| Weekly e-newsletter for VisitNC partners | May 18, 2016 |
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| IN THIS ISSUE:
* TRAC in Vance County region June 9
* Tuttell discusses tourism with S.C.'s Parrish
* Dirty Dancing, Three Billboards and economic ripples
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 | | | April's TRAC in Banner Elk/Beech Mountain |
TRAC in Vance County region June 9
Tourism-related businesses in the Henderson/Vance County area - including 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), a community-based training program designed to help small tourism-related businesses, will be held 10 am - 2 pm at The Perry Library/McGregor Hall Performing Arts Center, 201 Breckenridge St., in Henderson.
There is no charge to attend, no reservation is required, and there are no PowerPoint presentations. This is a come-when-you-can/stay-as-long-as-you'd-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. Dept. of Commerce, N.C. Dept. of Natural & Cultural Resources and NC GreenTravel will also be 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 André Nabors at (919) 447-7771. |
| | | Host Chris Williams (lf) with Tuttell and Parrish |
Tuttell discusses tourism with S.C.'s Parrish
Executive Director Wit Tuttell and Duane Parrish, director for the S.C. Dept. of Parks, Recreation & Tourism, appeared last Friday on Carolina Business Review to discuss "Travel and Tourism in the Carolinas." From controversial issues to transportation, the pair also discussed technology and marketing to millennials as several factors that are playing into a new travel season. |
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 Tuttell addresses Greenville-Pitt County Chamber's Power Luncheon
Wit Tuttell and EDPNC's Vice President of Business Recruitment David Spratley addressed the Greenville-Pitt County Chamber's Power Luncheon yesterday (Tuesday). Tuttell told the group about Visit North Carolina and its marketing initiatives along with the many ways Visit NC promotes North Carolina to potential visitors. He also discussed various partnership opportunities regarding ways to better promote the region. |
Dirty Dancing, Three Billboards and economic ripplesThree Billboards isn't the only major filming project going on in Jackson County this month. Last week, ABC wrapped up a week of shooting for its remake of Dirty Dancing, turning the High Hampton Inn and Country Club into Kellerman's Resort, circa 1963. The end result is going to be a good one though, said Clifford Meads, general manager at High Hampton, not least because of the influx of spending the 350 to 400 people associated with the film have brought to Cashiers with them. High Hampton had about 85 rooms set aside for people working on Dirty Dancing, with others spread around a variety of area hotels. "The immediate economic impact is evident with our hotels and restaurants both seeing at-capacity crowds and overnight visitors during filming," said Nick Breedlove, the executive director of the Jackson County TDA. The real economic impact, though, is expected to arrive after the films are released. If they find success and develop a following, tourists could make pilgrimages specifically to see the areas where their favorite movies were shot. Or, those who were planning to come this way anyway could prolong their stay to take in the cinematic angle too. "We wouldn't have enough advertising dollars in 10 years to put out what these two films will do when they come out. It's just huge," Meads said. "And the benefit of it is we will find people coming up here because they discovered the beauty of it through the film, and it has a huge economic impact." The other side of the coin is that, if the film companies wrapping up production in Jackson County leave with a positive impression, more such projects may look to locate there. "We want to put out a warm welcome mat for them, and hopefully they'll come back in the future," said Stephanie Edwards, director of the Cashiers Chamber of Commerce. |
 First look at for Shots Fired released
Fox TV has released the first look at the N.C.-filmed series Shots Fired. Currently filming in the Charlotte Region and having already had scenes take place in Mecklenburg, Iredell, Gaston and Rowan counties, the series is expected to have a direct in-state spend in excess of $36 million while hiring 300+ highly, skilled film professionals. Principal photography on the series began in March and will go into July. Fox also announced the show is scheduled to air next spring. The trailer can be viewed here. |
 Gaster presents awards at Longleaf Film Festival
N.C. Film Office Director Guy Gaster presented the awards for the 2nd annual Longleaf Film Festival, held at the N.C. Museum of History in Raleigh this past Saturday. The festival, a program of the N.C. Museum of History, screened 50 films as well as held information sessions and workshops about the production process for filmmakers. Of the 50 films screened at this year's festival, 39 had a "Tar Heel Tie-in," which meant the filmmaker or main actors in the production either were from North Carolina or attended a North Carolina university. The festival's top prize went to the documentary short The Last Barn Dance. |
 Planning guide available for making temporary events accessible to people with disabilities
The ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) provides "A Planning Guide for Making Temporary Events Accessible to People with Disabilities" to help those entities hosting events. The guide includes information on site selection, communication access ((such as large print for brochures) and preparing vendors, staff and volunteers; general considerations during the event such as parking and curb ramps; space requirements for wheelchair access and eliminating hazardous obstacles such as protruding objects; accessibility for exhibits, amusement rides and other activities; and services related to toilet facilities and availability of drinking water. Depending on the event, many people with disabilities may assume that temporary events will not be accessible, so it is important to include statements about access on all publicity and informational material. |
 Asheville among '9 Hip Towns That Are National Park Gateways'
Asheville is among TravelChannel.com's "9 Hip Towns That Are National Park Gateways." Of Asheville, the photo gallery noted, "Located near the Smokey Mountains and at the Blue Ridge foothills, Asheville is one of the hippest towns below the Mason-Dixon. The downtown and River Arts districts, outdoor activities and world-class cuisine attract thousands of new and repeat visitors each year. And, of course, we'll always have the Biltmore." |
