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Weekly e-newsletter for Visit NC partners - March 24, 2021 |
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| IN THIS ISSUE:
* Sacks opening keynote speaker for Visit NC 365 * Visit NC, Visit Charlotte and Visit Raleigh promote tourism to legislators in D.C * Brand USA’s Virtual Marketplace includes Visit NC |
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Sacks opening keynote speaker for Visit NC 365 Adam Sacks is the opening keynote speaker at the Visit NC 365 Conference, being held virtually this year April 21-22. Sacks is founder and president of Tourism Economics, an Oxford Economics company dedicated to understanding the relationship between travel and the economy. He has worked with destinations, industry associations and companies around the world for more than two decades. Sacks is an authority on measuring the economic impact of visitor activity and has analyzed the impacts of cruising, gaming timeshare, hotels, attractions and destination marketing ROI. Brought to you virtually this year, Visit NC 365 is a complimentary, open-to-all event. Click here to register. When you register, don't forget to share in the action with the hashtag #VisitNC365 on Twitter @NCTourism and Facebook @NCarolinaTourism. More information on each speaker and the full agenda can be found here.
For more information on the conference, contact Amanda Baker. Sponsorship opportunities are also available; to learn more, contact Dana Grimstead. |
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Visit NC, Visit Charlotte and Visit Raleigh promote tourism to legislators in D.C. Last week, Visit NC’s Wit Tuttell and Heidi Walters participated in U.S. Travel’s annual legislative day, Destination Capitol Hill. Along with Greater Raleigh CVB's Denny Edwards and CRVA's Mike Butts, they met with N.C. senators and representatives to discuss issues concerning North Carolina’s travel industry and getting it back on track as the state comes out of COVID-19. |
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Brand USA’s Virtual Marketplace includes Visit NC Visit NC’s Heidi Walters met with tour operators in Brand USA’s Virtual Marketplace. The second show of this kind included tour operators from Canada and Europe. As the U.S. moves from stricter regulations toward borders re-opening, it’s important for North Carolina to stay top- of-mind with potential visitors. Appointments revealed many Europeans are ready to hear inspirational messages from the U.S. and some are even planning trips for Q4 and 2022. For more information on Visit NC’s international marketing program, contact Heidi Walters at (919) 447-7762. |
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Visit NC ‘at’ Piedmont Legacy Trails Summit Visit NC’s Heidi Walters participated in the panel discussion “Harnessing the Trail Market for Economic Development” during the third installment of the Piedmont Legacy Trails Virtual Summit. Walters introduced the group to Visit NC as part of the EDPNC and the Outdoor NC outdoor ethic initiative recently launched. Other panelists included Elkin Economic Development’s Leslie Schlender and Progress Fund and Trail Town Program’s David Kahley. The Summit’s final installment is March 26. |
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Research shows pandemic has changed travelers’ outlook on life, travel Despite feeling safer about travel and more positive about the safety of travel, many Americans report that they expect long-term impacts from the pandemic on their travel, reports Destination Analysts. Nearly 60 percent say that the pandemic has changed their outlook on life in general and 20 percent say that it has changed their outlook significantly. |
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As a result of their outlook on life changing, their outlook on travel has changed as well. Nearly half of Americans agree that they will put more effort into visiting bucket-list destinations in the next few years. As well, 73 percent of American travelers say that they will be more safety-conscious when traveling in the future. The pandemic has also had significant changes to destination preferences. Travelers are much more interested in destinations with outdoor activities, such as beaches, national parks, regional parks, rural destinations and mountain destinations. More than half of American travelers say that, as a result of the pandemic, they will be visiting more outdoor-oriented destinations during the next few years. |
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Visit NC will be providing frequent research updates through Newslink with links to available studies. |
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Nags Head among 'The 10 Best Beach Towns on the East Coast' Conde Nast Traveler included Nags Head among its “10 Best Beach Towns on the East Coast.” The article noted, "Nags Head is a beach town on the Outer Banks, a group of barrier islands and spits sandwiched between mainland North Carolina and the Atlantic Ocean. It's known for its sand dunes in Jockey Ridge State Park, which comprise the tallest true sand dune system on the East Coast. Hundreds of shipwrecks nearby – caused by the region's shifting sands and heavily trafficked waters – have given the surrounding waters the moniker 'Graveyard of the Atlantic,' and the nearby USS Huron is a popular scuba dive site." |
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‘North Carolina Weekend’
For the episode on March 25, "North Carolina Weekend" repeats the “Highway 64” episode that originally aired Jan. 28. Segments spotlight Outer Banks Distilling in Manteo; River and Twine in Rocky Mount; downtown Lenoir; downtown Apex; and Garland's Cheetie Kumar in Raleigh. (Check local listings for schedule; segments are subject to change.) "North Carolina Weekend" is underwritten by Visit North Carolina. In addition, PBS North Carolina (formerly UNC-TV) has recent editions of "North Carolina Weekend" available online. |
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Resources for travel industry regarding COVID-19
As the travel industry is facing challenging times in the ever-changing situation of COVID-19 and its effects, there are several useful resources available to help with information, communications, planning and guidance. |
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NewsLink is a publication of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina 150 Fayetteville St., Suite 1200, Raleigh, NC 27601 |
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