| Weekly e-newsletter for VisitNC partners | October 5, 2016 |
|
| IN THIS ISSUE:
* N.C. eyes Hurricane Matthew closely; accommodations information needed for displaced travelers * Visit NC offers excursions during Cycle NC Mountains to Coast ride
* TRAC coming to Pender County region next week
|
|
N.C. eyes Hurricane Matthew closely; accommodations information needed for displaced travelers
Visit NC is working with state emergency management officials to monitor the approach of Hurricane Matthew. First and foremost, visitor safety is the primary concern. The current forecast shows Hurricane Matthew potentially affecting North Carolina on Saturday and Sunday. As the storm approaches, Visit NC will have the latest travel advisory updates on VisitNC.com, at the nine N.C. Welcome Centers and through the 1-800-VISIT-NC (847-4862) Call Center. The Call Center will remain open 24/7 through the storm. An accommodations update will be made available to assist visitors and residents who must relocate due to the storm. Visit NC's DMO partners (CVB/TDA/Chambers) can be added to this portion of VisitNC.com if they are monitoring their accommodations regarding evacuations and availability of rooms for evacuees. To participate, the property information is required such as address, website and phone. Also, it's important to note if the property is pet-friendly and, if so, is there a fee and what that fee is, as some visitors and residents will be traveling with their pets. Individual lodging properties must submit their information to their local DMO, which will forward to Visit NC if that DMO is participating. As a reminder, the Attorney General's office will likely be monitoring gas and lodging prices for signs of price gouging, which can be reported here. |
 | | | One excursion included a tour of Perry Lowe Orchards in Moravian Falls
|
Visit NC offers excursions as Cycle NC Mountains to Coast ride rolls through the state
Cycle NC's 18th Annual Mountains to Coast ride is rolling through North Carolina this week. For the first time, Visit NC is offering Cycle NC/Visit NC Excursions. These daily excursions give participants and those traveling with them the opportunity to take a break from the ride and experience North Carolina. A dedicated motorcoach is being provided that departs from the overnight host city in the morning and stops at a few attractions and a destination for lunch each day before arriving at the next overnight host city in the late afternoon. Participants pay a fee to help offset costs to the attractions that host them. They will also have the opportunity to shop and learn more about the state for future visits. This is an opportunity to spread the economic impact of the Cycle NC ride to many more communities on or near the route of the ride. Starting in Banner Elk, this year's ride has overnight stops in Wilkesboro, Lexington, Burlington, Sanford, Clinton and Jacksonville, with plans to finish in Atlantic Beach. During the trip, the route will also pass through many other small towns and communities along the way, including Valle Crusis, Boone, Ferguson, Mocksville, Thomasville, Archdale, Pleasant Garden, Gibsonville, Saxapahaw, Pittsboro, Moncure, Broadway, Lillington, Erwin, Spivey's Corner, Warsaw, Kenansville, Swansboro, Emerald Isle, Indian Beach and Pine Knoll Shores. Visit North Carolina is a founding sponsor of Cycle North Carolina's Mountains to Coast, Mountain (in August) and Coastal (in April) rides. Cycle North Carolina offers one of the largest cross-state bicycle tours in the United States. These rides are designed to promote North Carolina's scenic beauty while providing substantial economic impact to small towns across the state. Each year, riders visit historic sites, state parks and other attractions across the state, During the past rides, Cycle North Carolina has stopped overnight in more than 100 North Carolina towns and visited nearly 700 North Carolina communities. |
 RetireNC sees strong response at Ideal Living Expo in New York
Partner Relations Manager André Nabors, along with New Bern CVB's Melissa Riggle, promoted North Carolina as a retirement destination at the Ideal Living Resort & Retirement Expo in Long Island, N.Y., Oct. 1-2. The Expo drew approximately 500 potential retirees from the region who were interested in exploring opportunities and conversing with exhibitors from across the Southeast. Attendees talked with experts from towns and community developers to gain insights and get answers to help plan, design and enjoy their retirement. North Carolina has consistently been one of the most requested states by the attendees. Visit North Carolina attended the Expo to continue its efforts to promote the N.C. Certified Retirement Community Program, which consists of Asheboro, Eden, Edenton, Jamestown/High Point, Laurinburg, Lenoir, Lumberton, Marion, Mount Airy, New Bern, Pittsboro, Reidsville, Sanford, Tarboro and Winterville. For more information about the Certified Retirement Community Program or Visit North Carolina's marketing initiatives for retirement relocation, contact André Nabors at (919) 447-7771. |
