Currituck County’s Department of Travel & Tourism has been recognized by the Destination Marketing Association of North Carolina (DMANC), receiving two first-place awards.
The Destination Marketing Achievement Awards honor and showcase innovative, best practices, creativity and outstanding efforts in tourism marketing.
Currituck County’s Tourism Department was awarded a Platinum Award (First Place) in the Best Destination Marketing Initiative category. The Department also received and a Platinum Award in the Best Visitor’s Guide category. The awards were presented in the “large budget” division, meaning that the Currituck bureau competed against other North Carolina destinations such as Charlotte, Raleigh, and Durham.
Currituck’s Economic Boost Campaign won Best Destination Marketing Initiative. The promotion was conducted in response to concerns expressed by Currituck County accommodation providers that vacation rentals and hotel room bookings were down due to the poor economy. Tourism staff requested an additional $250,000 in advertising funds to directly market to potential visitors. The plan was presented and $300,000 in funds were approved in January 2009 by the Currituck Board of Commissioners, which also serves as the Tourism Development Authority.
The $300,000 was mostly used for online marketing such as e-blasts, travel directory listings, and an aggressive pay-per-click campaign. The Tourism Department also conducted a direct mail campaign and ran ads in several major newspapers in the area’s target market of the Mid-Atlantic region. Businesses were offered to participate in deeply discounted co-ops with the newspaper ads.
“The results of the additional funding were impressive,” said Diane Nordstrom, Tourism Director. “Comparing April 2008 to April 2009, hits to our website increased 439 percent. In addition, accommodation providers have expressed that the number of bookings for lodging have increased over this time.
“Winning this award from DMANC would not have been possible without the support of both the Tourism Advisory Board and the Board of Commissioners,” said Nordstrom. “We are fortunate in Currituck to have leaders that see the value of investing in tourism and support our marketing efforts.”
The 2009 Currituck Outer Banks Visitor’s Guide, which took first place in the Best Visitor’s Guide category, features activities and provides the tools visitors need to plan a trip to the area, including: accommodations, attractions, events, and other important visitor information. The Tourism Department had 200,000 copies printed of the guide.
The awards were presented at the DMANC annual awards banquet, held this week in Concord. There were 184 award entries from tourism departments/visitors bureaus across North Carolina; approximately 30 awards were presented. The judges were national and international tourism professionals including advertising agency representatives and marketing specialists.
Tourism staff members who were involved in the projects were: Diane Nordstrom, Director; Veronica Brown, Marketing Coordinator; and Irina Coccetti, Public Relations Coordinator.
If you plan on coming on visiting the Currituck Outer Banks for a week, long weekend or even just for a day, make sure you ask us how you can get your free memories. We offer memories that meet the needs of travelers of all ages. Just ask little Jimmy, who recently built a sand castle with his dad…..or Aunt Millie who spent hours searching for shells on the beaches of Corolla. Check out other ways to save with our eco-friendly activities. It is not everyday that you can get something for free, so start collecting those memories today and feel free to share some with us!
When one thinks of the Outer Banks as a potential vacation destination, the possibilities may seem endless. Between trips to the beach, landmarks like the Whalehead Club and the Currituck Lighthouse, and sightseeing for wild mustangs, one would expect a full itinerary. Yet, if the family is up for a bit of adventure, you may want to consider another activity that not only takes you to some of the most beautiful areas of the North Carolina shore, but is practically free. This summer, why not go “letterboxing”?
What is Letterboxing?
Letterboxing is an outdoor game of sorts – a treasure hunt that may involve deciphering clues and a bit of orienteering to reach the goal. The “treasure” in question is usually a box (most times plastic and water-tight) containing a rubber stamp, maybe some stickers or other small items for hunters to enjoy. The idea behind letterboxing is to find the box and enclosed stamp to imprint the design in a notebook. Hunters with personal rubber stamps acknowledge finding the “treasure” by stamping and signing a guestbook found in the box. The practice of letterboxing is similar to “geocaching” but does not necessarily require use of a GPS system to find boxes.
