Public Relations & Communications

The Visitors Bureau hosted and/or provided press materials to 22 travel writers and editors representing international, national and regional media visiting Orange County. The communications director hosted 10 writers, bloggers and digital influencers in direct multi-day press trips. Communications staff attended and/or provided destination materials and story ideas at four regional and national media missions pitching stories directly to 80 media members.

AWARDS

Tv he Visitors Bureau received one Bronze Award in the 2018 NATJA Travel Media Awards Competition. The 2018-2019 Orange County, NC Neighborhoods Guide was recognized by the North American Travel Journalists Association. The Bureau received two Gold Destination Marketing Achievement Awards at the 2019 NC Tourism Leadership Conference hosted by the North Carolina Travel Industry Association. In the Leisure Marketing category, the Taste of the South magazine July-August 2018 story, “Where the Locals Love to Eat,” highlighting Chapel Hill’s Dining Scene was recognized. In the Meetings and

Conventions Marketing category, the first-time FAM Tour for Independent Meeting Planners coordinated by the bureau’s sales department was awarded.

Additionally, Chapel Hill’s Scott Maitland, proprietor of Top of the Hill, was honored with the NCTIA Tourism Excellence Award for Business. This award recognizes outstanding contributions to the development of the travel Industry in North Carolina. The Bureau nominated Maitland for his role in the hospitality and tourism industry and his championing the Brunch Bill legislation and his work on ABC reform legislation.

65,562 pieces of printed materials were distributed during 2018-19

34 blog stories posted on website

191 journalists directly assisted on their Orange County stories during the year

320 Orange County editorial stories appeared

12 press releases sent