Weekly e-newsletter for Visit NC partners - November 9, 2022
IN THIS ISSUE:
* Visit NC webinar tomorrow offers assistance with promoting Year of the Trail *Visit NC's TRAC coming to Old Fort next week * N.C.-filmed ‘George & Tammy’ releases first trailer
Visit NC webinar tomorrow offers assistance with promoting Year of the Trail
North Carolina has named 2023 the Year of the Trail. Register for the Visit NC webinar tomorrow (Thursday) at 10 a.m. to learn about the Year of the Trail promotions and toolkit. In addition, the N.C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources will discuss how to engage with their sites and the PATH (Parks And Trails for Health) program.
Visit NC’s TRAC coming to Old Fort next week
Next week, tourism-related businesses in McDowell County and surrounding countieswill have an opportunity to meet with Visit North Carolina staff to learn about the organization’s research, marketing, public relations, international tourism, sports, RetireNC and Outdoor NC programs, and other services. Visit North Carolina's Tourism Resource Assistance Center (TRAC) will be held 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 17 at the Old Fort Depot, 25 W. Main St. in Old Fort.
TRAC brings Visit NC'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 NC and its partners. There is no charge to attend, no reservation is required, and there is no formatted 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. Representatives from the EDPNC's Business Services, N.C. Welcome Centers/Visitor Services, N.C. State Parks, and Agritourism are generally 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 Visit NC's André Naborsat (919) 447-7771.
Showtime has released the first trailer for the N.C.-filmed “George & Tammy.” The six-part series is about country music power couple George Jones and Tammy Wynette, and stars Michael Shannon and Jessica Chastain. The production filmed in the Wilmington region and was expected to have a direct in-state impact of more than $48 million. The series is expected to premiere on Showtime and Paramount+ on Dec. 4 with the remaining parts airing/streaming on Showtime.
The latest winners of the Cucalorus Foundation’s “Filmed in NC” filmmaker fund have been announced.
This program is an initiative of the N.C. Film Office and the Cucalorus Film Foundation to support indie filmmakers in North Carolina. The 13 projects awarded range from narrative features to short docs and were chosen from 70 submissions. This year’s initiative supports narrative, documentary and experimental film projects at all stages of production with a focus on growing support for female and non-binary identifying, African American and Latinx filmmakers. The program was launched in 2015 to increase independent production activity and to support the work of emerging and independent artists who may be working outside of the major studio system. Filmmakers will present a portion of their ongoing work at the 28th annual Cucalorus Festival, in Wilmington
Nov. 16-20.
Earlier this week, the Greensboro CVB hosted the N.C. Visitors Services team for the group's semi-annual meeting, which included a study tour of the area. N.C. Department of Commerce Visitor Services Program Manager Wally Wazan facilitated the discussion-style meeting, which included the nine N.C. Welcome Center managers, plus Commerce’s Bryan Gupton and Martha Slate. The meeting also included site visits to the Historic Magnolia House, Greensboro Science Center, and O. Henry Hotel, plus a behind-the-scenes rooftop tour of Proximity Hotel.
Travel entity partners such as a CVB, TDA or chamber interested in hosting Welcome Center staff to provide them with first-hand knowledge of their destinations should contact Wally Wazan at (919) 814-4649 for more information.
Research shows inflation is impacting travel in the United States
Travel costs and inflation continue to challenge travel. Destination Analysts reports that recent inflation in consumer prices has led travelers to cancel an upcoming trip with 57 percent of travelers stating that if gasoline prices don’t come down, they will be taking fewer road trips this fall/winter.
Most residents feel that the United States will enter an economic recession sometime this year. More than two-thirds (67.6 percent) of Americans state that they are being careful with financial decisions due to concern about an upcoming recession. Nearly 80 percent of Americans state that their caution with money includes reducing expenditures on travel.
In September, American residents reported a 58 percent decrease in leisure travel spending in the next three months. More than 20 percent of travelers state that in the next 12 months they expect to travel less for leisure.
Visit NC will be providing frequent research updates through NewsLink with links to available studies.
Vote for two N.C. sites among ‘Best of the Holidays’ North Carolina has two sites among the nominations for 10Best's Readers' Choice Awards categories for the “Best of the Holidays.” Online voting by readers is now open via USAToday.com; click on the hyperlink to vote. Voting ends Dec. 5 at noon.
‘Discovering northeastern North Carolina’s Black heritage trail’
“Discovering northeastern North Carolina’s Black heritage trail
" tells the backstory of how the trail came to fruition, starting with an idea by Visit Currituck’s Tameron Kugler. She noted that when considering how best to share [the county’s Historic Jarvisburg Colored School] with visitors, she knew the surrounding counties had important Black historical and community assets that would need to be included in a curated guide of spots to visit. Kugler reached out to her counterparts in neighboring northeastern counties of Camden, Chowan, Dare, Pasquotank and Perquimans. The team created an advisory board that was instrumental in identifying the diverse tapestry of historical sites. In early 2020, the cross-county collaborative tourism project they launched blossomed into the African American Experience of Northeastern
North Carolina with the development of a specific AAENENC website, which served as both an app and curated destination guide. To date, the guide lists more than 30 visitor-ready sites and outlines a self-guided, digital heritage trail that includes interpretive signs and monuments, parks, waterways and museums. This experience was designed with the mission to inspire exploration and appreciation for the experiences of the African American community in this region.
The article ran in several McClatchy syndicated newspapers across the U.S., including the Miami Herald, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Kansas City Star and Sacramento Bee.
N.C. sites in several media spotlights
Travel + Leisure included Asheville and Highlands among its "20 Best Mountain Towns to Visit in the U.S." Of Asheville, the online article noted, in part, "Surrounded by North Carolina's Blue Ridge
Mountains, Asheville combines outdoor adventure with quirky mountain town charm. The city has a vibrant art scene – downtown Asheville is packed with galleries and boutiques – and it's surrounded by great hiking trails." Of Highlands, "A quaint town in the Blue Ridge Mountains of southwestern North Carolina, Highlands is ideal for a romantic getaway with accommodations ranging from luxury hotels to tucked-away cottages. Nearby hiking trails lead to mountain overlooks and picturesque waterfalls, and charming shops and restaurants line Main Street."
In a separate article, Travel + Leisure included Hot Springs among its "10 of the Best Small Towns on the East Coast." The online article noted, "As its name suggests, this small town is all about the area's natural hot springs... When you've had enough water, lace up your hiking boots and hit part of the Appalachian Trail or walk around the town's tiny downtown area."
In another article, Travel + Leisure included the Inn on Biltmore Estate in Asheville in its "20 Best Mountain Resorts Around the U.S." The online article explained, "Stay on the pristine, 8,000-acre Biltmore Estate amid the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina when you book a stay at The Inn on Biltmore Estate. You can tour the Biltmore House, a historic home built in the late 1800s for George Washington Vanderbilt II, walk or bike the grounds, and visit the Biltmore Winery without ever leaving the property, but you'll want to check out nearby downtown Asheville to browse galleries and try tasty craft beer."
‘North Carolina Weekend’
For the week of Nov.10, "North Carolina Weekend
” offers “Community Matters.” Featured segments include Little Guatemala in Morganton; Dirtbag Ales in Hope Mills; Citizen Vinyl in Asheville; Community Matters Café in Charlotte; and Melanated Wine in Durham. (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.
Visit North Carolina, a part of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina
150 Fayetteville St. Suite 1200 Raleigh, North Carolina, 27601, United States
