Weekly e-newsletter for Visit NC Partners - October 3, 2024
IN THIS ISSUE: * Update: Hurricane Helene aftermath and assistance
* Visit NC-led Lufthansa media tour yields coverage in German outlets
* Visit NC’s monthly webinar focuses on working with local elected officials
Visit NC update: Hurricane Helene aftermath and assistance
Communities in western North Carolina have been deeply impacted by the devastating effects of Hurricane Helene this week.
While we navigate these difficult times, our hearts and prayers remain with our partners in the western part of the state and everyone affected by the storm. If you are in a position to help, the North Carolina Disaster Relief Fund is accepting donations to support the communities most impacted.
The EDPNC has also compiled a list of resources, that can be found here. Via this webpage, you'll find information for loans and grants; there's also state-level assistance, such as Disaster Unemployment Assistance for individuals, and federal-level, such as FEMA information.
Throughout the storm, the Visit NC Call Center, which is managed by the NC Department of Commerce's Visitor Services, assisted displaced visitors and residents as well as emergency personnel to safely navigate their way through the state. The Call Center operators fielded nearly 7,300 phone calls.
Visit NC staff worked with NC Emergency Management and partners throughout the state to keep travelers informed of available lodging and road conditions. Visit NC maintained a Travel Advisory during the storm and will keep updating it throughout the recovery process.
At this time, Visit NC has paused all paid advertising and promotional efforts, and is actively monitoring travel media coverage. We do not believe it's appropriate to be encouraging travel to the impacted areas; we are also sensitive to a travel promotion message coming off as insensitive and turning potential future visitors away. We are evaluating the situation on a daily basis and will resume paid advertising and other content in the coming days when it is safe and responsible to do so.
We understand that some areas in Western North Carolina were not as severely impacted and are open for business. We will do our best to work with each community to respond to their individual needs. If properties in your area are offering discounts to those who have been displaced by the storm, please send that information to alert@visitnc.com, as these efforts will be added to the advisory and other communications.
The fam group at
Carolina Beach
Visit NC-led Lufthansa media tour yields coverage in German outlets
Three North Carolina destinations are featured in multiple German publications as the result of a familiarization tour organized by Visit NC to mark June’s launch of Lufthansa’s nonstop flight from Frankfurt to RDU. The coverage in Mortimer magazine, Forum Magazin, Passauer Neue Presse and other Mediagroup Bavaria newspapers highlighted experiences in Raleigh, Durham and Wilmington with a focus on museums and gardens, breweries, beaches and Wilmington’s wealth of film locations. The tour was organized by Visit NC’s international marketing program with hospitality provided by Visit Raleigh, Discover Durham and the Wilmington and Beaches CVB. The outlets’ reach totals 618,000 in circulation and unique monthly visitors.
In other coverage, TravelPulse magazine recognized four North Carolina events “Every State’s Best October Events in 2024,” a result of the PR team’s pitching. Wilmington Riverfest, the NC State Fair in Raleigh, Mount Airy’s Autumn Leaves Festival and the 40th annual Barbecue Festival in Lexington were featured. The industry publication reaches 153,917 unique monthly visitors.
Visit NC’s webinar next week focuses on working with local elected officials
For Visit NC’s monthly webinar, Brian Lewis from New Frame and NCTIA will lead a discussion on some best practices for working with your local elected officials. During the webinar, Visit NC will also provide updates on the latest developments relating to the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. The webinar will be next week at 10 a.m. on Oct. 10. Click here to register.
FilmNC pitch sparks Wilmington coverage in MovieMaker
Reflecting a four-decade history and hundreds of titles, MovieMaker magazine traced an NC industry narrative in “How Firestarter Sparked Wilmington, North Carolina Into a Film Capital
,” thanks to an NC Film Office pitch tied to the 40th anniversary of the movie’s release. Dino de Laurentiis, whose company made the film, and producer Frank Capra Jr. had scouted Wilmington as a location. After filming “Firestarter,” de Laurentiis went on to make other movies (including “Blue Velvet”) in Wilmington and to build a major studio (now Cinespace) that has anchored the area’s vital film industry. “Other film hubs across the country have gone in and out of fashion as state incentives have come and gone, but Wilmington has endured through good times and bad because film has become part of the local culture,” according to the article, which also included quotes from NC Film Office’s Guy Gaster and Wilmington Regional
Film Commission’s Johnny Griffin. MovieMaker.com has a reach of nearly 240,000 unique monthly visitors.
Readers' Choice Awards recognize several in N.C. Condé Nast Traveler has announced its 2024 Readers' Choice Awards and several sites in N.C. were recognized. For the Top 25 Hotels in the South, CNT included The Restoration Asheville at #8, The Umstead Hotel and Spa in Cary #12, JW Marriott in Charlotte #14,Old Edwards Inn and Spa in Highlands #15, Grand Bohemian Charlotte #19, Half-Mile Farm in Highlands #23. For the Top 20 Resorts in the South
, The Horse Shoe Farm in Hendersonville was #8, Greystone inn in Lake Toxaway #11, Sanderling Resort in Duck #15, and High Hampton in Cashiers #17.
Edgecamp Pamlico Station included in ‘From the Tetons to the Caribbean, 6 Getaways for Grown-Ups’
The New York Times included the Edgecamp Pamlico Station in Salvo among its “From the Tetons to the Caribbean, 6 Getaways for Grown-Ups.” Of Pamlico Station, The article noted, in part, "This 14-suite boutique hotel just opened in the Outer Banks with whimsical 700-square-foot rooms designed by Jonathan Adler. Each has water views, a wood-burning fireplace, living room, kitchen, record player and wellness-themed amenities."
For the week of Oct. 3, "North Carolina Weekend” kicks off a new season with a visit to Edenton. Featured segments include a weekend in Edenton and the return of Bob Garner sampling the fare at Old Colony Smokehouse. (Check local listings, as 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 is part of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina
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