| Weekly e-newsletter for VisitNC partners | May 3, 2017 |
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| IN THIS ISSUE:
* NC destinations promoted at DC media mission
* AAA travel counselors tour Blue Ridge Parkway sites on fam
* Submit summer events for VisitNC.com
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NC destinations promoted at DC media mission
Thirteen destination partners participated in Visit North Carolina's media reception in Washington, DC, on Tuesday, led by Public Relations Manager Eleanor Talley and Public Relations Representative Hayes Norris. Nineteen writers, editors and producers from print, broadcast and digital outlets – including The Washingtonian, National Geographic Traveler, US News & World Report and Family Finds Fun – attended the event at Urbana restaurant. Media guests mingled with partners at the cocktail reception, then rotated among tables to hear about story ideas and coverage opportunities. The menu included hors d'oeuvres paired with NC wines and NC craft beers. Partners and Visit NC's PR team will follow up with journalists to maximize connections from the event.
Participating partners included Asheville CVB, Cabarrus County CVB, Chapel Hill/Orange County VB, Chowan County TDA, Durham CVB, Greensboro Area CVB, Greenville-Pitt County CVB, Johnston County VB, NC's Brunswick Islands, Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority, Visit Raleigh, Visit Winston-Salem, and Wilmington and Beaches CVB.
To find out more about Visit North Carolina's public relations program, contact Eleanor Talley at (919) 447-7787. |
 | | | Grandfather Mountain's Jesse Pope (lf) and part of the group
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AAA travel counselors tour Blue Ridge Parkway sites on fam
Visit North Carolina partnered with Virginia, Tennessee and the Blue Ridge Parkway Association to host travel counselors from AAA to familiarize them with the areas. The 27 AAA counselors represented the AAA offices of Oregon, Missouri, Ohio, Carolinas, MidAtlantic, West & Central NY, East Central, Northway and the Auto Club Group. The North Carolina portion of the Parkway tour showcased several sites including Mast General Store, High Gravity Adventures, Grandfather Mountain, Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor Center, Chimney Rock State Park, Biltmore Estate, Wheels Through Time Museum, Cataloochee Ranch, and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The group overnighted in Boone, Asheville and Maggie Valley. For more information on Visit NC's group travel program, such as ways to attract this market to a particular destination, contact Amanda Baker at (919) 447-7765. |
 Summer is coming - a reminder to submit updated events for VisitNC.com
With Memorial Day weekend considered the start of the summer travel season, the VisitNC.com team has started publishing new content to get potential visitors inspired and to help with their travel planning. A couple of recently published stories include "6 Destinations for an Unforgettable Memorial Day Weekend" and "Fun, Food, Fandom: Minor League Baseball in North Carolina." Now is also a great time to make sure your summer events and festivals, including the always-popular Fourth of July and summer fireworks events, are updated in the VisitNC.com database. If you represent a North Carolina event or attraction, please work with your county contact to ensure your info is included on VisitNC. |
| | | TRAC in Marion |
TRAC coming to Granville County May 18
On May18, tourism-related businesses in the Granville County regional 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) is a community-based training program designed to help small tourism-related businesses.
