Weekly e-newsletter for Visit NC partners, May 18, 2022

IN THIS ISSUE:

* Gaster talks N.C. film at Cucalorus/

UNC-Wilmington film forum

* Visit NC PR team’s efforts lead to multiple

N.C. destinations in the spotlight

* Year-long Canadian campaign sees success

Gaster talks N.C. film at Cucalorus/UNC-Wilmington film forum

N.C. Film Office Director Guy Gaster was the featured guest at a film forum in Wilmington last week.  In a wide-ranging interview with Cucalorus’ Rachel Taylor, billed as a “State of the State Industry Report,” Gaster touched on a number of film industry topics, including how things are progressing in 2022, the stability of the state’s rebate/grant program, and workforce development. This was the first of four film forums presented by UNC-Wilmington’s Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE), in partnership with the Cucalorus Foundation in Wilmington.

Visit NC PR team’s efforts lead to Travel + Leisure placement, syndication

Thanks to a media visit organized by the Visit NC PR team, destinations along the coast received coverage this week in Travel + Leisure’s “This North Carolina Destination Is Home to Charming Small Towns, Beautiful Sailing, and Retro-Chic Hotels.” The article, which originated with a pitch highlighting destinations along the Intracoastal Waterway, follows the writer on a trip from Washington to Wrightsville Beach. Partners in Beaufort, Oriental, Swansboro, Washington and Wrightsville Beach provided hospitality and arranged an array of activities that showcased the region’s natural beauty, recreation and dining. In addition to placement on T+L’s website, the coverage was syndicated on Yahoo.com, adding 437.6 million unique monthly visitors to the reach, and on MSN.comfor another 197 million.

In a separate article, the “Land of Waterfalls” made the list of TravelandLeisure.com’s “The Best Places to Travel in July” as a result of a VisitNC’s pitch to the writer. The post cites the area’s pristine forests, scenic beauty and recreation along with downtown Brevard’s lively shops, galleries and restaurants as key reasons to visit. The writeup, which references the Greystone Inn as a choice place to stay, also suggests a visit to nearby Cashiers, another mountain beauty with the High Hampton Resort as a lodging recommendation.

TravelAndLeisure.com garners more than 5.5 million unique monthly visitors. 

Work by Visit NC PR team leads to coverage in major U.K. newspaper

The Telegraph, one of the United Kingdom’s leading daily newspapers, featured North Carolina in “Why I took my children on an educational road trip across the USA.” The article followed the writer and her family on a trip coordinated by the Visit NC PR team with support from partners in Asheville, Bryson City, Charlotte, Concord and Hendersonville. After posting on Instagram during her stay, the writer made the case for “roadschooling” in the article, which appeared in print and online. Of her NASCAR Hall of Fame visit, she observed that, “You don't need to be a petrolhead to appreciate this homage to car racing, which harnesses interactive technology to teach Stem (science. technology, engineering and math), and my children were soon adding splitters and spoilers to a model car to figure out aerodynamics, then road-testing their teamwork skills against the clock in the pit crew challenge.” The Daily Telegraph has a circulation of 327,345. The digital edition garners 19.8 million unique monthly visitors.

Bald Head Island among '10 U.S. Islands to Add to Your Bucket List – No Passport Required'

Due to the efforts of Visit NC’s PR team, Bald Head Island was included among BestLife’s “10 U.S. Islands to Add to Your Bucket List – No Passport Required.” The coverage was the result of Visit NC’s work with the writer. The article noted, in part, "Cars aren't allowed on the island, so islanders get around via bicycle, golf cart, or tram. Once you arrive, be sure to explore the views from Old Baldy, North Carolina's longest-standing lighthouse. The island is home to a spectacular golf course, unique shops, and amazing restaurants. Ten thousand of Bald Island's 12,000 acres are undeveloped, making it an irresistible retreat for nature-lovers." BestLife.com garners more than 7.2 million unique monthly visitors.

Year-long Canadian campaign sees success

Visit North Carolina completed a year-long campaign with the Toronto Star that generated a total of 3,373,076 impressions across all sponsored platforms, averaging a 0.53 percent click-through rate. The campaign included four sponsored articles written by local North Carolina bloggers/influencers about local arts and culture, family travel, golf, and food and drinks. To find out more about Visit NC’s international marketing efforts, contact Heidi Walters at (919) 447-7762.

Keep Visit NC emails out of your spam

Visit NC has heard from a few partners that they have been having trouble receiving emails from the organization. That said, please ensure that emails “from” @visitnc.com, @outdoornc.com, @sportsnc.com, @retirenc.com, and @filmnc.com are on your safe sender list. Otherwise, your spam filter may block them or redirect them to a Junk folder.

Memorial Day forecast points to sizzlin’ summer travel

The unofficial start to summer will be a busy one this year as AAA predicts 39.2 million people will travel 50 miles or more from home this Memorial Day weekend. This is an increase of 8.3 percent compared to 2021, bringing travel volumes almost in line with those in 2017. This year’s forecast marks the second-highest single-year increase in travelers since 2010 (2021 was the highest), bringing volumes almost in line with pre-pandemic levels. Despite historic gas prices, breaching the $4 mark in early March, 34.9 million people plan to travel by car, up 4.6 percent from last year. The Memorial Day holiday travel period is defined as the five days from Thursday, May 26, to Monday, May 30.

