| Weekly e-newsletter for VisitNC partners | March 6, 2019 |
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| IN THIS ISSUE: * Visit NC 365 less than one month away - avoid late fees and register today
* Travel South Domestic Showcase brings tour operators to N.C * Partners and Visit NC lead media mission to Canada |
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Visit NC 365 less than one month away - avoid late fees and register today
Visit NC 365 is one month away. This year's Visit NC 365 Conference is March 31- April 2 in Wilmington. The conference brings together more than 500 members of the tourism industry to discuss the latest trends and issues facing the industry and hear insights from other tourism industry professionals. Register nowthrough March 14 with a rate of $499/person. Room block rates are still available at: Coastline Inn - (910) 763-2800 - $129 rate available until March 16. Find out more details, including a schedule of events, at visitnc365.com. Tell Visit NC you've registered by tagging it using hashtag #VisitNC365 on Twitter @NCTourism and Facebook @NCarolinaTourism. For more information on the conference, contact Dana Grimstead at (919) 447-7761. Sponsorship opportunities are also available; to learn more, click here |
 | | | One group walking among the whirligigs in Wilson |
Travel South Domestic Showcase brings tour operators to N.C.
Visit North Carolina organized two post-familiarization tours around Travel South Domestic Showcase to show tour operators around the state. The "Crossroads" tour showcased Asheboro, Fayetteville, Greensboro, Lexington, Seagrove, and Winston-Salem. The "Coastal Chronicles" explored Creswell, Columbia, Edenton, Jacksonville, Outer Banks, Rocky Mount, and Wilson. A total of 23 tour operators were able to meet with local representatives and visit group-friendly attractions, lodging and restaurants throughout these areas to help with putting together itineraries for future trips to the state. To find out more about Visit NC's domestic group tour marketing program, contact Amanda Baker at (919) 447-7765. |
Partners and Visit NC lead media mission to Canada
Partners and the Visit NC PR team traveled to Toronto and Montreal recently for the annual Canadian Media Mission. On the agenda were desk-side appointments, networking luncheons and dinners in both cities with a variety of media, including editors, freelancers, bloggers and broadcast producers. Visit NC's Hayes Norris led the delegation, which included partners Cabarrus County CVB, Greater Raleigh CVB, Johnston County VB, Transylvania County TDA and Brunswick County TDA. Travel-trade publications such as Travel Pulse Quebec covered the visit in this online article. |
| | | Broadslab's Jeremy Norris (lf) with Johnston County VB's Ashby Brame (ctr) at 2018 Media Mission |
Writer at Visit NC NY Media Mission crafts spirits article for Saveur.com
A freelance writer who sampled North Carolina spirits at the Visit PR team's 2018 New York Media Mission has produced the Saveur.com article "A new generation of distillers is reviving North Carolina's spirits legacy." The article, which traces North Carolina's spirits industry from its flourishing before Prohibition to its re-emergence in the modern era, views the state as "a source for excellent spirits" while noting a need for continued legislative support to allow distilleries to thrive. Broadslab Legacy Shine from Broadslab Distilling in Benson was served at the New York Media Mission, which head distiller Jeremy Norris attended in conjunction with his role in Visit NC's Firsts That Last campaign. Norris connected with the writer there and was one of the distillers interviewed in the article. Other distilleries cited in the article include Doc Porter's and Great Wagon Road in Charlotte, Elevated Mountain in Maggie Valley, Oak and Grist in Black Mountain, Sutler's Spirits in Winston-Salem, and Southern Distilling in Statesville. Saveur.com reaches 3.5 million unique visitors monthly. The coverage is aimed at sophisticated lovers of food, wine, travel and adventure. The spirits story was featured in the Drink column, which highlights bar trends and tips as well as people and places in the wine and spirits industry. For more information on Visit NC's PR efforts, contact Eleanor Talley at (919) 447-7783.
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RetireNC sees strong attendance in Tysons Corner
Visit NC's André Nabors, along with Reidsville, Edenton, Washington and Winterville, promoted North Carolina as a retirement destination at the Ideal Living Resort & Retirement Expo in Tysons Corner, Va., this past weekend. The Expo drew more than 1,250 potential retirees from the Greater DC Metro area who were interested in exploring opportunities and conversing with exhibitors from across the Southeast. Attendees talked with experts from towns and community developers to gain insights and get answers to help plan, design and enjoy their retirement. North Carolina has consistently been one of the most requested states by the attendees. Visit North Carolina attended the Expo to continue its efforts to promote the N.C. Certified Retirement Community Program, which consists of Asheboro, Eden, Edenton, Elizabeth City, Jamestown/High Point, Laurinburg, Lenoir, Lumberton, Marion, Mount Airy, New Bern, Pittsboro, Reidsville, Roanoke Rapids, Sanford, Tarboro, Washington, and Winterville. For more information about the Certified Retirement Community Program or Visit North Carolina's marketing initiatives for retirement relocation, contact André Nabors at (919) 447-7771. |
Nabors addresses Civil War Trails Piedmont Regiont meeting
Visit NC's Andre Nabors, along with Civil War Trails Executive Director Drew Gruber, presented at the Civil War Trails Piedmont Region meeting in Benson yesterday (Tuesday). Nabors provided updates on the Civil War Trails Program. Attendees learned about the new strategies of the NC Civil War Trails program regarding social media, signage replacement and updates on reporting damaged markers, plus verbiage ideas for new and existing markers, as well as the appropriate regional contact person. The Civil War Trails program covers five states. In North Carolina, the program includes more than 279 markers in 78 counties. The markers are maintained through annual sponsorships from community partnerships. To find out more, contact Civil War Trails Executive Director Drew Gruber. |