 'Outer Banks FAQ: When to go, what to do and more'
In its Travel section, the Baltimore Sun offered "Outer Banks FAQ: When to go, what to do and more." The article offers suggestions on the best time to go, what to do for specific interests ranging from history buffs to marine life and beach sports to rainy-day diversions, what's new in 2016, and notable events. |
 'Road Trip USA: A walk on the wild side in Asheville'
A writer on a year-long road trip across the lower 48 states wrote of "A walk on the wild side in Asheville." The writer said, "On our most recent tour through, we returned once again to what many have called the 'Paris of the South,' a nod to Asheville's extemporaneous street culture, that narcotic blend of high society and low, briefcases and bongo drums. We camped just 20 minutes south of the city, at the Lake Powhatan Recreation Area in the Pisgah National Forest... Re-energized by [several hikes], we cleaned ourselves up and headed back into the city. No matter how hard the trees lobbied, there is no world in which Mel [his wife] and I would skip the opportunity to spend an evening at the Omni Grove Park Inn. It is our favorite hotel in America. |
Surveys, Industry, Marketing & Travel Trends American Express Travel says to plan for busy summer ahead - According to American Express Travel, 195 million Americans are planning a summer vacation this year and, so far in 2016, domestic travel is already up 17 percent, according the company's internal booking data. This summer a majority of Americans are planning to travel, with 80 percent planning at least one summer vacation. When it comes to millennials, that number reaches even higher. Almost 90 percent of millennials plan to take a summer vacation this year and a vast majority of them plan to travel within the U.S. Family travel continues to be one of the top trends in summer travel and the beach is still one of their most popular destinations. An interesting trend that has emerged so far this year is that fewer people are traveling to visit family this summer, at 34 percent. Weekend trips still remain popular with two-thirds of Americans (64 percent) planning an average of three weekend trips over the summer months. Keeping great volunteers - A new book, published this spring, helps volunteer leaders learn to better manage and retain volunteers. Suggested principles include put volunteers in roles that fit their skills; ask them for what you really need; get out of their way (don't micromanage); use varied training tools to help volunteers develop; and encourage volunteers to express ideas. The changing role of front desks in lobby design - For a while, it seemed as though the unthinkable could happen: The front desk, that definitive centerpiece of a hotel lobby, might disappear and be replaced with open pods or kiosks or even staff wandering around armed with tablets for checking guests in. But in spite of some lofty experiments, the front desk has survived the upheaval, albeit with some modifications. Notably, designers and hoteliers alike agreed that hotel lobbies are becoming more like residential living rooms, and front desks are adjusting to suit new tastes. Sleep Inn gets a wake-up call - Sleep Inn is waking up to a bold new look. The all new construction midscale brand from Choice Hotels International is getting its first makeover in more than five years. But while other companies are undertaking costly design overhauls of its brands, Sleep Inn's team is adapting its six-year-old Designed to Dream prototype to changing consumer behavior and more modern design trends. The goal: to appeal to groups such as Millennials without alienating its core Baby Boomer audience as well as owners who have to make changes to existing properties. A Choice Hotel representative says research shows that younger travelers like to get out of the guest room and use public spaces more often than older travelers. That led Choice to consider how to take advantage of space used solely for breakfast during other parts of the day. Now, that area is more fully incorporated into the main lobby and features slimmed down furniture in multiple zones. |
 Incorporating the local agriculture of North Carolina
One of the many reasons that 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 your attraction or accommodation. Restaurants can complement dishes with local produce, cheeses or meats. Hotels and B&Bs can partner with local farmers to provide local produce for snacks or meals, offer farm tours or cooking classes with vegetables guests pick themselves. Historical sites can educate visitors about historical agriculture with small on-site gardens. A list of North Carolina farmer's markets can be found here; document of what is in season can be found here. The N.C. Dept. of Agriculture & Consumer Services has dedicated information on agritourism. Project Green Leaf is dedicated to sustaining local agriculture by strengthening the link between farmers and consumers. The Carolina Farm Stewardship Assn. encourages local and organic farming and spotlights farm tour events, too. For information about becoming recognized as a sustainable destination through North Carolina's NC GreenTravel Initiative, contact NC GreenTravel Manager Tom Rhodes at (919) 707-8140. |
| | For the week of May 19 on North Carolina Weekend, enjoy a profile of Swansboro. "Collecting Carolina" looks at tobacciana collectibles in Wilmington. Enjoy Music on the Porch at the Bynum General Store in Bynum. Tempt your taste buds at Mary's Gourmet Diner in Winston-Salem. And "After Dark" checks out the 21c Museum Hotel in Durham. (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 Weekend available online. | German, Italian and Swiss visitors allocate a larger proportion of total spending on auto rental and gasoline/oil than visitors to North Carolina. Canadians spend more than 9 percent of their spending in-state on gasoline/oil but, as many are drive travelers, have a lower than average percentage of spending on car rentals. For more North Carolina international visitor information, visit the 2014 International Visitation to North Carolina, or contact Tourism Research Director Marlise Taylor at (919) 447-7748. |
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Upcoming Industry Meetings & Events
May 24 - NCTIA Travel & Tourism Week Legislative Reception, Raleigh June 3 - NC Sports Assn. Meeting, Jacksonville June 4-5 - PGA's Produced By Conference, Culver City, Calif. June 9 - Visit NC's TRAC, Henderson June 18-22 - US Travel Assn's IPW, New Orleans, La. June 26-29 - IAGTO North America Golf Tourism Convention, Pinehurst July 14-15 - MPI-CC Meeting, Chapel Hill |
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