Check out what's happening in the NewQuestCity Forums for North Carolina .

Beat the January Blahs: Go to VisitNC.com and Enter To Win Two Weeklong Vacation Escapes
01/05/2012

Images of New Bern and Blue Ridge Parkway available at http://www.ncpix.com/ Raleigh, NC   – Looking for a free change of scenery as you pay off those holiday credit cards? Consider entering the two new sweepstakes offered by the North Carolina Division of Tourism. To enter, go to www.VisitNC.com/sweeps . The trips are being offered in honor of the 75th anniversary of the Blue...

---

New 2010 North Carolina Travel Guide Is Free; Available Now
01/05/2012

Plan your next trip! The helpful magazine with highway map showcases the Blue Ridge Parkway and New Bern’s 300th. Cover images available for immediate download at http://media.visitnc.com/?page=north-carolina RALEIGH, N.C. – The North Carolina Division of Tourism, Film and Sports Development today unveiled its official 2010 North Carolina Travel Guide. For the first time...

---

North Carolina’s Ski and Snow Season Kicks Off With New Winter Zip Line, Anniversary Festivities and a Return to Oz
01/05/2012

High Country Resorts Are Accessible Through Several Routes Despite U.S. 321 Detour RALEIGH, NC - North Carolina’s ski season hits full steam this weekend as all the state’s ski and tubing attractions are open. The resorts feature several new activities and special deals. Visitors traveling to North Carolina’s High Country resorts near Boone are reminded that these areas...

---

North Carolina Fall Color Reports Now Live
01/05/2012

Weekly fall color reports from NC leaf experts now on VisitNC; enjoy the state from a new perspective with six ways to see Fall Color at its best.   Raleigh, N.C. - Fall is here, and that means it’s North Carolina’s time to shine! With more than 120 species of trees, NC turns into a brilliant palette of color each year as the autumn leisurely makes its way from the...

---

Coastal Media Updates from North Carolina Division of Tourism, Film and Sports Development
01/05/2012

Raleigh, N.C. (Friday, Sept. 3 at 11:40 a.m.) – Hurricane Earl passed by North Carolina Thursday night and Friday morning. It impacted some northern coastal areas.  Officials are assessing the storm damage this morning. Evacuations orders are being lifted in several areas but some remain. For more information on Dare County and the Outer Banks, go to Dare County Emergency...

---

Breaking NC Travel News for Labor Day Weekend
01/05/2012

What: North Carolinians Set for Strong Labor Day Travel Numbers Who: Officials from the North Carolina Division of Tourism are available to address the unique combination of travel situations facing visitors and in-state travelers in North Carolina this weekend. New numbers: Travel numbers for the summer are UP statewide; Labor Day expectations are strong. Hotel/motel occupancy is...

---

Zipline Trend Picks Up Speed
01/05/2012

North Carolina travelers beat the summer heat by creating their own breeze at zipline attractions popping up across the state. With temperatures hovering in the upper 90s around the Carolinas, why wouldn't you want to catch a breeze? If you're looking for a family-friendly way to stay cool, take an aerial view of North Carolina's natural, scenic beauty by zipline. Close to a dozen zipline...

---

State Prepares for Hurricane Irene
01/05/2012

RALEIGH, N.C.   – Gov. Perdue today said North Carolina emergency management officials are continuing to prepare for Hurricane Irene, which is projected to make landfall near Cape Hatteras Saturday afternoon.   Perdue met this morning with the State Emergency Response Team to discuss the latest steps the state is taking, including the mandatory evacuations that began this...

---

North Carolina Visitor Spending Jumps to Record $17 Billion
01/05/2012

RALEIGH, N.C. – Gov. Bev Perdue announced today that visitors to North Carolina spent a record $17 billion in 2010, an increase of 9 percent from 2009. The number was higher than the previous record of $16.8 billion set in 2008. The sixth most visited state in the nation, North Carolina gained nearly 2,000 tourism jobs in 2010 while state tax revenues from visitor spending increased...

---

New Civil War Trails Guide Leads Visitors Across North Carolina
01/05/2012

RALEIGH, NC — The North Carolina Division of Tourism, Film & Sports Development today unveiled a new statewide Civil War Trails guide to enhance the travel experience throughout the war's 150th anniversary observance. The guide maps the war from Roanoke Island to Robbinsville with markers at 232 sites in 78 counties. Words and images capture historic moments at the scene of major...

---

Digital Extras Extend the Appeal of 2011 North Carolina Travel Guide
01/05/2012

Cover Showcases Durham’s Vibrant Urban Life RALEIGH, N.C. (Dec. 15, 2010) — The North Carolina Division of Tourism, Film and Sports Development today unveiled “The Official 2011 North Carolina Travel Guide,” a 180-page handbook that brings the state's natural, manmade and historic attractions to life with state-of-the-art digital options. The cover image features...

---

N.C. Tourism Industry Leaders To Meet Next Week at the 2011 Governor’s Conference on Hospitality & Tourism
01/05/2012

RALEIGH, N.C. — The 2011 North Carolina Governor’s Conference on Hospitality and Tourism will be held March 13-15 at the historic Grove Park Inn in Asheville. Nearly 500 North Carolina businesses, tourism professionals and people from related industries have registered to attend.   “We want to equip our tourism leaders with the marketing know-how to capitalize on the...

