Welcome...to
the October issue of Pulse, the official newsletter of the
Greater Raleigh Convention and Visitors Bureau. If you have questions,
or would like to be included in the November edition of Pulse,
please contact Ryan Smith at rsmith@visitRaleigh.com
In this issue...
Mark Your Calendars | A Whole Lotta Good Deals | On the Road Again | ’Tis the Season | Smarter All Around | Sports Season | “Celebration Central” Opens | Visitors Guide
Mark
Your Calendars
Do you ever ask yourself “What is a CVB,
and what can they really do to help my business grow?” If so, then make
sure to RSVP for the Bureau’s Quarterly Marketing Update being held
November 16 at Chatham Hill Winery. The program will focus on marketing
and co-op programs, sales initiatives, tradeshow opportunities and public
relations programs. Times and specific information will be announced
in the following weeks. For more information or to RSVP, email Charissa
Todd, ctodd@visitraleigh.com.
The Bureau’s successful Community Hospitality Partnership (CHP) training class is back! The class, facilitated in partnership with Wake Technical Community College, focuses on customer service training for front-line employees of hotels, restaurants, attractions and other hospitality related businesses. The hands-on training course will take place November 16 at 9am at the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences. The official invitation with registration cost and information will be emailed in the next few weeks. For more information contact Julie Brakenbury, jbrakenbury@visitraleigh.com.
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A
Whole Lotta Good Deals
The Bureau has created a special page on visitRaleigh.com
to assist visitors in finding special rates and available hotels in
Wake County during the N.C. State Fair, October 15-25. The N.C. State
Fair is the largest annual event in North Carolina and attracts more
than 850,000 attendees during its 10 days of food and fun. Click
here for more information on N.C. State Fair packages.
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On
the Road Again
Director of Communications Ryan Smith is attending
the Society of American Travel Writers annual conference in Guadalajara,
Mexico, October 8-12, where she will meet one-on-one with travel writers,
editors and photographers to pitch Raleigh area story ideas.
Greater Raleigh will be represented at the TEAMS national convention in New Orleans, Oct. 13-16. Members of the Bureau’s Sports Marketing department, in partnership with the N.C. Sports Association, will have the opportunity to meet with dozens of sports event owners and rights-holders who represent potential future business for Greater Raleigh.
Being on the road doesn’t have to mean leaving Greater Raleigh. The Bureau’s Convention Sales team is hosting a “Third-Party Familiarization Trip” during Raleigh Wide Open 4, October 24. Six regional meeting and convention planners will visit unique venues, area hotels and experience “Celebration Central” during the official opening of City Plaza.
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’Tis
the Season
It’s hard to believe the holidays are right around the corner, and the Bureau is getting ready by compiling events, giveaways, special packages and promotions. If your organization or hotel is offering special rates, incentives or packages during the holiday season (November – January), please email Charissa Todd, ctodd@visitraleigh.com.
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Smarter
All Around
Smart is one of the attributes that the Bureau uses in describing Greater Raleigh… and for good reason. The U.S. Census Bureau and Triangle Business Journal recently ranked the Raleigh-Durham-Cary area as third in the country for percent of residents with college degrees. With 40 percent of the population holding at least one degree from a four-year institution of higher learning, the Triangle ranks behind only No. 1 Washington-Baltimore-Northern Virginia at 42 percent and No. 2 San Jose-San Francisco-Oakland at 41 percent. Click here for a full list of area accolades.
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Sports
Season
Are you the #1 fan of the area’s professional
sports teams, a devoted rec parent or a seasoned competitor? No matter
how sports fit into your life, the Raleigh area is on sports overload
in October. Highlights include: Great American Cross Country Festival
(Oct. 2-3), Bullfrog USTA Southern Section tennis (Oct. 2-4), N.C. High
School Women's Tennis Championships (Oct. 23-24) and ACC Cross Country
Championships (Oct. 31). And, of course, the Hurricanes opened their
NHL season this month. Plus the City of Oaks Marathon is right around
the corner, set for Nov. 1. Check out the Greater
Raleigh Sports Calendar for all details and
the full schedule.
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“Celebration
Central” Opens
After months of construction and anticipation from the entire Raleigh community, City Plaza officially opens on October 24 during Raleigh Wide Open 4. The outdoor space, located on Fayetteville Street, will welcome visitors and residents with interactive light and water features, public gathering spaces and four retail and food establishments including: Jimmy John’s Gourmet Sandwiches, The Collector’s Gallery and Krispy Kreme Donuts. City Plaza will also be used for events including farmer’s markets, outdoor concerts, cultural performances and corporate events.
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Visitors
Guide
S&A Cherokee, a full-service communications and marketing firm based in Cary, has been selected by the Bureau to produce the Official Visitors Guide to Raleigh and Wake County through 2013. Advertising sales have begun for the next guide coming out mid-2010, and information is available at visitRaleigh.com/partners/ or by calling S&A Cherokee’s Kris Schultz at 919.674.6020.
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