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RALEIGH, N.C. (January 3. 2024) — For travelers who gravitate to the genuine, “The Official 2024 North Carolina Travel Guide” greets readers with 112 pages of inspiration for trips across 500 miles of scenic wonder, rich culture and tempting cuisine. The guide includes signposts for all 100 North Carolina counties in a mix that ranges from headline attractions to everyday magic.

“The 2024 Guide embodies the ‘For Real, Visit NC’ brand,” said Wit Tuttell, executive director of Visit North Carolina. “Travel is less about checkmarks on a bucket list than connections to authentic places and people. It’s about the freedom to explore, experience and discover. Our state motto — esse quam videri — translates as ‘to be, rather than to seem,’ and there’s no better place than North Carolina for travelers to live in the moment and leave enriched.”

 “The Official 2024 North Carolina Travel Guide” is free. The print edition is available at the state’s nine Welcome Centers or by calling 800-847-4862 (800-VISITNC). Readers can also link to VisitNC.com/travel-guides to request a copy, access the digital edition or download a PDF version.

The Guide makes a strong impression from the start with a cover photo of a wakeboarder at Lake Lure to highlight the mountain region. Flip open to see double-page images representing the state’s other main regions: the Piedmont (with the famous No. 2 golf course at Pinehurst Resort) and the coast (with the Beaufort waterfront across from Cape Lookout National Seashore). Visual appeal across the state comes through in more than 160 images and illustrations depicting natural landmarks, attractions and destination scenes. A detachable map with color-coded regions helps travelers plot the possibilities.

“The Guide showcases well-loved places while adding fresh perspectives and dynamic elements that enhance the travel experience,” Tuttell said. “Among my favorite articles are those that let you hear the voices that welcome you in person. ‘Where the Locals Go,’ for instance, is an insider’s guide to the charms of Sylva, New Bern, Shelby and Salisbury. And ‘This is Our Story’ focuses on the state's earliest residents from the perspective of an indigenous writer.”

Other editorial highlights include “Traveling Light,” a feature on eco-conscious adventures that blends inspirational photography and illustrations; “City Stars,” a quick-hits overview of seven urban destinations; and “Golf Getaways,” a roundup that directs attention to outdoor activities beyond the greens. Throughout the guide, callouts with QR codes connect readers to the Outdoor NC sustainability principles while “Accessible Fun for All” and “Paw of Approval” entries direct users to related points of interest.

In all, “The Official 2024 North Carolina Travel Guide” features more than 150 towns and cities and highlights nearly 350 attractions, restaurants, lodging properties and events. Users will find statewide travel information as well as listings for state agencies and local tourism centers. Attentive readers will discover a potential payoff with an invitation to complete a survey for a chance to win $10,000 as they contribute feedback to help shape the 2025 edition.

“People are naturally drawn to North Carolina for its scenic beauty and signature attractions,” Tuttell said. “The Guide takes travelers beyond those hallmarks to rewarding discoveries and enriching experiences that transform a visit into a trip of a lifetime.”

For more information to inspire a trip, stop by VisitNC.com.

Travel Guide cover photos are available for download here.

About Visit North Carolina:
Visit North Carolina is part of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, a private nonprofit corporation that serves as North Carolina’s economic development organization. The EDPNC focuses on business and job recruitment, existing industry support, international trade, tourism and film marketing.

As the official destination organization for the state, Visit North Carolina’s mission is to unify and lead the state in positioning North Carolina as a preferred destination for leisure travel, group tours, meetings and conventions, sports events and film production, maximizing economic vitality statewide. North Carolina welcomes approximately 43 million visitors annually whose spend more than $33 billion in the state. The tourism industry employs more than 216,000 jobs throughout the state and generates nearly $2.5 billion in state and local tax revenues. For more information about Visit North Carolina, go to VisitNC.com.

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CONTACT:

Veda Gilbert ǀ Suzanne Brown
media@VisitNC.com