Weekly e-newsletter for Visit NC Partners - March 7, 2024
IN THIS ISSUE:
* Visit NC Tourism Conference Solution Hub offers opportunities to gain insights, best practices
* Visit NC webinar next week features America 250 NC Grant Program for the local level
* Visit NC, partners pitch at Visit NC’s Atlanta mini-media mission
* Visit NC promotes N.C. travel in the Nordic regions
Visit NC Tourism Conference Solution Hub offers opportunities to gain insights, best practices
Back by popular demand this year, on Sunday’s opening day of the Visit NC Tourism Conference, the Solution Hub will take place from 1-3 p.m. This offers 15-minute presentations that provide hands-on education and marketing insights from leading industry solution providers. Each provider will give their 15-minute presentation on repeat throughout the entire time frame so that you can hop from one to another and have time to attend all of them if you'd like. Here’s what you can expect to hear from each Solution Hub Sponsor.
Zartico – Prepare to embark on a journey toward becoming the Data Hero for your community. This session will blend foundational knowledge with best practices and practical applications of how data can positively impact your community. Get ready to go the distance with the tools and insights needed to make a real difference using data-driven approaches. Steller –Influencer Marketing & Bookable Itineraries. Let’s get from Inspiration to Booking, faster. Jade Broadus, VP at Steller.co, will introduce Trips by Steller – travel itineraries infused with video content and bookability. Trips connects your destination’s video content to an itinerary planning tool that allows travelers to plan their trip and book unique experiences all in one spot. Additionally, influencers and creators can share their own itineraries with audiences to turn their IG and TikTok posts into bookable itineraries. Learn how the easy-to-use tool is giving destinations access to new audiences, expanding the life of their content, and driving bookings.
Slightly –Learn how brands can align with their core values to remain authentic in their campaigns. Align with trending content, discover new audiences and develop creative and messaging platform opportunities using social insights and real-time marketing.
The Visit NC Tourism Conference will be in Greenville March 17-19. Registration will close this Monday, March 11 for the pre-conference workshops. There are still spots available for the "Here Not There: Developing New Narratives" and "Social Content Session: Intro Level" sessions. The cost to participate in either workshop is $100.
Next week, Visit NC’s monthly webinar will feature the Grants for America 250 NC program, which is now taking applications. Join guests with the N.C. Department of Natural & Cultural Resources to learn about two grants – one of $10,000 for counties, once they've established a commemorative committee, and one of $30,000 for non-profits – to fund local activities related to the upcoming America 250 commemoration. The deadline for applications is May 3 this fiscal year. DNCR is spear-heading the statewide effort to plan for the commemoration. Its goal is to energize broad, robust and comprehensive programs across all of North Carolina’s 100 counties. The March webinar will be at 10 a.m. next Thursday, March 14. Click
here to register.
Visit NC, partners pitch at Visit NC’s Atlanta mini-media mission
Five destination partners traveled to Atlanta with Visit NC’s Veda Gilbert earlier this week for a two-day, mini-media mission. During deskside meetings and a dinner event, 10 media contributors and editors representing such publications as Atlanta Magazine, Fodor’s Travel, and CNN Travel heard pitches from Charlotte Regional Visitor’s Authority’s Alana Stillitano, Hickory Metro CVB’s Sarah Jones, Mount Airy Tourism’s Jessica Roberts, Polk County T & T’s Melinda Massey and Wilkesboro TDA’s Thomas Salley. Visit NC’s PR team, including DCI’s Anna Rossetto, and the partners will follow up with journalists to maximize connections from the event.
To find out more about Visit North Carolina's public relations program, contact media@visitnc.com.
Walters (rt) with
Discover SC's Brie
Burnett
Visit NC promotes travel to N.C. in the Nordic regions
Visit NC's Heidi Walters joined other Southern states for a sales and media mission in the Netherlands and Nordic regions last week. The Travel South USA event included one-on-one meetings with 130 trade and media companies and two consumer shows attended by 5,000 people. The group also met with the Ambassador's office in The Hague. The Netherlands ranked #12 and Sweden at #15 for international visitation to the state in 2022. These markets are important as the visitors stay longer and spend more than domestic visitors.
For more information on Visit NC’s international marketing program, contact Heidi Walters at (919) 447-7762.
