Weekly e-newsletter for VisitNC partners
May 6, 2020
IN THIS ISSUE:
* Visit NC's webinar 'The Art of Making Things Happen: Collaborate. Communicate. Cooperate'
* Visit NC PR efforts lead to Charlotte mural 
in national spotlight
* Research shows people miss traveling but
 expect safety when they can
Visit NC's webinar 'The Art of Making Things Happen: Collaborate. Communicate. Cooperate'

"The Art of Making Things Happen: Collaborate. Communicate. Cooperate" was the topic of a webinar held earlier today (Wednesday), presented by Visit NC. Visit NC's Wit Tuttell reviewed the latest in traveler sentiment, especially as it pertains to safety, plus an update on potential legislative recovery funding. NCRLA's Lynn Minges unveiled Count on Me NC, a new initiative by NCRLA and VisitNC, which includes promises from the restaurant industry for a guest's safety and also what a customer is asked to promise. Plans include training and, quite importantly, expanding Count on Me NC to attractions, including wineries, and other tourism-related businesses. Visit NC's Allison Schult presented the branding and interactive logo for Count on Me NC and then unveiled Cook It Forward. This new campaign will feature a notable chef posting a favorite dish of another chef who, in turn, will post their favorite dish of yet another chef. In addition, there will be options to drive donations to the NC Restaurant Relief Fund. Visit NC's Nick Parker also discussed key takeaways of Visit NC's social media involvement, in addition to participating in the U.S. Travel Association's #VirtualRoadTrip for National Travel & Tourism Week. A Q&A wrapped up the webinar.
 
Recordings of past webinars - NC Tourism Amid COVID-19, Crisis Research and Communications for Tourism During COVID-19, 2020-2021 Visit NC Co-op Program Presentation, Shifts in Social Media Strategies, NC Tourism Legislative Update and Research Insights into the American Traveler and NC Lodging Industry - are available here.

Visit NC will host the next webinar on Wednesday, May 20, at 10 a.m., so there won't be one on May 13. The topic and registration information will be posted as available on Partners.VisitNC - COVID-19 and VisitNC365.com.
Visit NC PR efforts lead to Charlotte mural in national spotlight

Resulting from efforts by Visit NC's PR team, a mural in Charlotte was included in The New York Times' "Street Art Confronts the Pandemic." Visit NC worked with the writer, responding to a HARO request, and then connected the writer with the mural artist. Of the Charlotte mural, the article noted, "After a visit to his local supermarket on March 12, the Charlotte-based artist Darion Fleming realized that there would soon be no sanitizers anywhere: a thought that inspired his work 'Pure'll Gold.' 'I thought it would be a funny idea to see gold spilling out of a Purell bottle,' he said, and added the words 'Available Nowhere' on the bottle." Painted on a quiet residential building, the mural has "turned the area into a buzzworthy spot."
Research shows people miss traveling but expect safety when they can

Nearly two months into the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers agree that life has fundamentally changed for Americans and some of these changes will affect how we move forward. The most recent Harris Poll from May 1-3 reports that gratitude and appreciate for what we have is growing with respondents feeling more compassionate and forgiving (73 percent) and agreeing that staying home for the welfare of others is the most patriotic thing we can do right now (82 percent). In the weeks that the Harris Poll has been tracking American sentiment with regards to the pandemic, results indicate that Americans are twice as likely to be planning large gift purchases when businesses reopen than they were five weeks ago, they are twice as likely to be considering a car purchase than five weeks ago and vacation planning is up nearly ten percentage points. Harris reports that road trips over long haul flights and nature/wilderness over urban destinations are likely to be a trend this summer.

While worry about contracting the virus remains high, excitement to resume travel is also increasing reports Destination Analysts. However, though more than 70 percent of this week's respondents indicated that they miss travel and can't wait to get back on the road again, American travelers have high safety concerns and standards they want to see prior to travel. More than two-thirds of hotel guests say that high-tech cleaning practices would make them feel more comfortable staying in a hotel and nearly two-thirds say they intend to use mobile check-in on their next hotel stay. Fitness centers, spas and breakfast buffets are services that Americans will be much less likely to use in the near future.

Even more important to understand when accepting visitors again into destinations is that if health considerations are not taken seriously, travelers will be more likely to withhold future purchases and complain to friends and relatives if they have a negative experience says Destination Analysts.


Visit NC will be providing frequent research updates through Newslink each week with links to available studies.
'Utility Cost Control Strategies during COVID-19' webinar

NC GreenTravel is hosting the webinar "Utility Cost Control Strategies during COVID-19" at 9:30 a.m. torrow (Thursday). The hospitality and tourism industry in the state can hear about smart approaches to managing and controlling utility use and costs during closures and upon re-openings. Learn how businesses are minimizing energy and water use during shutdowns and renegotiating waste services. Panelists include Seth Gross with Bull City Burger and Brewery in Durham; Bryan Lach with the Washington Duke Inn in Durham, and Brian Postell with NC Aquarium on Roanoke Island in Manteo. A Q&A discussion also includes Duke Energy Progress and others. Click here to register and for more information.
Cucalorus among '50 film festivals worth the entry fee'

Cucalorus Film Festival is among MovieMaker's "50 Film Festivals Worth the Entry Fee in 2020." Of the Wilmington film festival, the article explained, "This friendly, nonconformist festival in the lovely river town of Wilmington offers no prizes, for a simple reason: 'Competition sucks. It often takes hundreds of people to make a film, so why does one guy get the little statue? Ideas shouldn't be owned by people, and people shouldn't be singled out and ordered in a hierarchy.' That's a quote from Dan Brawley, who goes by the delightful title of 'chief instigating officer.' Cucalorus aims to be a summer camp for moviemakers - and a fun one. Cucalorus finds 90 percent of its films from around 1,800 submissions, programs about a dozen more, and assists moviemakers with travel, lodging, cocktails, and, sometimes, grits at three in the morning. It draws more than 50 panels, workshops and speakers, and its beloved residency program offers moviemakers up to three weeks to develop new work." 
James Beard Awards nominees include Button, Kumar, Shanti

The James Beard Awards has announced its 2020 James Beard Award nominees and three N.C. chefs are included, as the list is the next step after the semi-finalists announcement. Katie Button of Cúrate in Asheville and Cheetie Kumar of Garland in Raleigh are among the nominees for Best Chef - Southeast. Ashleigh Shanti of Benne on Eagle in Asheville is nominated for Rising Star Chef of the Year. Also, The James Beard Awards chef and restaurant winners will be announced on Sept. 25. Kaitlyn Goalen is nominated for Best Cookbook of the Year-American as co-author of "Cook Like a Local: Flavors That Can Change How You Cook and See the World"; the winner will be announced May 27. Goalen is brand director with AC (Ashley Christensen) Restaurants in Raleigh.
For the week of May 7 on "North Carolina Weekend," the program repeats the episode that originally aired March 12. Features include The Moogseum in Asheville; the Scottish Heritage Center in Laurinburg; Rockford General Store in Dobson; and Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery in Farmville. (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.
Resources for travel industry regarding COVID-19

As the travel industry is facing challenging times in the ever-changing situation of COVID-19 and its effects, there are several useful resources available to help with information, communications, planning and guidance.
NewsLink is a publication of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina
150 Fayetteville St., Suite 1200, Raleigh, NC  27601