development plus partnerships and resources available via working with Visit NC. APA-NC is comprised of 20 counties in northeast N.C. During the meeting, the group also toured the Cashie River Treehouses and the Roanoke-Cashie River Center.
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Visit NC partners with UNC Consortium for presence at international educators conference
For the second year in a row, Visit NC has partnered with the UNC Consortium to sponsor the USA pavilion brochure at NAFSA: Association of International Educators Annual Conference & Expo in Philadelphia this May. Visit NC knows that many international students come to North Carolina universities and, in turn, family and friends come to visit. Having Visit NC and North Carolina represented via the brochure is a good entry into some markets where Visit NC can't afford to market within. NAFSA's annual conference is the largest meeting in the field of international education, attracting around 10,000 professionals in the field. |
LGA, Visit NC's ad agency, changes emails for staff Luquire George Andrews (LGA), Visit NC's advertising agency, has changed its email addresses, including the suffix. Emails ending with @lgaadv.com are now @thinklga.com. Individual staff email addresses are now first initial last name as the prefix. For instance, Brooks Luquire's email is now bluquire@thinklga.com. |
N.C.-filmed Shifting Gears opens this Friday
The N.C.-filmed and locally produced independent feature Shifting Gears is set for release this Friday, in select theaters, as well as on digital and home entertainment platforms. Filmed in the Piedmont Triad Region in Spring 2015, the production is estimated to have created approximately 200 job opportunities while having a direct in-state spend around $1 million. View the trailer here. One of the actors in the film, John Ratzenberger, said in a 2015 interview when he was here that he "enjoyed his time in North Carolina, with nice weather and good restaurants - [and] he rattle[d] off a list of favorites." |
 One Tree Hill celebrity convention returns to Wilmington for sixth year
Wilmington reprised one of its greatest roles this past weekend as nearly a thousand One Tree Hill fans arrived for the convention devoted to the Wilmington-region filmed series. The weekend's convention was an unparalleled experience for the fans who traveled from other states and countries to visit Tree Hill. This weekend's convention saw its presence extend farther than ever before. Moving down Front Street, businesses set out signs promoting weekend specials for fans.
One Tree Hill premiered in 2003, making this the 15th anniversary of the show. Fans of the program come to the Wilmington area year-round to see landmarks and locations of where the show filmed.
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| | | The Charlotte Knights will play as the Charlotte Caballerros for the program |
NC's Minor League Baseball teams adopting new names for event series targeting Hispanic fans Minor League Baseball is launching one of the biggest business initiatives in the organization's history - and several N.C. teams, including the Charlotte Knights and Kannapolis Intimidators, are directly involved. MiLB yesterday (Tuesday) revealed the on-field identities of 33 teams that will be participating in its new Copa de la Diversión, a 165-game event series targeting Hispanic fans. Each of the participating clubs worked with representatives of the local market's Hispanic community to create culturally relevant on-field personas intended to represent the region's Hispanic heritage. The Charlotte Knights will be rebranded as the Charlotte Caballeros (Knights), a name the team donned for a weekend last summer as part of a MiLB pilot program targeting Hispanic and Latino audiences. The Intimidators' moniker is Rápidos de Kannapolis (Fast). Elsewhere in North Carolina, teams have also been selected for the series: the Durham Bulls, to rebranded Toros de Durham (Bulls);and the Winston-Salem Dash, to be rebranded Winston-Salem Rayados (Striped Ones. Based on the success of last year's program, MiLB estimates this year's effort will attract 106,000 first-time Hispanic fans to the ballpark and generate $3 million in new revenue. Also, a designated section of MiLB.com will be created to feature each participating team's unique identity and the story behind its Hispanic moniker, as well as links for fans to purchase and pre-order any of the on-field caps, branded apparel and tickets to the Copa ballpark events. |
 N.C. towns, sites, food & drink among 'The South's Best'
Southern Living has released the results of its "The South's Best" winners, a digitally crowd-sourced survey that garnered more than 32,000 responses. Ocean Isle Beach was named the South's Best Tiny Town. Lexington (in a tie) was named the South's Best BBQ Joint. Highland Brewing Company in Asheville won for the South's Best Brewery. And the South's Best Inn was the Bed & Breakfast on Tiffany Hill in Mills River; in addition, The Duke Mansion in Charlotte was ranked #6. Blowing Rock was #1 among The South's Prettiest Small Towns, which also included Cashiers at #6, Ocean Isle Beach at #7, Southport at #8, Beech Mountain at #11, Beaufort at #16, Hendersonville at #20, and Brevard at #24. Among the South's Best Hotels, the Kimpton Cardinal Hotel in Winston-Salem was #3 and The Umstead Hotel and Spa in Cary was #6. For the South's Best Food Cities, Asheville was #5. For the South's Best Restaurants, Kindred in Davidson was #4 and Haberdish in Charlotte was #5; both were also recognized for Best Bar-Restaurant, with Haberdish at #2 and Kindred at #5. Among the South's Best Desserts, 8. Heritage Food and Drink in Waxhaw was #8. The South's Friendliest Towns recognized Southport at #8. The South's Friendliest Cities named Asheville #8. And the South's Prettiest Cities ranked Asheville #3, Wilmington at #8, and Chapel Hill at #10.