Last year's event at the
I-95 South NC Welcome
Center site
Participate with N.C. Welcome Centers during National Travel & Tourism Week
Each year during National Travel & Tourism Week, North Carolina's nine Welcome Centers celebrate the occasion by inviting tourism partners to help thank visitors for traveling here. Tourism Week provides an excellent opportunity to bring your message directly to visitors in the state seeking travel information. Attractions, accommodations and other tourism-related businesses are invited to participate in Tourism Week; there is no charge to participate, but space is limited and reservations are required. To coordinate participation, interested partners should contact the N.C. Welcome Center of their choice. This year’s National Travel & Tourism Week runs May 19-25. National Travel & Tourism Week observances at the N.C. Welcome Centers will take place from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.; dates for activities at each Welcome Center are:
- May 22 - I-26 East, I-77 North - May 23 - I-40 West, I-77 South, I-85 North, I-95 North - May 24 - I-26 West, I-85 South, I-95 South
Webinar looks at economic impact of STVRs
The Vacation Rental Management Association (VRMA) recently engaged Oxford Economics to conduct a study analyzing the short-term vacation rental (STVR) visitor economy in North Carolina. Visit NC was a sponsor of the study. The results showed the significance of the STVR industry in terms of direct visitor spending and downstream property manager and host spending, along with total economic impacts, jobs and fiscal (tax) impacts in the broader economy. VRMA will hold a webinar at 1 p.m. on March 13 to release the study. Click here
to register for an exclusive look at this important economic impact study.
Conley new executive director for Swain County TDA
Sarah Conley is the new executive director for the Swain County TDA, effective this past Monday. Mary Anne Shea is retiring this month. Conley may be contacted at (828) 488-7857 or via director@explorebrysoncity.com.
Brian Fletcher is the new manager at the I-85 North N.C. Welcome Center in Norlina. Fletcher may be contacted at (252) 456-3236 or via brian.fletcher@commerce.nc.gov.
Wilmington and Beaches CVB has new offices Wilmington and Beaches CVB has moved its business offices to a new location at Skyline Center, 929 N. Front St., Suite 410 in Wilmington (28401). Phone numbers and emails remain the same. The Riverbooth Visitor Information Center, at the corner of Water and Market streets, is open to serve visitors.
Vote for N.C. towns among ‘Best Small Towns nominations
North Carolina has several towns among the nominations for 10Best's Readers' Choice Awards various categories for “Best Small Towns in the U.S.” Online voting by readers is now open via USAToday.com; click on the hyperlink to vote. Voting ends at noon on April 1.
N.C. towns, sites among 'The South's Best'
Southern Living has released "The South's Best 2024," the results of its eighth annual readers’ survey. Among the South’s Best Cities on the Rise, Wilmington was #1, with Cary #8. Asheville ranked #5 among the South’s Best Cities with Raleigh #9 and Charlotte #12.
Wrightsville Beach among '10 Best Spring Break Destinations in the U.S.'
Travel + Leisure included Wrightsville Beach among its “10 Best Spring Break Destinations in the U.S.” Of the inclusion, T+L noted, in part, “One of America's best beach towns, Wrightsville Beach offers water sports, restaurants, shopping, and history. Surfing, kayaking, and stand-up paddleboarding are popular, and scuba divers seek out the area's sunken ships and reefs teeming with marine life. Even if it's not swimming weather just yet, you can still enjoy being on the water with a sightseeing cruise or fishing excursion."
Crystal Coast, Elizabeth City included in '9 Places In The U.S. To Spend An Affordable Weekend Getaway'
The Crystal Coast and Elizabeth City were both included in Forbes’ “9 Places In The U.S. To Spend An Affordable Weekend Getaway
.” For the former, it was explained, in part, “Crystal Coast fulfills the promise of providing something spectacular and luxurious for every traveler from history buff to beach bum and everyone in between, all at an affordable price tag. Emerald Isle is a tranquil beach town, filled with picturesque views of uncrowded white sandy beaches and turquoise waters.” As for latter, it was noted, in part, “Deemed the ‘Harbor of Hospitality,’ Elizabeth City is a charming, waterside escape for an affordable weekend getaway. Whether getting out in nature, embracing storied American history or indulging in classic Southern cuisine, travelers are sure to enjoy a few days in this hidden gem destination.”
For the week of March 7, "North Carolina Weekend” repeats the episode “Global Tastes Tour,” that originally aired Dec. 7. Featured segments include Manolo's Bakery in Charlotte; the "M" restaurants in Durham; Alfredo's Ristorante Italiano in Clinton; Little Guatemala in Morganton; and Botiwalla in Asheville.
(Note: Due to the State of the Union address tonight, there will be no typical 9 p.m. Thursday broadcast; 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
150 Fayetteville St., Ste 1200, Raleigh, North Carolina, 27601, United States