| Weekly e-newsletter for VisitNC partners | March 22, 2017 |
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| IN THIS ISSUE:
* Visit NC 365 gets rave reviews for sessions, Greenville's hospitality * Winners Circle welcomes three inductees
* Group tour operators, media learn about N.C. during Travel South Domestic Showcase
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 | | | Sunday night's reception |
Visit NC 365 gets rave reviews for sessions, Greenville's hospitality
The 2017 Visit NC 365 Conference wrapped up yesterday (Tuesday) at the Greenville Convention Center in Greenville, with rave reviews for the speakers, sessions and hospitality events, making it a big success for everyone involved. Visit North Carolina would like to thank everyone involved with making the conference a success, from the sponsors, who without them this conference would not be possible, to the dedicated attendees from across the state. Tourism, business and government leaders from across the state gathered to hear Luke Williams keynote on disruptive marketing techniques for all to employ; Melissa Agnes' powerful speech on creating a Crisis Ready culture in your organization from the start; and Andrew Davis' made everyone ask not should they stake their claim, but how can they afford not to? Participants attended breakout sessions on a range of subjects that included starting a new social campaign, a PR plan for crisis management and disaster response, how small things add up to big business, what's new in group travel, room occupancy tax revenues as the key to tourism promotion, research findings from craft beer consumers, the multi-state Civil War Trails program. The 2017-16 partner co-op program was unveiled, with new opportunities in print, digital media, including programs for native content and digital influencers, VisitNC.com and public relations options for desk-side media visits and media lists as a new offering for partners. Those interested should contact Brooks Luquire and Michelle Reino at LGA at (704) 552-6565. The final day's luncheon was presented by Winston-Salem CVB, host of the 2018 Visit NC Conference in Winston-Salem March 4-6. |
| | | Tuttell (lf) and Hall's son, Todd, who accepted on behalf of his father |
Winners Circle welcomes three inductees
Executive Director Wit Tuttell welcomed three new members to the Winners Circle for their contributions to the growth and success of North Carolina's tourism industry. All three winners were presented their award at the Winners Circle Luncheon on Monday. Those recognized were Jean Beasley, Jim Early, and A.C. Hall.
As the designer and owner of the Atlantis Lodge and also a Pine Knoll Shores official, Hall proved instrumental in getting the law changed to allow dogs in motel sleeping rooms. |
| | Beasley | |
Jean Beasley, founder and director of the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue & Rehabilitation Center in Surf City. |
| | | Early |
Jim Early, author and creator of the N.C. Barbecue Society and its Historic Barbecue Trail.
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| | | Baker (lf) meeting with an attendee. |
Group tour operators, media learn about N.C. during Travel South Domestic Showcase
Visit North Carolina and more than 20 industry partners from the Coast, Piedmont and Mountain regions of the state attended Travel South Domestic Showcase earlier this month. 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 30 tour operators, while Eleanor Talley met with 25 travel journalists for pre-scheduled appointments during the Monday marketplace session of the Showcase. 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. |
 Charlotte sites in the spotlight
Charlotte's growing craft-beer scene is in the Food Network's Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives spotlight. NoDa's Salud Beer Shop was featured on the episode "Not your typical joints," that aired last Friday. On March 31, Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives makes a return visit to the Queen City to feature Heist Brewery in NoDa. The Charlotte brewpub is featured on the episode titled "From North to South America." Local eateries have been prominently featured on Food Network during the last few months. Papi Queso, JJ's Red Hots, the Improper Pig and Bang Bang Burgers all made their debut on Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives in February. |
 STS Top 20 Events nominations for Oct-Nov-Dec deadline April 4
The deadline for nominating events for Southeast Tourism Society's Top 20 events for October-November-December is April 4. 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 requirements include submitting two copies of the nomination form, in addition to supporting materials. Nominations are now accepted via email only. |
 Honeycutt new director for Ashe County Chamber
Kitty Honeycutt is the new executive director of the Ashe County Chamber of Commerce. She may be contacted at (336) 846-9550 or via director@ashechamber.com. |
Printed materials present challenges
Every tourism organization has its own marketing strategy, but whatever marketing strategy is used, printed materials are an important tool, whether they are convention center layouts given at trade shows or brochures distributed at visitor centers. While printed materials are a relatively cost effective way to get a message across, there is increasing concern about the environmental impacts. One option to reduce paper usage is to rely more on digital distribution of materials, but according to a report by PBS, digital media is not without its environmental impacts as well. It can be difficult to compare the impact of different media formats but the bottom line is every format has an impact. With thoughtful planning, though, impacts can be minimized to meet both the distributor's and the consumer's standards and needs. Just as important as what is printed is what it's printed upon. Including information about how travelers can reduce their environmental impact while visiting a destination is yet another way to improve environmental performance even further. For more information on paper and recycling, visit the Earth911 page about paper recycling. For more information on green travel tips for consumers that can be included in print materials, contact ECU Center for Sustainability Partnership Coordinator Kamara Jones at (252) 737-4312, or NC GreenTravel Initiative Manager Tom Rhodes at (919) 707-8140. |
| | On North Carolina Weekend for the week of March 23, discover the revival of downtown Statesville. Experience the Cherokee Mountain Cabins in Nantahala. Learn about the Nile Project Concert Series, which features the cultures and musical instruments of countries along the Nile Basin at several concerts in N.C. Step back in time at the R.A. Fountain General Store in Fountain. And the "House Special" samples the fare at the Washington Crab and Seafood Shack in Washington. (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 Weekendavailable online. | Visitors from Japan, Ireland, Italy, Switzerland and India spend a much larger proportion of their total spending on lodging than other visitors to North Carolina. Visitors from the U.K., Germany and France also spend a higher than average proportion of their travel budgets on lodging in the state. Visitors from South America, Mexico and China allocate a smaller proportion on lodging than other international visitors. For more North Carolina visitor profile information, visit the Visitor Profile Studies, or contact Tourism Research Director Marlise Taylor at (919) 447-7748. |
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Upcoming Industry Meetings & Events
March 24-26 - Mountain-to-Sea Trail Annual Meeting, Elkin March 27-30 - NASC Sports Event Symposium, Sacramento, Calif. April 6 - MPI-CC Global Meetings Industry Day, Charlotte, Raleigh & Myrtle Beach April 6 - NC Coast Host Quarterly Meeting, Elizabethtown April 6 - HSMAI-NC Meeting, Raleigh April 27 - Visit NC TRAC, Marion May 3-4 - Blue Ridge Parkway Assn Annual Meeting, Gatlinburg, Tenn. May 9 - Visit NC T&T Board Meeting, Raleigh May 10-11 - MPI-CC Annual Meeting, New Bern May 18 - Visit NC TRAC, Oxford |
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