As North Carolina continues to confront legislative and social challenges, the state’s enduring appeal as a group destination is not lost on meeting and convention participants, who contributed to a record $21.9 billion in statewide visitor spending in 2015, up nearly 3 percent from 2014. Attracting nearly 55 million visitors last year to hold its position as the nation’s sixth most-visited state, North Carolina and its meetings industry hold true to the core values of welcome and hospitality.
As Durham CVB President & CEO Shelly Green related, while “North Carolina, unfortunately, is suffering due to unpopular legislation that was passed in the spring (referring to House Bill 2, or HB2, limiting certain individual LGBT-related rights), fortunately, all of the elected bodies in Durham have opposed the bill as has the Durham CVB. Convention-goers have found the facilities in Durham to be open and welcoming to all.”
Green is not alone. Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority CEO Tom Murray is among other tourism and hospitality leaders who have spoken out against HB2, along with the Charlotte Chamber, North Carolina Restaurant & Lodging Association, and other constituencies.
In South Carolina, the mood is upbeat as group destinations contribute to the Palmetto State’s $19.1 billion tourism industry with new and enhanced group products and infrastructure. Together, these Southern neighbors are focused on positive group outcomes—not sticking points.
NORTH CAROLINA
Mike Butts, vice president of sales for the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority and executive director of Visit Charlotte, reported a “healthy and thriving overall group market in the Charlotte region.”
As Butts revealed, the numbers tell a convincing story.
“The city has experienced impressive growth in key areas over the past year,” he said. “Demand has increased to new highs, up 2.9 percent from a year ago, alongside a rate increase of 5.3 percent.”
This continuing record-setting hotel performance has produced a development boom.
“Rooms currently under construction constitute 21 percent and 7.8 percent of the total Uptown and Charlotte supply, respectively,” Butts continued, “with Uptown representing 55.9 percent and Charlotte representing 23.4 percent of total rooms in the supply pipeline.”
Neighboring Cabarrus County is also in high gear.
“From racecar ride-alongs at legendary Charlotte Motor Speedway to Southern Grace Distilleries, a former prison turned distillery, Cabarrus County is a destination where meetings become experiences,” said Cabarrus County CVB President & CEO Donna Carpenter. “While continuing to tell our community’s stories, we look forward to hosting groups interested in doing the same.”
With a growing inventory of 2,800-plus hotel rooms, one such opportunity ahead is the 18th edition of Travel Media Showcase, taking place next August at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Charlotte-Concord Golf Resort & Spa.
In the Triangle Region, Wake County, encompassing Raleigh, the state capital, Cary and Durham (which extends into neighboring Orange County), welcomed an all-time record 15.1 million visitors in 2015, up 5.7 percent over 2014.
To maintain momentum on the meetings front, which remains strong and is driven by state and national associations along with corporate, fraternal and religious accounts, the Greater Raleigh CVB is increasing outreach to the local business and knowledge community to help attract groups.
“Passionate-minded people are Raleigh’s greatest asset,” said Executive Vice President Loren Gold. “From culinary to cleantech and all key vertical markets in between, we continue to look to our local business connectors to help us make the case for Raleigh with host organizations and their meetings and conferences.”
Gold cited cloud-based software provider Dude Solutions, based in Cary, as “a perfect example” of this advocacy in action.
“Dude supported the return of the company’s user conference to Raleigh after many years in South Carolina in part because of our larger urban infrastructure, but more importantly, attendee access to local business, academic and public sector assets for case study tours during the conference,” Gold said.
Also part of Research Triangle Park and home to Duke and North Carolina Central Universities, Durham reaps comparable rewards.
“Our meetings growth has been particularly strong in the big data and tech fields,” said Durham CVB President & CEO Shelly Green. “With some 225 start-ups launched in downtown Durham alone, it’s no wonder meetings that engage entrepreneurs and the tech sector do so well here.”
Chapel Hill is preparing to host the three-day North American Travel Journalist Association (NATJA) conference in May 2017.
“It’s NATJA’s first-ever conference in North Carolina,” said Marlene Barbera, sales director for the Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Bureau. “More than 80 travel journalists will experience professional development workshops, attraction tours, dine-around events and all that Chapel Hill, Hillsborough and Carrboro have to offer.”
The Piedmont Triad will get new meetings muscle with the anticipated spring 2017 unveiling of the $18 million “reinvention” of Winston-Salem’s 100,000-square-foot Benton Convention Center, which includes adjoining Marriott and Embassy Suites hotels offering a combined 461 rooms and another 70,000 square feet of space.
“When complete, that represents more than $1 billion invested in downtown developments,” said Visit Winston-Salem President Richard Geiger. “Add the new Kimpton Cardinal Hotel and soon-to-open Hotel Indigo, and Winston-Salem is perfectly positioned to provide new and advanced experiences for attendees.”
It’s the same story in Greensboro, according to Greensboro Area CVB President & CEO Henri Fourrier.
“Diligent work on our meetings and events market, plus substantial infrastructure growth and redevelopment, has the destination well poised to host events,” he said.
Another peak performer is Asheville.
