Thurs., Aug. 22, 2024
A.J. Fletcher Opera Theater at Martin Marietta Center for the Performing Arts
Networking and light breakfast: 9-10am
Program: 10-11am

As the official destination marketing organization for Wake County, GRCVB is here to utilize our visitation data and partnerships with industry research leaders to answer big-picture questions such as, “What factors are affecting visitation to Wake County, what does Wake County need to do to grow visitation sustainably, who is traveling to Wake County and why?”

Ultimately, answers to these types of questions inform business and marketing decisions for the entire county that will continue to help grow visitation. Data and research inform Bureau sales and marketing decisions, our own recommendations to the community for destination development and more.

At this Annual Meeting, we want to share some of this data. We will be joined by Amir Eylon, president and CEO, partner, of leading travel research agency Longwoods International, who will outline recent consumer travel trends and also brand-new Wake County visitor profile data. Our hope is that our partners and stakeholders will be able to use this information to better inform their own upcoming business development or marketing decisions, so we can tap more into Wake County's $3 billion visitor market already being attracted into our own backyard.

With all the new developments ahead and the momentum we’ve built together to make Raleigh, N.C., an even more attractive place to visit, the seeds have been planted to further use our combined resources to advance this wonderful destination. Ready. Set. Grow!

Tickets are $40 each and can purchased online by Thurs., Aug. 8, 2024.

A light breakfast including fruits, parfaits, pastries, muffins and breakfast burritos will be available beginning at 9am in the theater lobby. Please plan to arrive then to enjoy the meal as well as to catch up with your hospitality colleagues from around the county. (Vegan and gluten-free options will be available.)

This year's memorial and leadership awards will be presented to:

Thad Eure Jr. Memorial Award: Dr. Lindsay Zanno began working on bringing the Dueling Dinosaurs fossils to the N.C. Museum of Natural Sciences eight years ago, visiting the dig site in Montana, coordinating the move to Raleigh, fundraising and guiding design efforts until construction was complete for a globally unique combination of high-tech research lab and dynamic exhibit space. Her vision and passion to execute the project have helped build awareness of the museum and Raleigh, N.C., worldwide, setting the stage to draw hundreds of thousands of visitors.

John B. Ross Jr. Leadership Award: In 2017 Lindsay Wrege and Michael Evans founded 321 Coffee, a coffee shop and roaster built on inclusion. Today, the company has five shops, partners with hundreds of businesses and employs over 50 individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Their mission has opened more doors for this historically underserved population to find quality jobs, and they are shining leaders in efforts to make Wake County’s hospitality industry even more inclusive. With their Raleigh locations, 321 Coffee exemplifies the destination’s welcoming spirit.

Again this year, GRCVB will provide support to a worthy Wake County nonprofit organization. This year, $5 from each ticket will be designated for Oak City Cares, a hub for connecting individuals and families—who are at risk of or are experiencing homelessness—to coordinated services that create a path to stable housing and renewed hope.

If you need to request any special accommodation, please let us know at ablair@visitRaleigh.com.