GOING COASTAL: Expanded marketing benefits New Hanover.

New Hanover is the second smallest of North Carolina's 100 counties at 191.53 square miles But the area, which includes Wilmington, along the state's southern coast ranked seventh in visitor spending in 2022. Domestic and international visitors spent more than a million in 2022, which represents a 13.9% increase from 2021.

Three new marketing strategies aim to keep the momentum as tourism officials want visitors to know they have friends in small places.

The Wilmington and Beaches Convention and Visitors Bureau's Mobile Trip Guide and its Ambassador course help direct tourists to local attractions. Its out-of-state paid media campaign uses funds to target markets through a media plan using a testing scenario, according to CVB communications and public relations director Connie Nelson.

The Mobile Trip Guide allows visitors to scan a QR code and go to a website that gives them needed info. The three-hour ambassador course is free to tourism industry employees and residents who want to enhance their knowledge of the whole region to advise visitors.

CVB President and CEO Kim Hufham explains how they are testing travel from specific areas.

"We selected six key markets with lower awareness--this includes five out-of-state markets and one Western

N.C. market--to receive a 'heavy up' approach of media support above the unified base media plan we do annually that also includes in-state and out-of-state targeting," says Hufham.

These 'heavy-up' or 'variable' markets were paired with 'control' markets of a similar profile, population size and location/distance from Wilmington.

A Destination Analysis Study will measure media metrics such as click-through rates to banners (of websites), website traffic and visitor guide downloads.

In its first six months, the out-of-state campaign showed a 20% increase from 2021 in the distances visitors travel for overnight trips, at a 350-mile average. Out-of-state versus in-state travel for overnights originating from four designated marketing areas was dose to 2021 (61.1 % versus 60.6%). Out-of-state visitation dropped slightly from 2021 (37.7%) to 2022 (37.1%).

"It is still too early to truly see significant shift, however, the increase in miles traveled for overnight trips is the best indicator we are seeing the needle move," Hufham says.

New Hanover's CVB also has completed a partnership with Wilmington International Airport.

"The CVB completed several inbound marketing campaigns with Avelo Airlines and Sun Country to promote visitation to the area," Hufham says. "The airport visitor information desk features the new Mobile Trip Guide through promoting its QR code to better serve visitors while in market. In FY23-24 the CVB will continue to support new air service as awarded with...