New Bern rolled out the red carpet for the 2010 North Carolina Governor’s Conference on Hospitality and Tourism, held there March 21-23 at the New Bern Riverfront Convention Center, a state-of-the-art meeting facility with the charm of North Carolina's colonial capital. New Bern, North Carolina’s second oldest town, celebrates its 300th anniversary in 2010, and attendees to this informative conference became a part of the celebration. Two beautiful rivers, Tryon Palace and its spectacular gardens, historic homes, quaint shops, cozy restaurants and lively entertainment framed provided a backdrop for a conference full of information for nearly 450 tourism professionals.
2010 Governor's Conference Agenda
2010 Governor's Conference Attendees
2010 Governor's Conference Sponsors Final
2010 Division Update
Speakers and Presentations
An exciting futurist whose knowledge of technologies and their implications on the way folks live and work permeates his captivating presentations, Dr. Lowell Catlett was the opening keynote speaker. Dr. Catlett, a professor and dean at New Mexico State University, uses his vast knowledge to astound audiences both nationally and internationally. His varied and upbeat presentations are thought-provoking and highly-entertaining. Dr. Catlett presented "Get Real: Understanding Today’s Economy and Tomorrow’s Future." As Dr. Catlett pointed out during his presentation, he did not use a PowerPoint.
Geoff Freeman, senior vice president of public affairs for the U.S. Travel Association, discussed national tourism policy issues and how they impact communities across North Carolina. Freeman offered his front-row perspective on issues facing the travel industry. Click here for his presentation: National Policy Update
Peter Shankman, founder of HARO (Help a Reporter Out), was the closing keynote. An entrepreneur, author, speaker and worldwide connector, Shankman is recognized worldwide for radically new ways of thinking about social media, PR, marketing, advertising, creativity and customer service. Shankman did not use a PowerPoint, but his observations can be found at . . .
Educational Concurrent Sessions
Whether you were still breaking into the social media arena, figuring your way through the new world of public relations, working with fewer dollars and higher expectations or searching for the next big market to tap, the 2010 Governor’s Conference was where you should have been. Educational breakout sessions provided audiences with solid information to be utilized the moment they returned home. Sessions included:
Social Media 101 & 201- What’s a Tweet? Friend Me? You Tube?
Ready to delve into the world of interactive marketing through social media but unsure of where to start? Or have you started but are unsure how to use these outlets for better exposure, more visitors and demonstrate a return on your investment. These sessions focused on how to get started on popular sites including Twitter, YouTube, Facebook and MySpace. Presenter: Peter Shankman, Founder of HARO and the Geek Factory, Inc.
Getting Communities Ready for Visitors - Where to Get Started
A how-to process on what rural communities need to do to be better prepared for and more attractive to visitors, including creating tourism development plans that map out assets and available resources for successful development. The Division’s Director of Tourism Development, Russ Haddad, moderated a panel of representatives from smaller North Carolina communities already implementing long-term strategies to enable tourism to be a viable economic engine in their area. The panel included Sheila Armstrong of US Cultural & Heritage Tourism Marketing Council; Stacy Tomas, NC State University; Tim Will, FarmersFreshMarket and Peggy Richardson, Warren County.
Partnership Strategies for Building Your Tourism Business
A Regional Perspective to Marketing Small Towns -Combining Resources for Sustainable Tourism
This panel discussion built on the earlier breakout “Getting Communities Ready for Visitors.” Having addressed the importance of creating tourism development plans that identify assets and resources within your community, the focus of this session turned to the role of regional cooperation and how collaboration leads to rural community prosperity. The Division’s Director of Tourism Development, Russ Haddad moderated a panel discussion including Sheila Armstrong of US Cultural & Heritage Tourism Marketing Council; Nancy Gottovi, Central Park NC; Cathy Robbins, Tweetsie Railroad/High Country Host; Kathy Prickett, NC Division of Tourism Film and Sports Development.
Central Park NC presentation
PR Boot Camp
This gritty PR session wrestled with the hard stuff. How do you communicate your brand in an email subject line? What words increase open rates for releases? How do you write a pitch that gets read? A release that gets attention? What are some of the critical do’s and don’ts in this new media environment? How do you leverage your web site as a media source? This session was facilitated by Susan Dosier, PR Director at LKM, with a panel of experts sharing their successes to help you better define and articulate your own story.
Meet the Media: Roundtable Discussions with NC Media Outlets
This breakout featured 10-minute rotating sessions with editors talking about what type of stories they are looking for and attending telling them why they should write about their business or destination. Outlets included Southern Living Magazine, AAA Carolinas Go Magazine, Carolina Country, UNC-TV’s North Carolina Weekend, WUNC-FM, WRAL’s Tarheel Traveler and freelance writers for national media outlets.
Successfully Leveraging Marketing Partnerships
An uncertain marketplace, shrinking budgets and sluggish consumers are among the many challenges travel and hospitality marketers continue to face.
Attendees heard from their peers how they are using strategic partnerships to align their brands, leverage scarce marketing dollars and expand awareness to attract travelers to their destinations, properties and attractions. Jennifer Jenkins from LKM facilitated a panel including Cathy Robbins, Tweetsie Railroad/High Country Host and Janeen Driscoll, Pinehurst Resort.
Sports Marketing 101 - Want to fill hotel rooms – Guaranteed?
Attracting sporting events to your area, no matter the size, is easier than you think. What’s the difference between a sports commission and CVB sports sales? During this session attendees learned the target marketing efforts of each and how they work hand in hand. Presenter: Jack Hughes, Executive Director CSEE, Gainesville Sports Commission; Past Chair, National Association of Sports Commissions.
Sports Marketing Presentation
The 2011 NC Governor’s Conference on Hospitality and Tourism will be held March 13-15 at the Grove Park Inn in Asheville. Watch Newslink and NCCommerce.com for details in the coming months.