Who can go Letterboxing?
Letterboxing is a very family-friendly activity, a perfect way to spend a morning, especially when on vacation in the Outer Banks. You have the opportunity to come away with a unique souvenir of the area, and keeping a scrapbook of your stamps allows you to add pictures of the scenery to enhance the memories of your visit. Anybody with a yen for outdoor exploration and figuring out clues will enjoy this hobby.
Where to find Letterboxes
Enthusiasts may create and hide letterboxes in a variety of places: parks, attractions, beaches, and even urban areas. An Internet search for letterbox locations (Atlasquest and Letterboxing.org are two of the prime sites for collecting clues on whereabouts) will guide you to where you need to go.
In the Outer Banks area, for example, one may find special treasures on Knotts Island, in Coinjock near the famous Gravedigger attraction, and in Corolla, where several stamps celebrating the Wright Brothers’ flight and Outer Banks horses are waiting for new discoverers. If you want exact locations, however, you’ll have to try the aforementioned websites for clues.
The Rules of Letterboxing
Two things to know before you embark on a letterboxing adventure:
Be Discreet! Many boxes are hidden in high traffic area, especially in a region popular for tourists like the Outer Banks. It is advised when you find the box and collect your stamp, to return the box carefully and try not to attract too much attention. Boxes are sometimes at risk for being stolen and lost if not handled properly.
Secondly, have fun! Letterboxing provides a great opportunity to explore the beaches of Currituck and enjoy the companionship of fellow treasure hunters.
Okay, here’s a hint for you if you’re interested. Check out this list of available Outer Banks letterboxes. Happy hunting!
Kathryn Lively is a freelance writer specializing in articles on the Outer Banks.
Friends and families were in high spirits Friday night at the annual Relay for Life all-night-long cancer walk around Currituck County High School track.
After the luminary ceremony, a portion of RFL that honors and remembers cancer survivors and the fallen, a special concert was held in the gymnasium where American Idol Season Six contestant Chris Richardson was invited to serenade a screaming room of cancer attendees.
While it is never a pleasant thing to talk about, hurricane season is once again upon us. The season usually runs from June 1 until November 30 and this year, the prediction is for 12 named storms, 6 of which will reach hurricane status. In order to become a Category 1 hurricane, the storm must have sustained winds of at least 74 mph. If you are planning on coming to visit us this summer, the chances of your vacation getting interrupted by a hurricane are relatively low, however it does happen. Be sure to check with your realty company for information regarding evacuation procedures and purchasing trip insurance.
It is funny how a hurricane can mean different things to different people. As mentioned above…a hurricane can put a dent in your vacation plans, but for surfers, it means the possibility of world class surfing on the Outer Banks. Ideally, the storm will hover just off the coast and push in huge swell with offshore winds. Surfers from all over the world will be drawn to our beaches to test their skills.
Bottom line…keep an eye on any storm that surfaces in the Atlantic. Pay attention to the warnings and advice issued from local safety personel and the news. We want you to have a great time while visiting our area and we also want you and your family to be safe. We look forward to seeing you this summer…rain, wind, or shine!
The 45th North Carolina Open will be held at Kilmarlic Golf Club in Powells Point on North Carolina’s beautiful Outer Banks June 2-4 2009. Professionals and amateurs from both North and South Carolina will participate in what most consider to be the premier event of the year. Kilmarlic maintains it’s tour-quality condition for this top-notch competition which has featured past champions such as, North Carolina golf great E. Harvie Ward and current Senior Tour Player Bob Boyd.
You can join the professionals and see how your game “stacks up” in a 1 day Pro-Am on Monday, June 1, 2009 or feel free to just come out and watch the field for what is sure to be the best competition this area has seen on one of the best golf courses on the Outer Banks. For more information:
