May 2009

Division of Tourism, Film and Sports Development

New Harmonies: Celebrating American Roots Music

2008 ECONOMIC IMPACT

Generates more than $16.8 billion in annual revenue

Produces more than $1.38 billion in state and local taxes

Employs more than 190,500 North Carolinians

The mission of the Tourism Development Program is to support sustainable efforts to protect, preserve and promote the state’s natural, historic and cultural resources.

Development Officers serve as liaisons with local communities to develop tourism across the state.

Authenticity

Travelers are looking for the real experiences.

Sincerity is crucial.

With social networks, blogs , texting and other means of new “word-of-mouth” communication tools, a bad experience leads to a near-instant death

Heritage and Cultural Tourism Themes

Highway Corridors

• Work with NCDOT program to promote Scenic Byways

• Work with NCDOT on promoting historic markers across the state (History on a Stick)

• Highways 17, 158, 95, 85, 70, 26, 77, 40, 64, etc.

African-American History

• Underground Railroad

• Rosenwald Schools

• Civil Rights

• Historically Black Colleges & Universities

Native American History

• Cherokee Trail of Tears

• Meaning behind Native American county names (Pasquotank, Perquimans, Chowan, Catawba, Cherokee, Alleghany)

Pre-Colonial/Colonial

• First settlers (Lost Colony)

• Colonial capitals/governments

Civil War and Other Military

• Revolutionary War

• World War II

• Military Branches (Army, Marines, Air Force, Coast Guard)

Motorsports/Sports

• NASCAR (StatewideMoonshine Trail)

• Dirt Tracks

• Drag Strips

Waterways

• Paddle Trails

• Fishing

• Boating

• Lighthouses

Industrial

• Textile Industry (Norma Rae)

• Boat-building

• Bio-technology (Research Triangle Park)

Aviation

• Wright Brothers

• Blimps

• Military Aviation

Buckhorn Baptist Church, Hertford County

Religion

• Statewide Historic Church Trail

Arts & Culture

• Work with NC Cultural Resources

• Local music

• Local artisans

Agriculture/Winemaking/Distilled Spirits

• Sir Walter Raleigh

• Growth of vineyards and wineries

Ghost Lore

• Ghost stories and events

Ghost Walk in New Bern

Food

• Seafood

• BBQ

• Eateries/Restaurants

• Culinary excursions along corridors

Environmental• New heritage environmentally

sustainable initiatives• Melding the past with the future

Cultural Economic Impact

North Carolina’s Creative Economy is responsible for providing 159,000 jobs statewide and $3.9 billion in payroll, according to the NC Dept. of Cultural Resources

The economic impact from the arts and cultural industry is estimated to be $743 million, according to the NC Dept. of Cultural Resources

Heritage Economic Impact

Rural sightseeing 14.0%Beach 13.0%State/National Park 8.7%Urban sightseeing 6.9%Historic sites/churches 6.5%Museums 5.0%Wildlife viewing 5.0%Fishing 4.7%Old homes/mansions 3.9%Special events/festivals 3.9%Hiking/backpacking 3.5%Gardens 3.2%Nature travel/ecotouring 2.7%

Total: 81%

Cultural Economic Impact

Fine dining 13.0%Museums 5.0%Gardens 3.2%Art galleries 2.5%Wineries 2.5%

Total: 26.5%

Site Schedule 2010

Mount Airy Museum of Regional History (March-April)

Warren County Memorial Library in Warrenton (May-June)

The Museum of the Albemarle in Elizabeth City (June-July)

The Arts Council of Wayne County in Goldsboro (August-September)

Mars Hill College Museum of Rural Life (September-November)

The Don Gibson Theater in Shelby (November-January)

MoMS Featured Music

Appalachian GospelBluegrass PolkaBlues SacredCajun SixtiesCountry

Spiritual

MoMS Examples of Artifacts

LP Covers HymnalsHarmonicas Spoons

Rub Board Accordion

Panel replicas of art, photos, sheet music

Assorted ephemera: pamphlets, posters

Assorted flutes, rattles, and drums

Assorted string instruments: mandolin, fiddle, dulcimer, guitar, banjo

CROSS PROMOTIONAL OPPORTUNITIESHeritage and Cultural Tourism ThemesBlue Ridge Parkway 75th

New Bern 300th

Civil War 150th

Involve local communities by tapping into local product• Local websites• Local media• Local visitors bureaus

LOCAL COUNTY CONTACTS

Mt. Airy: Jessica Icenhour Greater Mt. Airy Chamber of Commerce

Elizabeth City: Charlotte Underwood Elizabeth City Area Convention & Visitors Bureau

Warrenton:Toni Haavisto Warren County Chamber of Commerce

Goldsboro: Betsy Roseman Goldsboro-Wayne County Tourism

Mars Hill: Lila Nikila Madison County Tourism Development Officer

Shelby: Jackie Sibley Cleveland County Chamber of Commerce

Utilize the resources at the NC Division of Tourism, Film & Sports Development

• 9 Welcome Centers

• Partnerships and collaborations along highway corridors with themed motorcoach itineraries

• Themed itineraries for international travelers

• Cooperative marketing and public relations campaigns with NC Division of Tourism

• VisitNC.com downloadable brochures, itineraries and journeys

nccommerce.com/tourism