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“Building on the momentum of successful initiatives, including high-profile sponsorships and national advertising, our team issued 57 more sales leads in fiscal year 2015-16 than the year before,” said Asheville CVB Executive Director Stephanie Pace Brown.
With an increased national advertising budget and a new national sales manager targeting the Northeast market, the bureau is also advancing new initiatives to promote the city and its services to planners.
“One example is ‘More Fun On Us,’ which incentivizes planners to include unique-to-Asheville assets in their meetings,” Brown said. “Another is our 48-Hour Meeting Planner Experience program, which has attracted heightened interest from incentive planners.”
The initiatives are clearly paying off. According to Brown, group room bookings are up 7 percent year over year, with an 18 percent increase in estimated group hotel revenue. And there’s more to come, with current and planned development adding 1,500-plus rooms to Asheville’s already expanded inventory of 7,500-plus rooms.
Historic New Bern is a leading group destination in eastern North Carolina, traditionally hosting associations and state government organizations.
“Welcoming back large association conventions such as the North Carolina Public Health Association, we are currently experiencing an uptick in group business,” said Melissa Riggle, tourism and sales executive for the New Bern-Craven County Convention & Visitor Center.
Greenville-Pitt County is also experiencing a lift in association bookings.
“Our hospitality community has been quite successful in increasing the number of statewide and regional groups choosing Greenville,” said Greenville-Pitt County Executive Director Andrew Schmidt.
Continuing to expand its hotel inventory and leisure offerings, Wilmington’s group market is on strong footing for 2017, as John Sneed, vice president of sales and services at the Wilmington and Beaches CVB explained.
“Association meetings are especially strong, and with significant growth in room inventory, newly opened hotels and others in various stages of development allow us to refocus our target convention size to accommodate larger regional groups and events,” Sneed said.
Home to the nation’s top-ranked beach park, Cape Lookout National Seashore, the Crystal Coast is capitalizing on a dominant meetings industry trend of the moment—experience.
“With more planners seeking nontraditional engagements, we are focused on incorporating our abundant natural resources into group activities, while offering memorable venues like the Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores,” said Crystal Coast Tourism Authority Executive Director Carol Lohr.
SOUTH CAROLINA
Optimism, inspired by significant growth, also defines the Palmetto State’s meetings outlook.
“While midweek hotel stays continue to set the market, we are recognizing an uptick in weekend business,” said Columbia, SC CVB Executive Director Jason Outman. “After a few down years, our SMERF market is resurgent, with the National Association of Minority Contractors among recent bookings. Looking ahead, we continue to position Columbia as an accessible and affordable location offering Southern hospitality, great restaurants and top-notch attractions.”
Charleston remains as irresistible as ever.
“Charleston’s many leisure accolades have also increased our visibility as a meetings destination,” said Linn Lesesne, chairman of the Charleston Area CVB Board of Governors. “With world-class manufacturers like Boeing and Volvo now calling Charleston home, and new air service to major markets making us even more accessible, it’s understandable why more companies and associations are choosing to meet in the Charleston area.”
Myrtle Beach is poised for unprecedented growth, with “Grand Strand 2020,” a five-year tourism initiative announced in May 2017, including such milestones as attracting 300,000 new group room nights. With key assets such as four-property Kingston Resorts, the largest and most comprehensive oceanfront conference venue between Atlantic City and West Palm Beach with versatile space for 2,000-plus guests, the destination is primed for success.
“We are on pace for a record-breaking year, with 15 percent growth over 2015 across all segments, including significant spikes in meetings, conventions and sports,” said Myrtle Beach Area CVB Director of Sales Kim DaRoja. “With sights set on ‘Grand Strand 2020,’ group sales are headed for 230,000-plus definite room nights in 2016, 300,000 annual definite room nights by 2020 and 1.3 million-plus definite room nights generated within the next four years, with an economic impact of more than $1 billion.”
Also bullish is Greenville, as the city expands its footprint of full-service hotels.
“With increasing one-hotel group events from the corporate and association segments, we have added staff to our team to help planners find the ideal home for their event,” said David Montgomery, VisitGreenvilleSC’s vice president of sales. “We are confident that our mix of world-class hotel brands and award-winning destination fills a unique niche in the region.”
Greenville presently offers 8,900-plus rooms within 10 miles of its award-winning downtown, with 48 national hotel brands representing all price points.
Hilton Head Island’s popularity reflects the renovation of every oceanfront resort property and private investment of more than $500 million in new restaurants, shopping areas and resorts over recent years.
“Our group market is doing well,” said Charlie Clark, vice president of communications for the Hilton Head Island Visitor & Convention Bureau. “Topping many lists these days, Hilton Head Island was just named the No. 1 island in the continental U.S. by readers of Travel + Leisure—which is also a great endorsement for meetings and groups.”
Excitement is building in Spartanburg, which hosts the South Carolina Governor’s Conference on Tourism & Travel in February 2017.
“We anticipate welcoming 500-plus conferees,” said Spartanburg CVB Executive Director Chris Jennings. “With downtown business booming, our farm-to-table food scene attracting attention, and developments such the 120-room AC Hotel with panoramic rooftop terrace coming in 2017, the outlook is good.”