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 Andre Nabors at (919) 447-7771. |
| | (photo from film) | |
NC film wins best screenplay award at Tribeca
Winston-Salem native Angus MacLachlan won the Tribeca Film Festival award for Best Screenplay in a U.S. Narrative Feature film for Abundant Acreage Available, which he also directed. Abundant Acreage Available filmed in the Triad region last spring. |
| | | Cyclists waiting to board the Minnesott Beach Ferry (photo courtesy CycleNC's Facebook) |
Cycle NC's Coastal Rides draws cyclists from 33 states, DC and Canada
Cycle North Carolina's annual Coastal Ride, held this past weekend in Oriental, was another sell-out event with 1,400 cycling participants from 33 states, Washington, DC, and Canada. This is the fourth year in a row that the event has sold out. In addition to the cycling routes, the CNC Coastal Ride also included many off-the-bike recreational activities in the Oriental area such as guided paddle tours and ghost walks, plus special entertainment for the occasion. Visit North Carolina is a founding sponsor of Cycle NC's Coastal Ride in the spring, the Mountain Ride in August - this year in Bryson City - and one of the founding sponsors of the Mountains to Coast ride in the fall. The rides are designed to promote North Carolina's scenic beauty while providing substantial economic impact to small towns across the state. Cycle NC offers one of the largest cross-state bicycle tours in the United States. |
 ASOM among 'America's top military museums to tour this summer'
The Airborne & Special Operations Museum in Fayetteville is among Fox News Travel's "America's top military museums to tour this summer." Of ASOM, the article said, "Located close to Fort Bragg, the Airborne and Special Operations Museum presents the chronological history of America's Special Operations units. On the morning of May 20, the museum's annual Field of Honor Opening Ceremony allows friends and families to honor a loved one with a flag on the parade field at the museum, which will be displayed through June 30. The museum will honor National Airborne Day on August 19, which celebrates the 77th year anniversary of the first jump by the Test Platoon, and the 17th anniversary of the museum. The museum also features a 24-seat simulator, which offers experiences like flying into Normandy with the 101st Screaming Eagles on D-Day and performing a HALO operation from 25,000 feet." In addition, Where to Stay suggested Embassy Suites, and Where to Eat was Morgan's Chop House. |
 Asheville sites included in two '50 states' segments
USA Today included sites in Asheville in two photo gallery-type article in its "Experience Food and Wine" series' "50 states," which spotlights one site in each state for a particular theme. Highland Brewing Company was the North Carolina selection in "50 states: 50 hidden restaurants and bars." The caption noted, "North Carolina is full of breweries, and Highland Brewing in Asheville recently opened an under-the-radar rooftop bar. Not seen from the ground, the only signage is a sandwich board in front of a staircase that heads to the roof. Oce there, customers are treated to 360-degree mountain views while they sip their craft beers." The Asheville River Arts District Farmers Market was selected as the NC site for "50 states: 50 farmers markets." The caption said, 'In North Carolina, Asheville's River Arts District Farmers Market meets on Wednesdays in a green space next to All Souls Pizza. The producer-only market features 20 local makers." |
 May issue spotlights 'strawberry season'
The May edition of Our State magazine tempts with a photo essay on strawberry season and shines the spotlight on "Family businesses that built NC." "City Portrait" highlights Mebane; "Hotels & Inns" profiles The Durham Hotel in Durham; "Restaurant" features Our Daily Bread in Boone; "Wineries & Breweries" visits Silver Coast Winery in Ocean Isle Beach, and "Bakery" spotlights See Jane Bake in McAdenville The May issue is on sale now. |
Surveys, Industry, Marketing & Travel Trends
Compassionate travel provides all the comforts of home - For the growing number of conscientious travelers, who seek to make Earth and animal-friendly choices, comfort comes with peace of mind, reports Luxury Hoteliers. Now that approximately 8 million Americans identify as vegetarian or vegan - and millions more frequently op for meat-free meals and buy products that are animal and eco-friendly - forward-thinking hotels are paying attention. Pillows and comforters are free of down. Bathrooms are stocked with cruelty-free toiletries. Restaurants are offering more plant-based choices. And hotel doors are wide open to guests' animal companions. To read more, click here (pg. 64-65). How to use the Internet of Things to elevate the customer experience - With the advent of smart technology, a hotel has the potential to create positive guest experiences like never before, reports HotelManagement. By leveraging real-time location data along with guest preferences and behavioral data, the delivery of highly-personalized information can be created to arrive at just the right moment in every step of the guest journey. A hotel can now automate the cultivation of a custom stream of messages that is unique to each guest - from personalized greetings and activity recommendations to loyalty program rewards and operational alerts. Right now, most hotels are beginning to explore the potential of mobile technology in their business, taking baby steps with a static mobile app across many properties. However well intentioned, these businesses are missing out on the potential impact mobile can have on a guest experience program when combined with location and other data for delivery of highly customized messages throughout a stay. What America's oldest restaurant can teach us about creating repeat customers - The seaside town of Newport, RI, lays claim to the White Horse Tavern, the oldest restaurant in the country, founded in 1673, writes a group creative director for an advertising agency in an article for RestaurantNews.com. What makes the White Horse Tavern of interest to other restaurants is the fact that they have managed to keep customers coming back through the door. Getting repeat visits is an industry challenge today so the White Horse Tavern offers actionable insights worth sharing, the ad executive says. Consistent quality & local ingredients: Whether talking about a diner or high-end eatery, the ability to attract guests comes down to what ultimately ends up on the plate. For generations, White Horse Tavern has served fresh-off-the-boat seafood with hand-picked produce from area farms. Staying true to your roots: In a time where gimmicks and new-fangled technologies are used to lure in guests, The White Horse Tavern is - and will always be - a colonial tavern. You can bet your Saturday night reservation for four that it will not host a karaoke theme night with Asian finger foods. A Signature item: Providing a particular item that you're known for gives regulars a favorite thing to order and new customers a reason to visit - and basically becomes an "ad" for your restaurant. Active social media presence: Being online allows you to engage with your customers, keeping them in the know of menu changes, special offers or events, media coverage and the occasional closing due to bad weather. (Re)Investment: Putting money into improvements that will make the customer experience better is another way to help create repeat customers.
