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PositionTravel/Tourism - Travel industry has positive financial results in North Carolina

Unlike most sectors of the Tar Heel economy, tourism thrived in 2002. From the mountains to the sea, many of the state's top attractions reported record years. Lynn Minges, director of the state's Division of Tourism, Film and Sports Development, says complete figures for the year won't be available until spring, but she expects they will show the number of tourists increased 10%. "2002, much to our delight, has been a good year for tourism in North Carolina, even with the softening economy and lingering worries about terrorism."

She adds that the good fortune was spread around. "All the leisure destinations have had good years. It's because more people are taking driving trips, staying closer to home." That's what the division had in mind in late 2001 when it launched its "Discover the State You're In" promotion, aimed at North Carolina residents.

Tourists from outside the state also have turned up in big numbers, she says. "We are centrally located on the East Coast, so we can tap into a number of metro markets. They come from Georgia, Tennessee, Virginia, Washington, D.C. Folks have chosen to come to North Carolina because it's perceived to be a safe destination."

Safety counts, especially at the beaches, where a fatal shark attack at the tail end of the 2001 summer season had industry officials worried about its effect on 2002. "It was a good season," says Carolyn McCormick, executive director of the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau. "We're looking at closing the calendar year about 9% above last year, which was also a great year."

McCormick says the increases were gratifying in light of the worldwide economic slowdown. "We continued to be blessed with visitation that for the last five years has hovered around double-digit increases. In September, we actually felt 28% growth in occupancy." The bureau has focused on trying to improve off-season rentals.

The Biltmore Estate in Asheville also attracted more tourists, says Chris Cavanaugh, vice president of marketing. "Our ticket sales are up about 5% through November. We've seen a real increase in visitors from farther out. Our guests are much more willing to drive farther, from places like Ohio, Florida, Texas and the Northeast."

One reason, he says, is continued fallout from the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001. "In many cases, travelers are still avoiding the airlines. They're more willing to drive to do and see things they've not seen before." In many cases, they've already visited...

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