---

Gov. Perdue Announces Iron Man 3 to Film in North Carolina
01/05/2012

Iron Man 3 Film Will Base in Wilmington, Creating Jobs and Bring Millions to the State RALEIGH. N.C. — Gov. Bev Perdue today announced that Marvel Studios film Iron Man 3 , starring Robert Downey Jr., will soon start pre-production in Wilmington. The motion picture is expected to be made in North Carolina over a 10 month period, including pre production, principal photography, and...

---

North Carolina State Fair Awards 343 Medals in 2011 Wine Competition
01/05/2012

RALEIGH, N.C. — RayLen Vineyards & Winery won the N.C. Winegrowers Cup for best of show and Cypress Bend Vineyards took home the N.C. Muscadine Cup in the 2011 North Carolina State Fair Wine Competition. The 12th annual wine competition, held October 5-6 in Raleigh, featured 444 wines competing in the commercial division and 94 wines in the amateur division. RayLen Vineyards...

---

North Carolina Tourism Campaign Gains National Recognition
01/05/2012

RALEIGH, N.C. — The North Carolina Division of Tourism, Film and Sports Development has received a 2011 Mercury Award from the US Travel Association’s National Council of State Tourism Directors (NCSTD) for its cooperative marketing efforts. This marks the Division's 22nd Mercury Award recognition since 1985. The national award recognizes the North Carolina tourism office for...

---

NC Beaches Are Ready for Labor Day Weekend Visitors
01/05/2012

RALEIGH, N.C. — Nearly all of North Carolina's 320 miles of coastline is open for business and ready for visitors during the Labor Day holiday weekend and beyond. The safety of residents and visitors is the No. 1 priority and everyone should exercise caution when traveling to the coast. Visitors should contact their lodging provider ahead of time to make sure the property is ready to...

---

Signature Holiday Events Shine Across North Carolina
01/05/2012

Hundreds of celebrations set North Carolina aglow for the holidays. Here are 10 of the brightest destination events. Christmas at Biltmore Nov. 4-Jan. 1 Asheville, N.C. America’s largest home has a larger-than-life tradition that involves 100 decorated Christmas trees; hundreds of wreaths, bows and poinsettias; thousands of lights; and more than 25,000 ornaments. The grandeur reaches...

---

North Carolina Invites Travelers to Explore All Forms of Fall’s Splendor
01/05/2012

Diverse Experiences Create Endless Ways to Color Outside the Lines RALEIGH, N.C. — While North Carolina’s fall color may start with the beautiful foliage found amid the tallest mountains east of the Rockies, natural beauty, special events and seasonal activities stretch across more than 500 miles from the high country to the Piedmont and on to the coast. Autumn’s...

---

Visitor Spending Rises in 98 of 100 North Carolina Counties in 2010
01/05/2012

State Spending by Visitors Jumps to Record $17 Billion RALEIGH, NC — Gov. Bev Perdue announced Tuesday that 98 of the state’s 100 counties saw increases in visitor spending in 2010, including 13 counties that had double-digit increases.  Data from the N.C. Dept. of Commerce, Division of Tourism, Film & Sports Development, showed that three counties had more than $1...

---

North Carolina Channels Real Pirate History
01/05/2012

Queen Anne’s Revenge Wreckage Yields a New Display and a Solid Conclusion RALEIGH, N.C.  — Near the haunts and hideouts of Blackbeard and Stede Bonnet, North Carolina confronts Hollywood fantasy this summer with heightened action at year-round pirate destinations. A bold new exhibit at the North Carolina Maritime Museum in Beaufort renders a verdict in the 14½-year...

---

North Carolina Celebrates Tourism's Impact on the State's Economy With Tourism Day
01/05/2012

RALEIGH, N.C. (May 10, 2011) — Gov. Bev Perdue proclaimed today, May 10, 2011 as Tourism Day, celebrating travel and tourism as a major state industry that is vital to the economic stability and growth of North Carolina. Tourism Day is celebrated as part of National Travel and Tourism Week which is May 7-15.   A full day of events is scheduled in Raleigh on May 10 to celebrate...

---

North Carolina Tourism Industry Welcomes Award Recipients into Winner’s Circle
01/05/2012

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — Three distinguished North Carolinians were honored today at the North Carolina Governor’s Conference on Hospitality & Tourism for their significant and continuing contributions to the growth and success of North Carolina's tourism industry. The 2011 Winner’s Circle Awards were presented to Dr. Lawrence J. Wheeler, Director, North Carolina Museum of...

---

2012 North Carolina Travel Guide Features Unique NC Experiences
01/05/2012

Cover Showcases Johnnie Mercer’s Pier at Wrightsville Beach RALEIGH, N.C. — The North Carolina Division of Tourism, Film and Sports Development today unveiled “The Official 2012 North Carolina Travel Guide,” a 174-page handbook that gets to the heart of the state’s appeal. Evocative photographs and modern digital features draw visitors into the natural,...

---

Gov. Perdue, Cherokee Reach New Table Gaming Compact
01/05/2012

Agreement Will Mean Funds for Classrooms and Hundreds of Jobs RALEIGH, N.C. — Gov. Bev Perdue and leaders of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians have reached an agreement that will inject additional funding directly into classrooms, and create 400 new jobs in western North Carolina, by expanding the Cherokee’s gaming enterprises.   “My top priorities are...

---

Gingerbread Displays Create Sweet Feasts for the Eyes
01/05/2012

Forget “Hansel and Gretel.” For sheer enchantment, North Carolina’s gingerbread displays beat anything an old witch could concoct. National Gingerbread Competition Nov. 16-Jan. 1 The Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa, Asheville Now in its 19th year, the competition attracts hundreds of entries and thousands of visitors, who come to the historic Blue Ridge Mountain resort to...

---