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 STS Top 20 Events nominations for April-May-June deadline April 13
The deadline for nominating events for Southeast Tourism Society's Top 20 events for April-May-June is April 13. Nominated events must have an attendance of at least 1,000 and be in the third year of existence. Nominations for STS' Top 20 Events can now be submitted electronically using a downloadable .pdf. Top 20 Events strongly encourages entrants to support their nomination by providing supporting material such as photos, posters, brochures, press releases, news clippings and/or volunteer programs. There is a $20 entry fee per event nomination and events do not have to be a member of STS to participate. |
 Crystal Coast TDA seeking new executive director Carol Lohr is retiring March 31 as executive director of the Crystal Coast TDA. Therefore, CCTDA is seeking a new executive director. The position information can be found here. The position is open until filled. |
 Vance County TDA seeking new director Nancy Wilson is retiring March 31 as director of the Vance County TDA. Therefore, VCTDA is seeking a new director. The position information can be found here. The position is open until filled. |
 Lee new superintendent for the Blue Ridge Parkway
J.D. Lee is the new superintendent for the Blue Ridge Parkway. He started his new post last month. Lee may be contacted at (828) 348-3400 or via blri_superintendent@nps.gov. |
Surveys, marketing & industry trends Miami hotel helping travelers break language barriers - Few things are more frustrating as a traveler then not being able to communicate with people in your host destination, according to TravelPulse. A Miami hotel, however, has just announced the introduction of new technology amenity designed to address this very issue. The boutique hotel has integrated a device known as "Emilia" into its offerings. A small, hand-held translating device, Emilia bridges the communication barrier between international guests and locals in Miami. Users simply speak into the device and it repeats what was said in the desired language back to the user; the device is capable of translating 12 languages. The devices will be available to guests for a rental fee of $20 per day. Partnerships with delivery services expand hotel food and beverage options - Hotels are leveraging partnerships with a new crop of delivery services to provide guests with expansive dining and services options, reports SmartBrief. In January, Choice Hotels International announced a partnership with delivery.com in which Choice Hotels loyalty program members can accrue points from their delivery orders. "Within the first two weeks of the activation, nearly 100,000 guests explored the delivery experience in the Choice Hotels mobile app," said a Choice Hotels representative. "Further, 24 hours after the deployment of the promotional delivery email to members, mobile app downloads increased by 20%." Hyatt Hotels has entered into a partnership with restaurant delivery service Grubhub. Some brands are expanding dining options while adding unique guest experiences. Hawthorn Suites by Wyndham has combined an in-room cooking program with grocery delivery, an experiential take on the F&B partnership trend. Comfort hotel brand experiences renaissance - Between 2013 and 2019, more than $2.5 billion will have been invested in the Comfort hotel brand as part of a sweeping Move to Modern initiative that's shepherding in a long list of updates to the hotel's public spaces and guest rooms, so notes TravelPulse. That investment is transforming the Comfort brand, which includes Comfort Inn and Comfort Suites, and inspiring something of a renaissance. The Move to Modern program was launched in 2016 and is a multi-phased effort to enhance all of the hotels in the Comfort portfolio to deliver a better, more consistent experience for guests. As part of that effort, there's been hundreds of renovations nationwide aimed at giving Comfort properties an up-to-date, refreshed look and feel, including more contemporary, welcoming exteriors. Simplicity, innovation lead hotel brands' futures - The future of the hotel industry will lean on increased simplicity and a decluttered experience across the entire guest journey, according to sources speaking at the recent International Hotel Investment, and reported by HotelNewsNow. Forum in Berlin, Germany. In a panel titled "Sharing thoughts on the future of hospitality," a representative with Marriott International said the right approach in gaining simplicity and also providing a meaningful experience starts with recruitment and training. Panelists hinted that demand or a feeling for new trends come from both guest wants and hotelier vision. |
Hotelier finds new use for used linens
In an amazing sustainability move, Westin Hotels and Resorts has announced the launch of Project Rise: ThreadForward. The hotel chain has developed this program to collect, process and reweave used hotel bed linens, upcycling them into children's pajamas. The pajamas will be distributed to children in need around the world. Guests are also encouraged to purchase a pair of pajamas online to help support the program. A housekeeping director at an Ontario Westin thought up the idea for the program, since 15 million tons of textiles are discarded in the United States alone with 11 million tons going directly to landfills. Westin turned to Clean the World for advice, and it agreed to help distribute the pajamas. Clean the World is the company that collects and remanufactures soaps made from discarded hotel soap. Their product is donated to communities around the world to help protect children from disease. For information about upcycling and other recycling methods, contact NC GreenTravel Initiative manager Tom Rhodes at (919) 707-8140. |
| | For the week of March 22 on North Carolina Weekend, spend a day in Hendersonville to explore and see the sights. Step back in time at Horne Creek Farm State Historic Site in Pinnacle. Stop by Top of the Hill in Chapel Hill to discover TOPO's restaurant, brewery and distillery. Enjoy a visit to Multiflora Greenhouses in Hillsborough. And the "House Special" samples the fare at Scrambled Southern Diner in Greensboro. (Please note that the normal Thursday 9 pm broadcast will be pre-empted by special UNC-TV programming; also 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 Weekendavailable online. | In 2017, Room Supply was up 2.5 percent statewide from 2016, the largest increase since 2001. Room supply has increased 6 percent in the last five years. Room supply in 2017 was at its highest on record for North Carolina with more than 55.8 million room nights available for the year. For more North Carolina visitor information, visit Lodging Reportsor contact Tourism Research Director Marlise Taylor at (919) 447-7748. |
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Upcoming Industry Meetings & Events
March 27 - Visit NC Travel & Tourism Board Meeting, Cary (rescheduled from Feb. 7) April 11-12 - Visit NC's TRAC, Haywood County (11), Madison County (12) April 23-26 - NASC Sports Event Symposium, Minneapolis, Minn. May 2-3 - BRPA Annual Meeting, Bedford, Va. May 8 -Visit NC Travel & Tourism Board Meeting, TBD May 16-17 - MPI-CC Meeting, Wilmington May 17 - NC Coast Host Quarterly Meeting, Emerald Isle May 19-23 - U.S. Travel Assn.'s IPW, Denver, Colo. |
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