Weekly e-newsletter for VisitNC partners
May 15, 2019
IN THIS ISSUE:
*  Visit NC's Blackbeard fam results in 
feature on Wilmington
* Visit NC's PR efforts lead to River and Twine 
in the spotlight
* TRAC coming to Wayne County region June 6
Visit NC's Blackbeard fam results in feature on Wilmington

The Visit NC-led Blackbeard familiarization tour last spring has resulted in the Toronto Sun's "Take a walk on the wonderful side in Wilmington, N.C." Visit NC's PR team added additional days to the trip for Canadian writer Ian Robertson so he could also explore Wilmington. The article emphasized Wilmington's Riverwalk area, including mentions of both walking and carriage tours, plus area attractions and Wilmington's roll in the film industry.
 
In addition running in the Toronto Sun, the article was picked up by Postmedia outlets across Canada, including major Sun dailies in other Canadian cities (Vancouver, Ottawa, Winnipeg and Calgary). To date, the article has generated close to 7 million impressions online and more than 600,000 impressions in print.
Visit NC's PR efforts lead to River and Twine in the spotlight

Through proactive pitching by Visit NC's PR team, River and Twine in Rocky Mount was featured by Southern Living in its "Meet River & Twine, Rocky Mount, North Carolina's Darling Tiny House Hotel." The online article noted "Well, we'd like to suggest a road trip to Rocky Mount, North Carolina this spring to check into the new River & Twine tiny house hotel. Opening June 1st, the collection of 20 tiny homes is situated on the Rocky Mount Mills campus - a former cotton mill site - along the picturesque Tar River.... Each adorable hotel is around 188-square-feet and features modern and laid-back interiors with a coffee maker, a fridge, microwave, and more in the compact space. (Yes, there are bathrooms in each dwelling.) In addition to leisurely getaways, the tiny home hotels are available as extended rentals. There are also three guest suites in the renovated 1900s mill house."
 
Visit NC's PR efforts also resulted in a feature about River and Twine on ApartmentTherapy.com for its "The Best Tiny House Hotels to Stay In, Starting at $75/Night."
A previous TRAC in Edenton
TRAC coming to Wayne County region June 6 

On June 6, tourism-related businesses in Goldsboro and Wayne County - plus 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. TRAC will be held 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. at the Arts Council of Wayne County, 102 N. John St. in Goldsboro.
 
There is no charge to attend, no reservation is required, and there is no PowerPoint presentation. This is a come-when-you-can/stay-as-long-as-you-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 AndrĂ© Nabors at (919) 447-7771.
'Sunday Morning' features wild horses at Corolla

This past Sunday's "CBS Sunday Morning" featured the wild horses in Corolla in its "Moments of Nature" segment. The extended segment is online.

Incorporating local agriculture in North Carolina

One of the many reasons visitors travel to North Carolina is because of its natural and scenic landscapes. One of the best opportunities visitors have to interact directly with the land is through local agriculture. Preserving and supporting local agriculture has many environmental benefits and is becoming an increasingly popular tourism activity. There are many opportunities to incorporate agriculture as part of an attraction or accommodation. Restaurants can complement dishes with local produce or meats. Hotels and B&Bs can partner with local farmers to offer farm tours or cooking classes with vegetables guests pick themselves. Historical sites can educate visitors about historical agriculture with small on-site gardens. NC Farm Fresh offers a list of North Carolina farmer's markets; What's in Season for fruits and vegetables can be found here. For more information on agritourism opportunities, visit NCDA&CS Markets Division - Agritourism Office, headed by Annie Baggett at (919) 707-3120. For information about becoming recognized as a sustainable destination through North Carolina's NC GreenTravel Initiative, contact program manager Tom Rhodes at (919) 707-8140.
For the week of May 16 on "North Carolina Weekend," the program repeats the episode that originally aired March 21. Segments feature Chatham Beverage District in Pittsboro, Blue Ridge Artisan Center in Wilkesboro, and Hickory Museum of Art's Elliott Daingerfield exhibition, plus the "House Special" at the Marabella restaurants in Washington and Greenville. (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.
First quarter 2019 room demand statewide was up eight percent from the first quarter of 2018. Demand was up in each of the state's economic development regions. For more North Carolina lodging information, visit Lodging Reports, or contact Visit NC's Marlise Taylor at (919) 447-7748.
Upcoming Industry Meetings & Events

May 19-20 - MPI-CC Annual Meeting, Asheville
May 30 - Blue Ridge Parkway Assn. Annual Meeting, Asheville
June 3 - NC Sports Assn. Quarterly Meeting, Kitty Hawk
June 6 - Visit NC TRAC, Goldsboro
June 25-27 - TTRA International Conference, Melbourne, Australia
July 18 - MPI-CC Meeting, North Charleston, S.C.
July 20-22 - AENC Annual Meeting, Charlotte
NewsLink is a publication of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina
15000 Weston Parkway | Cary, NC 27513