Weekly e-newsletter for Visit NC partners - May 10, 2023
IN THIS ISSUE:
* Visitor spending in N.C. soared to new record in 2022
* Outdoor NC will be the subject of Visit NC’s June webinar due to cancellation of May webinar
* Visit NC PR team efforts, media fam lead to coverage
* ‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’ returning for season 2 on July 14
Visitor spending in N.C. soared to new record in 2022
Governor Roy Cooper announced yesterday (Tuesday) that the North Carolina tourism economy reached its highest level ever with travelers spending more than $33.3 billion in 2022 on trips to and within the state. The previous record of $29.22 billion was set in pre-pandemic 2019.
Governor Cooper’s announcement coincided with National Travel and Tourism Week (May 7-13), when travel and tourism professionals across the country unite to underscore the value of travel to the economy, businesses, communities and personal well-being. The state’s nine Welcome Centers are hosting activities throughout the week.
North Carolina has invested hundreds of millions of dollars from the American Rescue Plan into helping the tourism industry to recover and thrive following the COVID-19 pandemic. Whether funding Business Recovery Grants, the Moonshine to Motorsports Trail, or investing in Tourism Marketing, the state is committed to supporting the tourism industry’s return to record-breaking heights.
The state’s tourism-supported workforce increased 9.8 percent to 216,900 jobs in 2022. That figure reverses the more than 26 percent loss in employment suffered in 2020. Tourism payroll increased 13.5 percent to $8.7 billion. Also, as a result of visitor spending, state and local governments saw rebounds in tax revenues to nearly $2.5 billion.
The figures are preliminary findings from research commissioned by Visit North Carolina and conducted by Tourism Economics. In measuring the economic value of the travel sector, the research incorporated a broad range of data sources to ensure that the entire visitor economy was quantified in detail. The U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OmniTrak visitor profiles, the U.S. Census, STR, AirDNA and KeyData lodging reports and the N.C. Department of Revenue are among the sources included in this comprehensive model. More information about the study can be found online at partners.visitnc.com/economic-impact-studies, which also links to archived reports dating back to 2005.
N.C. Tourism facts:
North Carolina hosted approximately 43 million visitors in 2022.
Total spending by domestic and international visitors in North Carolina reached $33.3 billion in 2022 – up 15.2 percent from 2021 and 14 percent from the previous all-time high in 2019.
Domestic travelers spent a record $32.4 billion in 2022, up 13.4 percent from 2021.
International travelers spent $910 million in 2022, up 170 percent from 2021.
State tax receipts from visitor spending rose 6.5 percent to nearly $1.3 billion in 2022.
Local tax receipts grew 3.5 percent to nearly $1.2 billion.
Direct tourism employment in North Carolina increased 9.8 percent to 216,900.
Direct tourism payroll increased 13.5 percent to $8.7 billion.
Visitors spent more than $91 million per day in North Carolina. That spending added $6.7 million per day to state and local tax revenues (about $3.5 million in state taxes and $3.2 million in local taxes).
Each North Carolina household saved $512 on average in state and local taxes as a direct result of visitor spending in the state. Savings per capita averaged $230.
Outdoor NC will be the subject of Visit NC’s June webinar due to cancellation of May webinar
Due to unforeseen circumstances, Visit NC’s May webinar, which was slated for tomorrow (Thursday), has been cancelled. Those who had registered for the online webinar should have received an email to let them know. As the popular Outdoor NC initiative had been the subject of the webinar, it will now be the subject of Visit NC’s June webinar. Working in partnership with the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics, the initiative launched in 2020 to ensure North Carolina's treasured outdoor resources continue to thrive for the 51 million people who visit these spaces annually. The webinar will serve as a recap on where the initiative started, how it got to where it is now, and the direction it's headed. The webinar will be held at 10 a.m. on June 8. Click here to register.
Wilmington and Beaches CVB's
Hannah Almeter and Connie Nelson
(back left) joined the fam in
Wilmington, along with "Dawson’s
Creek" actor Nina Repeta (front right)
Media fam generates coverage for ‘Summer I Turned Pretty’ locations
A Visit NC PR team-organized familiarization tour with a film locations focus has yielded a quick-turnaround payoff by People magazine with its “Where Was 'The Summer I Turned Pretty' Filmed? All About the Real Locations Behind Cousins Beach.” The online article, which was published today (Wednesday), noted the Wilmington area’s extensive film credits and mentioned locations used in the Amazon Prime Video series and other projects. Among the public-facing places: Fort Fisher State Historic Site, Crystal Pier, The Fat Pelican, Russell's Gas & Groceries, Papercut Books, Blush Haus of Beauté, Camille's of Wilmington, Cape Fear Marina, Padgett Station and Capt'n Bill's Backyard Grill & Volleyball Facility. Looking ahead to Season 2, the post added Hell's Kitchen and the Rooster & The Crow to the list. People.com attracts 55 million unique monthly visitors.
The April 30-May 5 tour, which was led by VisitNC’s Veda Gilbert, included contributors to US Weekly, OK! Magazine and Elite Daily, as well as People. The Outer Banks VB, New Bern CVB, Wilmington and Beaches CVB and Brunswick County TDA provided hospitality, as the writers connected with past and present locations for “Nights in Rodanthe,” “Sleepy Hollow,” “Dawson’s Creek,” “One Tree Hill,” and “Safe Haven,” plus other screen and streaming favorites.
Visit NC PR team-organized fam nets coverage for three ‘wedding-perfect hotels’
Three of North Carolina’s luxury hotels were featured in the print edition of World Bride Magazine’s 2023 Men’s Issue in “Getting Hitched in North Carolina
.” The WBM Travels article was the result of a media familiarization tour, organized by Visit NC’s PR team with hospitality from the hotels and destination partners. The trip, which followed the Visit NC Tourism Conference in March, included stays at The Omni Grove Park Inn in Asheville, the Fearrington House Inn in Pittsboro and The Umstead Hotel and Spa in Cary. “From rehearsal dinner to ceremony and reception, all three of these luxurious properties in the Tar Heel State can make your wedding feel elevated and authentic,” the article noted. The magazine’s print edition has a circulation of 75,000 with the potential to reach a larger audience through distribution on other platforms. Beyond the fam’s three destinations, the writer learned about
other properties and destinations through the conference’s Media Marketplace sessions.
Visit NC PR team, partners contribute to coastal coverage
Northern Virginia magazine featured North Carolina’s Outer Banks and Inner Banks in its May cover story “Destination Carolinas.” The coverage included an Outer Banks destination piece drawn from the writer’s travels, an article on a trio of lighthouses, and an
Inner Banks
story that’s based on ideas and information shared by the Visit NC PR team and partners in Edenton, Washington, New Bern, Beaufort and Oriental. Northern Virginia magazine, which is based in suburban Fairfax County, has a circulation of 40,000 with 86,600 unique monthly visitors to the website.
Visit NC at Zarticon
Visit NC's Marlise Taylor and Ashton English were in Tampa, Fla. last week for Zarticon, Zartico’s inaugural user conference. During a Data Storytelling session, Taylor presented on Visit NC's "Moonshine & Motorsports - Helping Partners Shine on Being Who They Are." The conference offered educational sessions for Zartico users, led by Zartico experts, data partners, top industry advertising agencies and partner destinations.
‘The Summer I Turned Pretty’ returning for season 2 on July 14
Amazon has announced that season 2 of “The Summer I Turned Pretty” will premiere on Prime Video starting July 14. Unlike last year, when all the episodes of season a dropped at the same time, the first three episodes of "The Summer I Turned Pretty" season 2 drop July 14, with additional episodes dropping weekly through Aug. 18. The project was approved for a rebate via the N.C. Film and Entertainment Grant for more than $13 million, although final figures from the production’s 2022 shoot are still being settled. Production took place throughout New Hanover County. Season 1 of the streaming series also filmed in the greater Wilmington area; production spending for that was estimated to have been more than $28 million.
N.C.-filmed Please Don't Destroy movie set for Nov. 17 streaming debut
The new buddy comedy from Please Don’t Destroy, the writing trio of “Saturday Night Live” fame, will premiere Nov. 17 exclusively on Peacock, the streaming service owned by NBCUniversal. The film follows three roommates who, when they realize that they don't like their life trajectory, they set off to find a gold treasure that is rumored to be buried in the nearby mountain. The project was approved for a rebate via the N.C. Film and Entertainment Grant of up to $7 million with production taking place in Burke, Gaston and Mecklenburg counties.
Research shows travelers’ pet peeves while traveling
Recent research by Destination Analysts reveals that travelers have a lot of pet peeves while traveling. Topping the list are unclean hotel rooms, public restrooms, flight delays and lack of courtesy from other travelers.
