Harbor of Hospitality Toolkit ®
Empowering local businesses to be inclusive ambassadors of our community and nurture a positive business to consumer relationship.
Who We Are
The Elizabeth City-Pasquotank County Tourism Development Authority (TDA) is a North Carolina Public Authority under the Local Government Budget and Fiscal Control Act. The official name of the Authority is the Elizabeth City-Pasquotank County Tourism Development Authority doing business as Visit Elizabeth City, the region’s Destination Management Organization. We’re responsible for promoting the City & County through branding campaigns, media relations and high-quality product development, ensuring strong ROI for money spent on projects that meet our overall objectives. In addition to our daily efforts to bring more visitors to the destination, Visit Elizabeth City also works to make our travel economy more sustainable and enjoyable for visitors for years to come.
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How to Work With Us
Communication is key! Our job is essentially to tell the story of our community and encourage people to come visit, experience our businesses and ultimately, spend the night. You can leverage our efforts and marketing dollars by: • Liking/Following and interacting with us on social media @VisitECity and use #VisitECity to leverage our 20,000+ social media following • Liking/Following our partner Facebook page, @ECTourismPartners for tourism updates and free marketing opportunities • Sending event info at least two weeks prior to the event date so that we can: 1. Add your event to VisitElizabethCity.com/Events 2. Promote the event via our consumer email to about 12,000 subscribers 3. Schedule posts on social media to promote the event • Subscribing to our Tourism Partners Email for tourism updates, marketing opportunities and more • Keeping us in the loop on what’s new with your business ie. new menu items, product launches, events, photos, etc. by emailing us!
Your mVE!C Tea
Corrina, Executive Director | Corrina@VisitElizabethCity.com Susan, Administrative Assistant | Susan@VisitElizabethCity.com Tiffany, Event Specialist | Tiffany@VisitElizabethCity.com Bre, Marketing & Communications Specialist | Breanna@VisitElizabethCity.com
Visitor Info Welcome Center
Fishing
Information Kiosk
Fishing Licenses can be Purchased at
Visit Elizabeth City 501 S. Water Street
Anywhere along the public waterfront! Ages 16+ must have Coastal Recreational Fishing License
Mariners’ Wharf 202 S. Water Street
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Public Restrooms
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Mariners’ Wharf Welcome Center
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During Museum of the Albemarle operating hours only
Boater Information
Main Attractions • • •
Docking • Mariners’ Wharf • Waterfront Park • Jeannette Brothers • Mid-Atlantic Christian University
Arts of the Albemarle 516 E. Main Street Museum of the Albemarle 501 S. Water Street Port Discover 611 E. Main Street
Showers & Public Restrooms • Mariners’ Wharf
Educational Institutions • • •
Shower code can be purchased at Welcome Center for $5
College of The Albemarle 1208 N. Road Street Elizabeth City State University 1704 Weeksville Road Mid-Atlantic Christian University 715 N. Poindexter Street
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Public restrooms also in Welcome Center during regular operating hours
For more boater info go to: VisitElizabethCity.com/Play/Outdoor-Fun/Boating
Offices/Services •
Historic Trails •
Historic District Walking Guides
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Aviation Trail Civil War Markers
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Physical brochures available at Welcome Center
Distances from E-City
PGF Archey & Outdoors 1313 D N. Road Street River City Bait & Tackle 1367 US Highway Walmart Supercenter 101 Tanglewood Parkway Weeksville Grocery 1109 Salem Church Rd
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Outer Banks - 50 miles Norfolk Int. Airport - 46 miles Raleigh-Durham Int. Airport - 179 miles
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City of Elizabeth City Municipal Building 306 E. Colonial Avenue Pasquotank County Offices 206 E. Main Street U.S. Coast Guard Base 1664 Weeksville Road Public Library 100 E. Colonial Avenue Sentara Albemarle Hospital 1144 N. Road Street Urgent Care 615 S. Hughes Blvd
VisitElizabethCity.com 252-335-5330
All Are Welcome Here
This is a checklist for inclusive and welcoming experiences in Elizabeth City. This list is based on the best practices shared in Visit Elizabeth City's course Welcome Here. Watch the training video by scanning the QR code here:
Welcoming Environmental Experiences
Music: If music is played it should represent multiple genres, i.e., country, jazz, R&B, pop, classic rock, Latin, classical, etc. Décor and Imagery: Art such as prints and posters should be multicultural, featuring diverse people and experiences that highlight a variety of ethnicities, ages, sexual identities, etc. This applies to on-site décor and marketing images. Avoid political propaganda such as candidate campaign banners and swag. These signs are perceived as some are welcome and others are not. Special Events: Appeal to a variety of customer segments and interests, i.e., college night, trivia contests, first responder appreciation, monthly heritage celebrations, etc.
Welcoming Staff Experiences
Visitors whose communities experience patterns of exclusion prioritize safety and belonging in travel decisions. 80% of diverse leisure travelers chose destinations based on the "friendly" factor. Because diverse travelers are more likely to have experienced patterns of exclusion when visiting other establishments, overcoming those perceptions instead of confirming them is vital. One of the most powerful messages of inclusion begins with eye contact, a smile, and a welcoming greeting.
"Hello, we're glad you're here." "Hi, thanks for coming in." "We're happy that you came to our establishment." These simple gestures can overcome diverse travelers' fears and concerns about belonging in your establishment. Be Proactive in Communicating Any Potential Issues with Service: For example, let's imagine we work in a busy, short-staffed restaurant, and your patrons are seated in a subpar location. Let them know that the restaurant is busy and there may be longer waiting times. Also, there's only one table currently available, but if they choose to wait, you can seat them in a better location. Diversify Front Line Staff: To determine if an establishment is diversity-friendly, visitors look for people who look like them as confirmation that they're welcome there. Be mindful about staffing a diverse team of frontline staff.
Helpful Hints for Cultural Awareness The following guidelines are helpful when communicating to visitors for whom English is not their first language. • Do not raise your voice and repeat the same message. Non-English speaking visitors do not have a hearing problem, they are just experiencing a language barrier. • Use simple words, paraphrasing and illustrations. • Read the signals on your visitor’s face. A frown or a shake of the head will often indicate confusion and lack of understanding. • Make one point at a time, one sentence at a time. • Over punctuate with pauses and full stops. • Keep your voice calm and do not speak too quickly. Be careful not to speak too slowly though, it can be patronizing. • Avoid contractions and abbreviations. Say “we will” instead of “we’ll.” The English language is full of complexities that are hard for someone just learning to speak it. • Compliment them and be prepared to help. • Americans often sound, “T’s” like “D’s” and can cause confusion with numbers and directions. Speak very clearly. • Treat everyone respectfully! our goal is a satisfied visitor. We want everyone to have an enjoyable visit.
Helpful Web Pages VisitElizabethCity.com is a great resource for both visitors and locals to learn more about the area. From places to stay to shopping and dining, here are a few of our top requested web pages with easy-to-use QR codes.
Event s Ca lend ar
P laces to Stay
D i n ing
Shop
Thing s to D o
P laygrounds/ Splas hpads
H a r b or Ca m L i ve Fe e d
Fun Facts • The Wright Brothers made several trips to Elizabeth City for supplies and goods prior to their historic First Flight in December 1903. • The Pasquotank River served as part of an escape route for freedom seekers hiding on vessels traveling north to free territory or to the West Indies. In 2004, the Pasquotank River was the first river in the nation to receive an Underground Railroad Network designation. • Founded as the town of Redding, legend has it that in 1801 Elizabeth City was renamed after tavern owner, Elizabeth “Betsy” Tooley. • Over 1,000 pounds worth of free French fries are given away each year at the North Carolina Potato Festival. • The brown “sweet tea water” of the Pasquotank River is caused by the tannins of the cypress trees and is believed to be medicinal. • During World War II, Roosevelt and Stalin established the top-secret mission “Project Zebra” to train 300 Soviet Airmen in America. This training took place right here in Elizabeth City. Information about this top-secret mission finally became public in 2012. • Elizabeth City is the 20th designated Coast Guard City and the home of the only sanctioned foot race of the United States Coast Guard, the Coast Guard Marathon, Half Marathon, and 5K. • Luther “Wimpy” Lassiter, one of the best billiard players of all time, honed his skills in the former City Billiards hall in downtown Elizabeth City. • According to the 2018 census, Elizabeth City currently has a diverse community of approximately 18,631 residents with 41.2% white, 51.4% black, and 7.4% Hispanic or Latino.
Harbor of Hospitality Toolkit ®
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www.VisitElizabethCity.com/About/Hospitality-Toolkit