In-room spin classes are coming to Westin Hotels - In partnership with interactive exercise bike company Peloton, according to Condé Nast Traveler, Westin Hotels & Resorts are offering their own spin on the SoulCycle phenomenon: The hotel chain just added Peloton bikes to a number of guest rooms and hotel fitness studios [in the US]. That means live or on-demand spin classes, straight from the comfort of [a guest's] temporary home. The new partnership marks another step forward in the health and wellness space for the hotel brand, which has already incorporated amenities like New Balance gear lending, (no need to bring workout clothes!) and a sleep program that includes bedtime calls (as opposed to a wake-up call) and plush down beds.
The new fundamentals of luxury are the old fundamentals of luxury - The fundamentals have not changed. That's the key takeaway from the panelists discussing luxury at the recent World Travel and Tourism Council Summit in Bangkok, Thailand, reports Skift. According to one managing director & CEO, while the luxury traveler still expects service, personalization, and pampering, "This idea of people wanting to be pampered, we don't think will change very much. However, the channels through which you do your pampering or the trends and styles of how people want to be pampered may change." For example, he cites increasing use of technology as a way for guests to interact with staff. However, another CEO notes that "emotional connection trumps technology." Human interaction, after all, is a key part of the travel experience. And that experience, far more than material goods, is what seems to matter more these days in the luxury sector. |
Hotels and attractions promoting 'green'; attracting visitors
Statistics show that visitors are becoming more aware of their impact upon the environment and are making travel choices based on their desire to reduce their carbon footprint. A TravelZoo survey found that more than 90 percent of US travelers would choose a green and environmentally conscious hotel if the price and amenities were comparable to those at a non-sustainable, non-green hotel. There are many ways that hotels, B&Bs, attractions and shops can go green. For instance, Big Mill Bed & Breakfast in Williamston dries their sheets on clothes lines instead of using electric clothes dryers. NC GreenTravel's first recognized green attraction, |
| | On North Carolina Weekend for the week of May 4, "Collecting Carolina" visits the Bob Timberlake Gallery in Lexington for the exhibit "Bob Timberlake: An 80 Year Celebration in Art." Get revved up at the Annual Triangle British Classic Car Show in Raleigh. Meet the artisans at Silver River Center for Chair Caning in Asheville. Tempt your taste buds at Old Havana Sandwich Shop and Cafe in Durham. And the "House Special" samples the fare at Clemmons Kitchen in Clemmons. (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 Weekendavailable online. | Top international markets for the Mountain Region of North Carolina are Canada, Germany, the UK, China, Mexico and France. While Germany and the UK send approximately the same number of visitors to the region in terms of visitor volume, visitors from the UK spend slightly more than the visitors from Germany. For more North Carolina visitor information, visit the Visitor Profile Studies, or contact Tourism Research Director Marlise Taylor at (919) 447-7748. |
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Upcoming Industry Meetings & Events
Through May 4 - Blue Ridge Parkway Assn Annual Meeting, Gatlinburg, Tenn. May 9 - Visit NC T&T Board Meeting, Raleigh May 10-11 - MPI-CC Annual Meeting, New Bern May 18 - Visit NC TRAC, Granville County May 24 - High Country Host Annual Meeting, Linville June 2 - NC Sports Assn. Meeting, Wilmington June 3-7 - US Travel Assn's IPW, Washington, DC June 6 - HSMAI-NC Meeting, Charlotte/Raleigh June 15 - NC Coast Host Annual Meeting, Kenansville |
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