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RALEIGH, N.C. — Travelers can chart a course from high adventure to deep relaxation with the “Official 2020 North Carolina Travel Guide,” which Visit North Carolina releases today. Along the way they’ll rendezvous with artisan makers, dine at chefs’ favorite tables, discover new reasons to celebrate, and meet up with Mo, the state’s first Dog Travel Agent.

 “The North Carolina Travel Guide reflects the richness of experience that inspires nearly 85 percent of our out-of-state visitors to return,” said Wit Tuttell, Visit NC’s executive director. “Not only do we have ancient mountains and rivers, we also have hatha hikes and power paddles that expand our perceptions. Old textile mills, tobacco factories and other pillars of our past have been transformed into lively hubs for dining, craft beverage and shopping. The Travel Guide connects us to places we want to see or see again, and to the artisans, chefs, outfitters and other people who make the journey so rewarding.”

The “Official 2020 North Carolina Travel Guide” is free. The 172-page print edition is available at the state’s nine Welcome Centers and can be ordered at VisitNC.com/travel-guides and 800-847-4862 (800-VISITNC). Readers can link to a digital magazine version at VisitNC.com/travel-guides.

Along with today’s release of the Travel Guide, Visit NC introduces sweepstakes prized with getaways for two. The trips correspond to the guide’s regional covers, which all feature women as a celebration of 2020’s centennial of women’s right to vote. The destination packages include:

• A two-night mountain stay at the Best Western Plus River Escape Inn & Suites on the Tuckasegee River in Dillsboro. Paired with a cover depicting women with fly reels, the trip includes an outing on Jackson County’s Western North Carolina Fly Fishing Trail plus spa pampering, dining and brewery visits.
• A Piedmont treat for food lovers paired with a cover featuring Ashley Christensen, the James Beard Foundation’s Outstanding Chef for 2019. The package includes two nights at the Guest House Raleigh, golf and games, handcrafted jeans, and dining at Christensen’s new Poole’side Pies and other celebrated restaurants.
• A coastal escape to explore Washington’s downtown waterfront and local wonders. Paired with a cover from the Tar-Pamlico River Water Trail, the prize includes two nights each at the Elmwood 1820 Bed & Breakfast Inn and When Pigs Fly Inn, golf, shopping, dining, paddling and tickets to the world’s first estuarium.

All three covers can be viewed with the guide’s digital magazine version, which is enhanced by information pop-ups, a social media share feature, search functions and clickable URLs. 

Mo, the spirited rescue pup who joined the Visit NC team as Dog Travel Agent, appears on a page highlighting places dogs will dig. Taking a cue from Visit NC’s “Firsts That Last” tag line, QR codes link trip-planners to video clips of travelers’ expressions the first time they cross the Mile-High Swinging Bridge at Grandfather Mountain, encounter Divine Llama Vineyards’ woolly hosts, taste the peppery potions at Oxford’s Hot Sauce Contest, and watch the release of loggerheads treated at Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center.

The 2020 Travel Guide, the official guide for North Carolina’s state tourism office, was produced by Meredith Travel Marketing. It was financed by private industry support from 68 advertisers. Listings for the 860 attractions and 2,675 accommodations and campgrounds were provided for free. The self-mailer format for the 500,000 printed copies reinforces Visit NC’s green initiatives.

Tourism remains one of the state's most vital industries with economic activity and employment generated in each of the state's 100 counties. In 2018, domestic travelers to North Carolina spent $25.3 billion, which accounts for 230,560 jobs for North Carolinians. State and local tax revenues, as a result of visitor spending, topped $2 billion in 2018. Tourism spending creates $532 in annual household savings. North Carolina ranks sixth in total person-trip volume by state behind California, Florida, Texas, New York, and Pennsylvania.

About Visit North Carolina:
Visit North Carolina is part of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina. Established in 2014, the EDPNC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation that oversees the state's efforts in business and job recruitment and retention, international trade, and tourism, film and sports development. The mission of Visit North Carolina is to unify and lead the state in developing North Carolina as a major destination for leisure travel, group tours, meetings and conventions, sports events and film production. For more information on planning a trip to North Carolina, go to VisitNC.com.

For photos of the Travel Guide covers, please register for an account at NCPix.com. For automatic approval, use VisitNC News as the registration code. 

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CONTACT:

Eleanor Talley
919-447-7783
media@visitnc.com