N.C. Commerce invites public comment on proposed Esports event grant guidelines

The N.C. Department of Commerce has released its draft of guidelines for the new Esports event grant, established as part of the biennium budget that was passed last November. The guidelines are now open for public comment through June 3. Once the guidelines are approved, applications for the program – whose purpose includes the encouragement of Esports events to be held, and broadcast, in the state – will begin to be accepted. To find out more, clickhere. For more information on the marketing of the Esports Event Grant, contact Visit NC’sAmanda Baker at (919) 447-7765.

Pandemic Recovery Grants awarded to support motorsports across N.C.

Fifteen local governments across the state have been awarded$45.8 million to help 17 motorsports venuesin their communities recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, Governor Roy Cooper announced yesterday (Tuesday). The grants from the state’s Motorsports Relief Fund, administered by the N.C. Department of Commerce, will enhance local tourism, travel and hospitality industries that benefit from the many motorsports events held in North Carolina. Per Commerce's press release, 90 percent of the sanctioning body’s race teams are based in North Carolina. Other styles of racing thrive in the state as well, such as events organized by the National Hot Rod Association. Grants from the Motorsports Relief Fund, awarded to local governments for the benefit of specific race venues in their communities, will enhance the visitor experience and can include upgrades to grandstands, pedestrian walkways, bathrooms, and a variety of other facility needs.

Sport Tourism industry generated total economic impact of $91.8 billion in 2021

Sports ETA released its 2021 State of the Industry Report, resulting in the sports tourism sector’s direct spending impact of $39.7 billion, which generated a total economic impact of $91.8 billion. The spending supported 635,000 full-time and part-time jobs and generated $12.9 billion in taxes. The analysis draws on several data sources to quantify sports tourism, which includes adult and youth amateur events and collegiate tournaments. The economic impact analyses conducted within the report exclude professional sports and collegiate regular-season games. Another finding was sports travelers, event organizers and venues spent $8.4 billion on lodging and $7.5 billion on food and beverages. The lodging sector accounted for 21 percent of all sports-related travel spending. In 2021, sports-related travel generated 66.5 million room nights, which is an important factor given that hotel taxes are a primary funding source for many entities. Sports ETA is the only trade association for the sports events and tourism industry.

Charlotte, Winston-Salemamong ‘Best Places to Retire’

Forbes magazine included Charlotte and Winston-Salem in its “Best Places to Retire 2022.” For this year’s annual list, Forbes compared more than 800 locales in America on everything from housing costs and taxes to healthcare, air quality, crime and climate change and natural hazard risk. Of the Pros for Charlotte, it was noted, "High number of doctors per capita. Good climate and air quality. Strong economy. No state estate tax or income tax on Social Security." For Winston-Salem, Pros were, “Median home price of $219,000, 42 percent below national median. High ratio of physicians per capita. Comfortable climate, good air quality. Good economy. No state estate tax or income tax on Social Security. Relatively moderate vulnerability to natural hazards.”

Small N.C. towns create social districts to increase nightlife, tourism

It's not just the cities, but small towns in North Carolina are big on the idea of social districts – special areas where visitors can grab an adult drink and stroll the streets. WRAL (NBC affiliate in Raleigh) reports Raleigh already has one in the works – and in the past few weeks, other communities in the area have followed suit, including Oxford, Selma and Wilson. Oxford leaders expect their own social district could increase foot-traffic for downtown businesses, while providing a more robust nightlife for the roughly 9,000 citizens in Oxford. Even better, these small towns hope walkable social districts could increase tourism, making them a destination due to their proximity to the Triangle. Visitors could leave a restaurant and browse some shops with drink-in-hand – as long as the shops are participating. Those participating shops will have a green sticker on their door. To help with competition, guests won't be allowed to bring their drink into another business that sells alcohol.

‘North Carolina Weekend’

For the week of May 19, "North Carolina Weekend” offers “Natural Beauty.” Featured segments include Chimney Rock at Chimney Rock State Park in Chimney Rock; first-time backpacking on the Mountains to Sea Trail, basing the segment in Linville; paddling on Gaston County Blueways, basing the segment in Cramerton; and Lake Waccamaw State Park in Lake Waccamaw. (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. 

Upcoming industry meetings & events

May 24 – NC Travel & Tourism Board meeting, Raleigh

June 4-8 – IPW, Orlando, Fla.

June 5-10 – STS Marketing College, Macon, Ga.

June 13-16 – TTRA Annual International Conference, Victoria, British Columbia

June 23-24 – NC Coast Host meeting, Greenville

June 27-29 – AFCI Week, Beverly Hills, Calif.

July 14-15 – MPI-Carolinas Chapter Meeting, Chapel Hill

July 19-22 - Destinations International Annual Convention, Toronto, Ont.

July 24-26 – AENC Annual Meeting, New Bern