Wake County Tourism Numbers Increase in January

Raleigh, NC - After a year of economic downtown and decline in travel figures across
the country, the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau has released January
2010 travel figures showing an increase in Occupancy and Tax Collection numbers.

Occupancy in Wake County hotels was 48 percent higher than last year's figure of 46
percent. These figures are also above the national average of 45.1 percent and North
Carolina's average of 40.2 percent. Tax collections also saw an increase of 2.7 percent,
when compared year-to-date calculations according to Smith Travel Research, an
industry research firm which tracks the hotel industry.

Major meetings and conventions held in the Raleigh area significantly impacted these
figures including: Big Rock Sports East, a national sports equipment dealer show, which
impacted 12 area hotels with 5,000 attendees yielding more than 4,600 room nights.
The National Agents Alliance Leadership Conference met at the Raleigh Convention
Center with more than 2,500 attendees generating nearly 1,800 hotel room-nights was
also a factor in the increased figures.

"According to data from Smith Travel Research and other credible industry sources, we
are beginning to see an up-swing in leisure and business travel," said Dennis Edwards,
president and CEO of the Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau. "The Raleigh
area positions itself as an affordable and accessible destination, making it the ideal
choice for a meeting or a leisure weekend."

Figures for February have not yet been released by Smith Travel Research but the
expectation is that Occupancy and Tax Collection numbers will continue to increase.