| | | A Legends & Lore marker in New York |
Applications still being accepted for Legends & Lore Folklore roadside marker program
The N.C. Folklife Institute is a statewide partner of the Pomeroy Foundation in bringing its national Legends & Lore program to North Carolina. Legends & Lore is designed to promote cultural tourism and commemorate legends and folklore as an important part of the historical past. Selected applicants will receive, at no charge, roadside markers to recognize the folklore and folk heritage of their communities. (Examples include a folktale, a local folk hero, traditional style of music or craft, or other tradition that makes a community or place special.) Nonprofit organizations, municipalities and not-for-profit educational institutions are eligible to apply. North Carolina Folklife Institute will be responsible for reviewing applications, as well as confirming the legitimacy and accuracy of folklore and legends that applicants in North Carolina intend to commemorate on a marker. To find out more, click here. For any questions, contact N.C. Folklife Institute's Sarah Bryan or Visit NC's Andre Nabors. |
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Blue Ridge Parkway, Great Smoky Mountains among top national park visitation sites; Great Smokies set new visitation record
The National Park Service (NPS) has announced visitation to America's national parks in 2018 exceeded 300 million recreation visits for the fourth consecutive year. The 318.2 million recreation visits total is the third highest since record keeping began in 1904. The Blue Ridge Parkway took the #2 spot and Great Smoky Mountains National Park placed #3 in the National Park Service's list of the "Top 10 - All Parks in the National Park System," which includes national parks as well as historic sites, lakeshores, seashores and more. Great Smoky Mountains National Park was #1 among the most visited national parks. The Blue Ridge Parkway was #1 among national parkways. Cape Hatteras National Seashore was #3 in the most visited national seashores, with Cape Lookout NS at #8. Moores Creek NB was #9 among National Battlefields. Fort Raleigh NHS was #8 among the top 10 National Historic Sites. Wright Brothers NM was #10 among the top 10 National Memorials. Guilford Courthouse NMP was #7 among the National Military Parks. To view the complete annual rankings, including a breakdown by categories of park types, start here. |
Moore new president/CEO for Caldwell County Chamber
Bryan Moore is the new president & CEO for Caldwell County Chamber of Commerce. He may be contacted at (828) 726-0616 or via bryan@caldwellchambernc.com. |
Epley new executive director for Cleveland County Tourism
Emily Epley is the new executive director for Cleveland County Travel & Tourism. She may be contacted at (704) 484-4804 or via emily.epley@clevelandcounty.com. |
'Does Asheville live up to its "Dog City, USA" claim?'
In its Travel section last week, The Washington Post asked "Does Asheville, N.C., live up to its 'Dog City, USA' claim?" The writer and her beagle visited Asheville to take a tour with Dog Door Behavior Center and Outfitters, which serves as the "city's dog welcome center." Dog Door's weekly walking tour includes stops at several restaurants, breweries and other dog-centric places such as some shops and attractions. |
Xeriscaping saves water, adds beauty and enhances property value Most would agree that beautifully manicured grounds are important for achieving a high-end look. Everyone also knows green grass requires a fair amount of watering and fertilizer, which is not only wasteful, but costly as well. A great alternative is xeriscaping, or drought tolerant landscaping. Switching from lawn landscaping may require professional assistance initially for design and plant choice, but the cost savings will be worth it in the long run. If you are a business owner with a manageable portion of land, some basic tips are (1) Use synthetic grass or recycled rubber material for playground areas; (2) Grow native plants that are well adapted to the local climate to reduce maintenance; (3) Group plants according to their water needs to minimize water waste; and (4) Choose an irrigation system based on the soil-density. Clay soil drains slowly and therefore requires sprinklers. Certain plants and deciduous trees planted strategically can provide shade and reduce heat radiation. According to the U.S. Dept. of Energy's National Renewable Energy Laboratory, adequately designed landscaping can create energy consumption cost-savings of up to 25 percent for heating and cooling, increase air conditioner efficiency by 10 percent, and add substantial property value. Often desert landscaping is associated with a casual or contemporary design style, but by altering the lines, angles and widths of walkways and paths, they can be transformed into elegant formal gardens as well. Drought tolerant landscaping will not only save money on maintenance and water costs but will give a business a unique appearance sure to draw the attention of potential customers. For more information on how to save energy and dollars, contact NC GreenTravel manager Tom Rhodes at (919) 707-8140. |
| | For the week of March 7 on North Carolina Weekend, "attend" the new exhibit, "A Vanderbilt House Party," at Biltmore in Asheville. Step back in time at Linney's Mill in Union Grove. And the "House Special" samples the fare at Sensation Farmhouse Restaurant in Wallace. (Check local listings; segments are subject to change.) North Carolina Weekend is underwritten by Visit North Carolina. In addition, UNC-TV has recent editions of North Carolina Weekend available online. | North Carolina residents represent 39 percent of overnight visitors within the state while 61 percent of overnight visitors are from out-of-state. Out-of-state visitors spend 63 percent more per visit than resident visitors within the state. For more information, visit Fast Facts, or contact Visit NC's Marlise Taylor at (919) 447-7748. |
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Upcoming Industry Meetings & Events
March 8-16 - SXSW Festival Conference, Austin, Texas March 19-21 - STS Connections / SETTRA Meeting, Daytona Beach, Fla. March 20 - NC Sports Assn. Quarterly Meeting, Hickory April 2-5 - AFCI Week, Los Angeles |
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