ENC marketing strategies 10 26 11

Eastern North CarolinaHeritage Tourism Marketing Strategies Heritage Tourism Committee Meeting North Carolina Eastern Region Office, Kinston This project received support from:

 Branding to promote the region Set of universal practices Easily recognizable theme Easily adapted by county and tourism sites Drive tourism traffic

 Marketing Strategy Recommendations – Approved at the May 2011 meeting Heritage Area Theme Categories and Statements

1) Adopt the concept of a technology-based strategy.2) Approve creation of marketing messages designed for use through these technologies. Create a “look” (graphic design) and a message that can easily be incorporated or adopted by tourism agencies and heritage attractions.

3) Approve a marketing message strategy that focuses on places and people.4) Begin developing plans to provide technical assistance to tourism agencies and heritage sites to fully benefit from the technology-based marketing plans.

The confluence of human activityand the interconnected waterwaysof eastern North Carolina haveshaped the region’s past, definedits unique present character andcharted a course for the future.

Facing untold hardship with equaldetermination, early habitants capitalizedon Eastern North Carolina’s prominence onthe Atlantic coast to create a home andlivelihoods and eventually to influence theestablishment of a new nation whichencompassed the region’s inherent strugglebetween freedom and enslavement.

Eastern North Carolina’s distinctivelandscape of coastal plain, pineywoods, banks and waters gave rise to allmanner of livelihood, from those whoscratched out a living to those who amassedprosperity from maritime and agriculturalenterprises, shaping daily life and impactingregional and national historical events.

Since its first settlement, the military hasbeen a strong presence in Eastern NorthCarolina, giving the region a critical role inestablishing a new nation in theRevolutionary War era, in reflecting thestruggle of a nation torn apart by CivilWar, and in defending America’s ideals in20th and 21st century wars.

Present-day residents are preserving theregion’s history by carrying on traditions suchas food ways, cultural arts, religion, workingtraditions and recreation that have oftenbeen handed down in families for manygenerations or sharing the region’s legaciesby preserving the built and naturalenvironment and interpreting stories of thepast.

Continues nautical themeSpeaks directly to the potential visitor – invites them to plan a tripEasyto use in a variety of promotional venues

 Make it the “go-to” source for planning heritage-focused travel Include unique and in-depth content not found on other tourism websites Connect heritage sites to people – past and present Highlight the region’s themes Serve as the foundation for social media promotions

Theme and Itineraries message EventsIntroduction PhotosSpecial places – Restaurants special people SocialmediaExploration symbols routes Links and mapsTravel Tools

 Overview of the region’s characteristics Why the region is a special place to visit

 Buildsection as a unique resource to share stories of people past and present Invitesubmissions of stories

Sub-themes are an entrance pointfor trip planning.Settling a New WorldLiving with the Land and WaterDefense of a NationLiving Traditions

Settling a New World IntroductionFirst Americans African Americans Colonial Life Old World Origins The Struggle to Settle Fort Raleigh Bellamy Mansion Historic Bath Albemarle, Edenton, Bath, Brunswick Dismal Swamp Roanoke Island Festival Park Hope Plantation Beaufort Neuse and Trent Rivers Halifax Princeville Burgwin-Wright House New Bern

Traditional tourism promotion: Show, tell, persuadeNew tourism promotion:Facilitate, orchestrat e, enable

o Can be updated The average user: regularly  Has 130 friendso Interactive format  Spends 15½ hours a month on Facebook  Visits 40 times per month  Connected to 80 community pages, groups and events

A regular feature will encourage repeat visitation. What is this and where is it?

 Links to new blog entries Event or program info Pictures or videos of tours Ask “friends” to talk about places they visit Links to publicity Restaurant reviews

 New blogs encourage regular check-ins Blogs can link from all social media avenues

 Behind-the-scenes for heritage events Happenings at the sites Review books on heritage sites and encourage discussions Ask visitors to share their travel experience – compile responses with the best ideas Share current publicity

 Heading to North Carolina in late November and can’t decide – mountains or surf? Blue Ridge or Outer Bank? One week road trip starts today. First stop Outer Banks, North Carolina USS North Carolina turns 50: Wilmington is marking the 50th anniversary of landing the battleship.

1. Link potential visitors to websites, blogs or Facebook for info on activities and special deals.2. Monitor discussions from visitors in the region and help them find things to see and do.

 @SeattleMaven is a “know-it-all/concierge extraordinaire” Tweets about city’s happenings Monitors visitor conversations and jumps in with suggestions of things to see and do

 Used Flickr™ to create a high quality, low cost photo library 700+ photos submitted Builds photo collection for small attractions Provides images for media

By the end of2011, half ofAmericans willown asmartphone.Source: CNN report, July 2011

 Brochures Deadwood, SD posted QR Codes Interpretive on historic buildings, linking to Signage historic photos. Videos

1. Stand-alone website – register domain name2. Landing page on Coast Host

 Connect with bloggers Collect testimonials Work with travel writers

ENC marketing strategies 10 26 11

by Mary Ruffin Hanbury

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