VisitNC’s fall campaign with weekly giveaways, scenic drives, contests and more begins Sept. 14.
Raleigh, N.C. - The North Carolina Division of Tourism, Film and Sports Development is brimming with fall fun. The fall color experts are already predicting a brilliant fall color season. Dr. Howard Neufeld from Appalachian State University and Dick Thomas, executive director of the Piedmont Environmental Center, will lead the Division’s leaf reports on VisitNC.com.
Dr. Neufeld predicts, "If September has a predominance of sunny days and cool nights, there will be good fall color.”
One of the best things about North Carolina is that the highest altitudes in the state often see peak color the first two weeks in October, altitudes such as Boone come into play during the middle of the month with Asheville and the foothills following. Then the color literally sweeps down the mountains to the Piedmont, offering color in Chapel Hill and coastal regions through Thanksgiving.
For that reason, Dick Thomas has been tapped to help draw attention to the color that paints the Piedmont. “Rainfall in the Piedmont for this year is below average, and a number of days this summer have been clear and warm. If we have warm bright days, cool nights and avoid large amounts of rainfall into the early fall season, we’ll be treated to a beautiful fall.”
The NC Division of Tourism’s fall campaign will begin Sept. 14 and will also feature:
- Weekly giveaways for visitors to VisitNC.com who register and join in the fun from the week of Sept. 14 – Nov. 16. Giveaways include tickets to events, hotel discounts or even free nights. Everyone can enter into the BIG giveaway at the end of the promotion for a mountains-piedmont-coast trip across the state.
- Up-to-the minute fall color reports including reports from Neufeld and Thomas begin Sept. 29 on VisitNC.com, Twitter @VisitNC and on www.facebook.com/northcarolina.
- Fall fishing reports along the NC coast will come from Captain Gary Dubiel, starting September 29. Captain Dubiel is a fly-casting instructor and fishing guide. www.specfever.com
- Scenic drives from across the state beginning Oct. 1. MEDIA, for a sneak peak of fall drives YOU can use, go to http://2005.visitnc.com/scenicdrives/. (Images available.)
- Travelers upload their favorite fall color and fall fishing images in real time on VisitNC.com and www.facebook.com/northcarolina.
- Spooky haunts and events in the state as well as some gool ol’ NC ghost stories tied to NC towns and destinations as Halloween approaches.
- Harvest fun—from apples to wine grapes to corn mazes and more will be featured on VisitNC.com.
- A “pirate look-alike” and “talk like a pirate” video contest in honor of Blackbeard, our most notorious North Carolina villain. Visitors can upload their own pirate talk on YouTube and post photos to VisitNC.com. We’ll announce the winner on the anniversary of Blackbeard’s death on Nov. 22.
Details on all of the above will go live on VisitNC.com on Sept. 14. If you need to preview the site promotion in advance, please let us know. We can also offer screen grabs, fall color images, scenic drive routes, images and story ideas.
To book interviews with our fall color and fishing experts, contact Meghan Musgrave at 704-936-7783 or mmusgrave@visitnc.com.
See our fall events and press kit at media.visitnc.com/?page=north-carolina-fall-color.
Visit our media room with kits on the Smokies (celebrating their 75th Anniversary this year), the Blue Ridge Parkway and more at media.visitnc.com.
Visitors can call 1-866-6LEAVES, 1-888-2FISHNC or 1-800-VISITNC to speak with trained North Carolina fall travel counselors.
North Carolina is the South’s premier fall travel destination offering arts and culture, unique lodging, charming small towns and vibrant urban locations. Explore the highest peaks in the eastern United States to the 300 miles of pristine coastline at VisitNC.com.
Become a fan of North Carolina on facebook at Visit North Carolina. Follow the latest travel news on twitter @VisitNC.
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Contact
Susan Dosier
(704) 953-9408
sdosier@visitnc.com
Wit Tuttell
(919) 733-7420
wit@visitnc.com
Meghan Musgrave
(704) 936-7783
mmusgrave@visitnc.com
