26th Annual National Travel and Tourism Week May 9-17, 2009
Join hundreds of cities, states and businesses nationwide in the annual salute to travel and tourism in America, presented by the U.S. Travel Association the week of May 9-17. National Travel and Tourism Week is a collective effort to promote the power of travel through customized events in communities nationwide.
Tourism in Johnston County generated $174 million in visitor spending in 2007 and supports 4,500 jobs in the county. The $13.1 million in state and local taxes provided by visitors saves residents of Johnston County approximately $245 in property taxes each year.
Outlet shopping may be the driving force behind the local visitor economy attracting over 9 million visitors to Carolina Premium Outlets and JR Outlets, however while shoppers are here, they also seek out other attractions and events to enhance their visit. Top visitor attractions in the county include the American Music Jubilee Theatre, Ava Gardner Museum, Howell Woods, Clemmons State Forest, Tobacco Farm Life Museum, Bentonville Battlefield and Hinnant Winery. Major festivals, antique shopping, agri-tourism and the performing arts add to the activities that attract visitors to the county, making Johnston County a diverse destination.
“With so many great reasons to visit Johnston County, we find there are niche markets for our Visitors Bureau to focus upon, and we are responding more and more to visitor’s individual motives for travel. “One size fits all marketing” does not do us justice, so we are branching out with social networking sites and blogs to attract more visitors to the county”, said Donna Bailey-Taylor, Executive Director of the Visitors Bureau.
On May 14 and 15, the Johnston County Visitors Bureau will travel to the NC Welcome Centers on I-95 to celebrate with the travel counselors that greet visitors all year long as they enter North Carolina. The Visitors Bureau will have tables, tents, food, and take several visitor industry partners to the welcome centers to talk to visitors, hand-out brochures and encourage them to stop, stay, shop and visit Johnston County this week and every visit they make along I-95.
“The welcome centers on I-95 are the most visited centers in the state, with over 3.5 million visitors seeking information and assistance from the state-staffed facility. These ambassadors of tourism are a treasure and provide a wealth of information for the state, tirelessly promoting not only the I-95 corridor but the entire state”, stated Bailey-Taylor. “We greatly appreciate all that they do year-round and we enjoy spending the day with them celebrating National Tourism Week”.
History of National Travel and Tourism Week
National Travel and Tourism Week was established as National Tourism Week in 1983 when the U.S. Congress passed a joint resolution designating the week to be celebrated in May 1984. In a White House ceremony, President Ronald Reagan signed a Presidential Proclamation urging citizens to observe the week with “the appropriate ceremonies and activities.” Industry leaders and public relations professionals from the major travel and tourism trade associations were the first volunteers to manage the annual event. By January 1986 industry leaders had formed a permanent full-time office at the U.S. Travel Association to sponsor the event and expand tourism awareness into year-round programs.
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Yay! Excited about my first trip going to the Virginia/NC Welcome Center tomorrow and giving out Ava Fans to all of the travelers up and down I-95!