NC Tourism matching grants

From the North Carolina Division of Tourism, Film and Sports Development…

DIVISION NOW ACCEPTING MATCHING FUNDS GRANTS APPLICATIONS

The Division of Tourism, Film and Sports Development is accepting applications for the Tourism Matching Grants program until 5 p.m. on August 22.  An important part of the state’s marketing efforts, the matching funds program assists local communities and non-profit tourism organizations with local and regional tourism marketing and development projects.  For guidelines, detailed information on the matching funds program and to download an application, visit http://www.nccommerce.com/en/TourismServices/PromoteTravelAndTourismIndustry/GrantProgramsAndResources

Mainstreet podcast

Freddie Killough, Executive Director of the Marion Downtown Business Association and Bob Bamberg, Executive Director of the Alleghany County Chamber of Commerce, discussed the Main Street program of North Carolina in today’s monthly conference call.  Listen here: Main street managers.

Or, subscribe to the podcast.

NC STEP program training

I am presenting with Greta Lint at an NC Small Town Economic Prosperity (STEP) program training event.  Greta is giving a presentation titled “Using Tourism to Stimulate Your Town’s Economy,” including a marketing 101 segment.  My presentation, “Y-Web,” will touch on ways these communities can use technology to promote their towns.

The NC STEP program is sponsored by the North Carolina Rural Center to support small towns under 10,000 that are sturggling to overcome economic hardship through training, technological initiatives, and other strategies.

A Strategy for Attracting Tourists to Small Towns

The next Smallwander phone/webinar guest will be Tom Magnuson, President of the Trading Path Association. Tom will talk with us about how trails and other historical infrastructure can be used as a tool to attract tourists to small towns.

EVENT:  A Strategy for Attracting Tourists to Small Towns
DATE & TIME: Monday, April 28th at 10:00am Eastern
FORMAT: Simulcast! (Attend via Phone or Webcast — it’s your choice)
TO ATTEND THIS EVENT, CLICK THIS LINK NOW…
http://instantTeleseminar.com/?eventid=2696430

Preserving Small Towns

Check out Preserving Small Towns. Bill Lofquist is Professor of Sociology at the State University of New York (SUNY) Geneseo, a member of the Geneseo Village Board and a leader of Please Don’t Destroy Geneseo. Geneseo is a beautiful town in the Finger Lake region of New York.  Of course, I’m biased, having grown up in Albany. Here’s a great post on the full value of main street.

Trips to nearby places

With the rising price of gas, vacationers might decide to take a trip closer to home this year. Perhaps a they might like to visit a nearby small town, spending a few days in each town, while taking a circular route back home. Just a thought…

From the North Carolina Division of Tourism, Film and Sports Development:

ENERGY DEPT. EXPECTS SUMMER GASOLINE DEMAND TO FALL

U.S. summer gasoline demand will shrink for the first time since 1991 as skyrocketing pump prices and the wider economic malaise hit holiday plans, the U.S. Energy Information Administration forecast Tuesday. With some regions of the U.S. seen facing the shock of $4.00 a gallon gasoline this summer, fuel demand could contract 0.4% from 2007 as U.S. cars and gas-guzzling sport utility vehicles spend more time in driveways. Retail gas prices will peak near $3.60 a gallon in June, but prices at such lofty levels will make many Americans think twice about hitting the road this summer, the Energy Department said. To find out more, visit here and here.

Tracking by the Division of Tourism reveals that the average price per gallon of gas in North Carolina has increased 3.2 percent from one month ago and 20.7 percent from one year ago. In the metro regions of Raleigh/Durham/Chapel Hill, Charlotte, Asheville, Fayetteville, Greensboro/Winston-Salem/High Point, today (Wednesday) marks the highest recorded price for regular unleaded gasoline.

Nationally, the average price increased 3.8 percent from one month ago and 19.7 percent from one year ago. To find out more, visit here.

“Staycations” – Getting Away Without Going Away – Travel trend watchers said they are seeing a rise in the number of Americans opting for stay-at-home vacations, or “staycations,” and people who are either canceling their travel plans, postponing them till later in the year or opting to take fewer, shorter trips. For some families, it’s a matter of figuring out which trips are necessary – and which ones don’t fit into the budget. For others, financial concerns mean changing warm-weather traditions altogether. Though overarching economic concerns are also affecting travel plans, the increased cost of gasoline is cited by many as a key reason for scaling back. To find out more, visit here.