Interview: Rebecca Bolton, General

Rebecca Bolton

General Manager Durham Convention Center

What is the Durham Convention Center’s approach to the return of in-person gatherings?

Certainly, the hybrid component will continue at least until the end of the year. This is especially true of conferences that draw people from further away, where people will have to fly in. Conventions are a long-lead sales closing process, so you might call me today about a conference we would be hosting in 2023 or 2024.

How will the virtual hybrid component be leveraged in a post-COVID world?

I think at first, the hybrid component was perceived as a little clunky, meaning that it was expensive and there were not many streamlined, user-friendly solutions. In contrast, people are now very comfortable with video chat platforms, jumping on Zoom or WebEx or Microsoft Teams. This component provides access to content for a wider range of participation and has been critical in maintaining momentum for many programs. However, I believe there will always be the necessity for people to meet face-to-face. There’s something about it that can’t be replaced. That said, I do think people will continue to use the hybrid component, particularly for events where it is important that people have a broader reach. I also think people’s sense of personal space has expanded; the six-foot rule has entered the collective psyche. We’ll continue to space people out.

Has your sector experienced staffing challenges?

This is a nationwide issue. In every conference call that I’m on, there’s conversation about staffing shortages. This is especially true for the fall, when conventions will pick up again in earnest. My colleagues in the sector have found ways to share staff through this shortage but, as we all get busier, resources will continue to tighten. When we get back to realistic conference volume, we anticipate an even greater shortage. We’re all doing our best to plan for that now. Thankfully, we’ve identified new ways to share resources through the process.

The Durham Performing Arts Center is the No. 1 performing arts organization in the Triangle area.

( ) until the unique aberration of the pandemic, Raleigh-Durham’s tourism and hospitality sector had been doing remarkably well: 2019 saw a 9.4% increase in food and beverage sales compared to 2018 and, over the last decade, food and beverage had increased by 107%.

Recovery Despite the massive blow from the pandemic, there are strong signs that the bleeding has stopped. While vaccination rates have stalled in many parts of the Southeast, the opening up of the economy (at least compared to spring 2020) has continued, with many events again running at full capacity. Also, of the conventions, meetings and group sporting events that were canceled during the initial months of the pandemic, 51 have been rescheduled for this year and are poised to add $37.1 million in economic impact. Experts look to 3Q21 as a potential full recovery in the Raleigh-Durham tourism sector, although pandemic uncertainty remains around the Delta variant.

For restaurants, the lack in traffic resulting from the absence of tourists and local customers was compounded by restrictions put in place by the state government: first, in the March 2020 initial frenzy, Gov. Roy Cooper banned all indoor patronage of eating and drinking establishments across the state, allowing only for takeout and delivery. This led to some dining establishments