 SportsNC team promotes North Carolina at TEAMS Conference
Partner & Trade Relations Specialist Amanda Baker and the SportsNC delegation attended the annual TEAMS (Travel, Events And Management in Sports) Conference & Expo in Atlantic City, N.J., Sept. 26-29. The SportsNC team participated in more than 45 pre-scheduled appointments and hosted more than 30 clients at their networking event during the conference. TEAMS is one of the premier trade shows for sports planners to meet with destinations and sports organizations to conduct business as well as learn about industry trends and best practices related to sports. For more information on statewide sports marketing efforts, visit SportsNC or contact Amanda Baker at (919) 447-7765. |
| | | A previous TRAC in Greenville |
TRAC coming to Pender County region next week
On Oct. 13, tourism-related businesses in the Pender County region - 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), a community-based training program designed to help small tourism-related businesses, will be held 10 am - 2 pm at Surf City Town Hall at 214 N. New River Drive in Surf City.
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 André Nabors at (919) 447-7771. |
 Cherokee, White Duck Taco, The Umstead Hotel among notables Cherokee is among USA Today's "Fall Foliage: 10 spots for great leaf peeping," which suggests favorite highways, byways and small towns across the USA to check out the autumn foliage. Of Cherokee, the article said, "At the entrance of Great Smoky Mountain National Park and just off the Blue Ridge Parkway, Cherokee and the surrounding areas offer some of the most stunning and beautiful vibrant fall color displays in the state. Drive the Blue Ride Parkway from early October through early November for breathtaking scenic vistas where you can literally see for more than 50 miles on a clear day. One of the most scenic drives is along Highway 441 between Cherokee and Gatlinburg, Tenn. The route weaves and winds its way up to Newfound Gap, at an elevation of 5049 feet. Along the way, you'll pass numerous scenic overlooks that offer wonderful views of the color." In honor of National Taco Day yesterday (Tuesday), USAToday.com offered "50 delicious taco destinations across America." Included in the photo gallery was White Duck Taco in Asheville, of which the article said, "In Asheville, White Duck Taco offers more than a dozen eclectic taco varieties a day, like these mole roasts duck and potato." Tuesday was also National Vodka Day, so USAToday.com offered as an addition to the National Taco Day article "the best bars to toast after tacos." The Umstead Hotel and Spa in Cary was included with three photos among the 40-picture photo gallery. Of the Umstead, the article noted, "For luxury rooms, a spa and terrific cocktails, you'll want to book a stay at The Umstead Hotel and Spa in Cary"; "The Bar and Lounge at The Umstead Hotel and Spa boasts a vodka-cocktail program that is focused on providing the freshest ingredients and supporting local distilleries. Here, most of what's in a cocktail comes from the on-site farm"; and "The Umstead's hibiscus cocktail is the most popular at the bar. Created by executive chef Steven Greene, the tipple is made with North Carolina's Covington Vodka, St. German, fresh lemon juide, hibiscus syrup, Peuchauds and a float of Champagne." |
 Cabarrus County: "The fastest county in America" PopularMechanics.com called Cabarrus County "The Fastest County in America." The article explained, "There are far more Porsches and Ferraris in Los Angeles, and many people think Bostonians drive like they're racing to the hospital with a woman in labor. Cabarrus County, North Carolina, is definitely not a hotbed for imported European supercars, nor is it in a big damn Northeastern hurry. But it makes as good a claim as any to be the fastest county in the USA. This is the mecca of going way too fast. This is carburetor country.... America's favorite kind of car racing, the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series, has produced 28 different champions. Nine of them hail from Cabarrus and its close surroundings." |