Travelers who are irked most by uncleanliness are Gen Z travelers from the South, while those most bothered by flight delays or cancellations are Boomers or older who earn more than $200,000.
Visit NC will be providing frequent research updates through Newslink with links to available studies.
Tuttell, other N.C. notables among ‘Power List’
Visit NC’s Wit Tuttell is among the Hospitality & Tourism leaders included in Business North Carolina’s Power List, the publication’s annual report on the state’s most influential leaders. DMO leaders Visit Raleigh's Denny Edwards, Explore Asheville's Vic Isley, CRVA's Tom Murray, and Visit Greenville's Andrew Schmidt were also on the list. Rounding out the Hospitality & Tourism category:
Jose Armario, Bojangles Bill Boddie, Boddie-Noell Enterprises Bill Cecil, Jr., Biltmore Co. Jack Cecil, Biltmore Farms Ashley Christensen, AC Restaurants Greg Collier, Bayhaven Restaurant Group Mark Craig, R.H. Barringer John Harris, Kitty Hawk Kites Mohammad Jenatian, Greater Charlotte Hospitality & Tourism Alliance Mark Laport, Concord Hospitality Enterprises John McConnell, McConnell Golf Cam McRae, Tands Lynn Minges, N.C. Restaurant & Lodging Assn. Kathie Niven, Biscuitville Doyle Parrish, Summit Hospitality Group Tom Pashley, Pinehurst Resort Nayan Patel, CN Hotels Jay Raffaldini, Raffaldini Vineyards Jeremy Reavers, Cook Out Richard Sneed, Eastern Band Cherokee Nation Lance Trenary, Golden Corral In addition, the EDPNC’s Chris Chung was part of the Economic Development aspect of the list. To find out more, including to view the full Power List, click here.
Stephenson new director for Washington TDA
Paula Stephenson is the new director for the Washington TDA. She has been with the WTDA for several years, most recently as Outreach & Marketing Coordinator. She may be contacted at (252) 948-9635 or via paula@littlewashingtonnc.com.
High Point becomes first Certified Autism Destination on the East Coast
The city of High Point has become the first Certified Autism Destination on the East Coast and the second one in the country
. The distinction was awarded by the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards. Officials said CAD recognizes the city's commitment to making its attractions, hotels, restaurants, and public spaces accessible and welcoming to people with autism and their families. The certification process involved extensive staff training for Visit High Point and partner organizations in the city, including attractions, restaurants, hotels, and recreation facilities. Visit NC’s Wit Tuttell was one of the speakers at the celebration yesterday (Tuesday) in High Point.
“Really, it opens a lot of windows and doors for our attractions and our restaurants and our amenities here in town, our accommodations to connect with new visitors, to be able to service them, to communicate and understand and provide those wonderful experiences that we have to offer here in High Point," said Visit High Point’s Melody Burnett.
Vote for Lake Norman for ‘Best Lake for Water Sports'
Vote for Lake Norman as the Best Lake for Water Sports Museum, among the nominations for 10Best's Readers' Choice Awards categories for Best Lakes in the U.S. Online voting by readers is now open via USAToday.com; click on the hyperlink to vote. Voting ends at noon on June 5.
Highlands/Cashiers, Blue Ridge Parkway among '15 Most Beautiful Places to Visit on the East Coast'
Travel + Leisure included Highlands/Cashiers and the Blue Ridge Parkway among its “15 Most Beautiful Places to Visit on the East Coast
." Of Highlands/Cashiers, the article observed, "Whether you’re visiting during the lush summer or vibrant fall, a hike to nearby Dry Falls or Cullasaja Falls shouldn’t be missed." Of the Blue Ridge Parkway, in North Carolina and Virginia, the online article noted, "The meandering drive grants visitors access to over 200 scenic overlooks, where they can stop to take in the sweeping views accented by the blue haze that gives these mountains their name."
For the week of May 11, "North Carolina Weekend” observes “Summer’s Around the Corner.” Featured segments include Barkwells in Mills River; the "Hot Dog Church" in Greensboro; the Sanford Mural Trail; Mason’s Sweet Shoppe in Union Grove; and the Blockade Runner Beach Resort in Wrightsville Beach. (Check local listings for schedule; 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.
Visit North Carolina is part of Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina
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