Tourism Talk blog

New year, new channel. Today we're sharing the first "Tourism Talk: The Podcast," what we hope will be a regular part of the Tourism Talk lineup. In this inaugural edition, GRCVB executive vice president Loren J. Gold reports on North Carolina's recent esports tax incentive...

GRCVB and the North Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association (NCRLA) hosted a digital briefing on Dec. 15, 2021. In addition to updates from both organizations, callers heard from Ben Ellsworth, founder of Gigpro, an application that helps hospitality employers find shift employees quickly.

For many of you, this will be a reintroduction to Jessica because you already know her from her eight years at GRCVB. Jessica Holt was recently promoted from a manager role to director of GRCVB's Public Relations and International Tourism Department. She's a shining example of a crop of...

The Wake County Board of Commissioners allocated $2.67 million of their American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to the GRCVB in late summer 2021, which was included in our 2021-2022 fiscal-year budget and business plan. These funds brought our budget back to nearly pre-COVID levels and put us in a

One reason millions of visitors come to North Carolina is for its natural beauty as seen from scenic roadways. Unfortunately, we are still facing challenges with litter along our interstates, freeways and many of our local and state roads. We all know that litter is unsightly, it damages our

It is always gratifying to receive awards for the work you do. That way, you know someone is noticing and perhaps the effort you have put into a product or project has been valuable to someone. It seems a little more special and even more humbling when the work you have done during extraordinary

Many of you are acquainted with Scott Peacock, who has served as GRCVB's director of public relations and international tourism since 2016. Scott is a consummate professional and has helped the Bureau and all of its partners achieve greater levels of recognition through his work with the media...

Like most industries, the CVB industry has evolved tremendously since its formation. Unlike some industries, though, individual CVBs almost always have collaborated and had a strong industry association (now called Destinations International, est. 1915) that helps to shape evolution of the business.

GRCVB’s 2020-2021 Annual Report has been released, and the online report includes summaries from each of the Bureau’s departments (Sales, Destination Services, Marketing and Communications, Public Relations and International Tourism, Sports Marketing, Administration and Marketing...

GRCVB hosted its first hybrid Annual Meeting on Thurs., Aug. 19, 2021, virtually and in A.J. Fletcher Opera Theater at Duke Energy Center for the Performing Arts. Here’s a summary of the meeting... Wake County welcomed 12.9 million visitors in 2020, which was a decrease of 29% from 2019....