Surveys, Industry, Marketing & Travel Trends
The desk is back: Marriott is redesigning hotel rooms - The desk is back, reports The Washington Post. Marriott is redesigning its hotel rooms, and desks with chairs are once again a standard feature. Desks had started to disappear from hotel rooms partly due to a perception that they were unnecessary in the era of laptops and cellphones, and that younger travelers weren't using them. Rooms without desks also seemed to fit into a larger trend in the hotel industry toward minimalist decor. But travelers began complaining. The desks in what Marriott is calling its "modern guest rooms" are on wheels so you can move them around the room to work where you want. In addition to other workspaces in the rooms, the redesign also includes hardwood flooring, benches to place your luggage on, locally inspired decor and various check-in options such as using your cellphone as a key to unlock the door. Tubs are disappearing, too. Bathrooms will have only walk-in showers with hand-held sprayers in roughly 75 percent of the new hotel rooms, except for hotels in leisure/family markets. What to look for when planning to update a hotel - Panelists who participated in the "Reinventing obsolete hotels" panel at the Hotel Data Conference discussed the driving forces behind renovating and what projects make the most financial sense. "What to look for when planning to update a hotel," at HotelNewsNow.com, said, owners who have an aging hotel in their portfolio or who acquire a new asset in need of improvements know the importance of keeping up with renovations so properties don't become obsolete. According to STR, most hotels that have closed were between 30 and 50 years old, and the economy segment led all other chain scales for most closed properties. A property's historical value is a potential obstacle in renovating an obsolete building, the panelists agreed, but successfully navigating the red tape of historical preservation when upgrading the property can make the invested capital and time worthwhile. When asked what projects should be prioritized when renovating obsolete properties, most of the panelists agreed that upgrades to lobbies and public spaces should be completed first. |
Sending back to the farms
With the growing popularity of farm-to-table dining, businesses across North Carolina are making an effort to make locally grown fruits and vegetables available to customers. But few are sending much back to the farm, despite throwing away large amounts of compostable organic matter. Although a business might not be ready for a full composting program, there are a number of smaller composting projects that every business - even those that aren't a restaurant - can try. For example, used coffee grounds can be collected and given away to local gardeners. For more information on composting, visit the N.C. Division of Environmental Assistance's Organics Recycling & Composting webpage or contact NC DEACS Organics Specialist Jorge Montezuma. To find out how your tourism business can become recognized as a green destination by the NC GreenTravel Initiative, contact Tom Rhodes at (919) 707-8140. |
 |
| | For the week of Oct. 6 on North Carolina Weekend, celebrate the heritage cuisine of Martin County at the Chicken Mull Festival in Bear Grass. Tempt our taste buds and play volleyball at Capt'n Bill's Backyard Grill in Wilmington. Step back in time at the Propst House in Hickory. Lift a glass at Roaring River Vineyards in Traphill. And the "House Special" samples the fare at the Catch Food Truck in Wilmington. (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. | Lodging demand during the summer months (June, July and August) was up more than three percent (3.4 percent) in 2016 from 2015, and hit record levels with more than 9.6 million room nights sold during the three-month period. For more information on North Carolina visitors, visit Tourism Research or contact Tourism Research Director Marlise Taylor at (919) 447-7748. |
|
Upcoming Industry Meetings & Events
Oct. 5-6 - Blue Ridge Parkway Association Fall Meeting, Roanoke, Va. Oct. 11 - Visit NC Regional Listening Session, Cary Oct. 12 - Visit NC Regional Listening Session, Charlotte Oct. 13 - Visit NC TRAC, Surf City Oct. 20 - NC Coast Host Quarterly Meeting, Swansboro Nov. 3-4 - MPI-CC Meeting, Concord Dec. 1 - Carolina Thread Trail Forum, Mooresville Dec. 13 - NC Sports Assn. Meeting, Wilson Dec. 13 - NC Travel & Tourism Board Meeting, TBD |
|
|
|
|
