RALEIGH, N.C. (December 16, 2014) ? From quaint downtowns and inspired cuisine to hands-on history and dynamic culture, the “Official 2015 North Carolina Travel Guide” taps the rich experiences to be found from the mountains to the coast.
Travelers can chart a course from a choice of two covers, one that captures the picturesque charms of Manteo, the other reflecting the monumental history of Bentonville Battlefield at the end of the Civil War. Trails unfold across 172 pages in an award-winning presentation of vivid photographs and tidy blocks of text.
“The Travel Guide embodies what makes North Carolina a destination to visit again and again,” said Wit Tuttell, executive director of Visit North Carolina. “It embraces the enduring beauty of places like Chimney Rock and Duke Gardens plus intriguing new attractions such as the Earl Scruggs Center in Shelby. We’re also drawn to discover the Hamlet Depot, the Cradle of Forestry in America, the Morehead City waterfront and other gems.”
Two sweepstakes offer travelers a chance to leap from the page to the places on the covers. Entry forms can be accessed at VisitNC.com for those who hope to win:
- Two nights in Manteo aboard the Starry Banner yacht. The Outer Banks getaway includes a 30-minute air tour; a guided horseback ride from Equine Adventures on the Cape Hatteras National Seashore; attraction passes; a gift basket; and a $500 Visa gift card that can be used toward transportation to Manteo.
- Two nights at the new Fairfield Inn & Suites in Smithfield, home of the Ava Gardner Museum. The getaway includes an Ava Gardner White Glove Tour; personal tours along the Beer, Wine and Shine Trail; VIP gift bag with gift certificate from Carolina Premium Outlets; a Serendipity Road Restaurant gift certificate; and a $500 Visa gift card that can be used toward transportation to Smithfield. The winner will also receive four tickets to the 150th anniversary reenactment of the Battle of Bentonville (hotel blackout applies).
The “Official 2015 North Carolina Travel Guide” is free. The print edition is available at the state’s nine Welcome Centers; it can also be ordered at VisitNC.com and 800-847-4862 (800-VISITNC). A digital magazine version, which can be accessed at VisitNC.com/eguide, is enhanced by information pop-ups, audio and video, a table-of-contents slide show, NC Insider tips and links to VisitNC.com. The magazine app, available for iOS and Android, uses an interactive design that accentuates exclusive photo galleries, a Blue Ridge Parkway map, tap-to-reveal details and other elements.
The design of the guide, named the nation’s best for 2014 by the U.S. Travel Association’s National Council of State Tourism Directors, translates fluidly across print and digital formats. Among the highlighted topics are outdoor action, the arts, food celebrations, aquatic attractions, gardens and arboretums, urban energy and downtown character. The final year of the Civil War’s 150th anniversary earns special attention in a hands-on history chapter and within sections focusing the mountains, the Piedmont and the coast. These regional sections, which list attractions and accommodations, offer a new chart format for campgrounds and a new symbol to identify properties recognized by the NC GreenTravel Initiative.
The 2015 Travel Guide, the official guide for North Carolina’s state tourism office, is financed entirely by private industry support with $979,807 in advertising in the 525,000 printed copies and digital editions. Listings for the 900 attractions and 3,500 accommodations are free. The self-mailer format for printed copies reinforces the green initiatives of Visit North Carolina, a unit of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina.
Tourism remains one of the state’s most vital industries with economic activity and employment generated in each of the state’s 100 counties. In 2013, visitors to North Carolina spent $20.2 billion, which accounts for nearly 200,000 jobs for North Carolinians. State and local tax revenues, as a result of the visitor spending, totaled more than $1.6 billion in 2013.