Wilmington, NC: Kim Hufham, President/CEO of the New Hanover County Tourism Development Authority, is pleased to announce that the Wilmington and Beaches Convention & Visitors Bureau [CVB] received three Tourism Marketing Achievement Awards during the North Carolina Tourism Leadership Conference held Nov. 16 in Raleigh. Presented annually by the N.C. Travel Industry Association [NCTIA], the Wilmington and Beaches CVB brought home a Gold Award in the category of Leisure Travel for its Mobile Trip Guide. The Wilmington and Beaches CVB also scored a Platinum Tourism Marketing Achievement Award in the category of Meetings for its Video Direct Mailer. Designed to solicit interest in Wilmington as a meeting and convention destination, the Video Direct Mailer was also recognized by NCTIA with this year’s Best Innovation Award.

Video Direct Mailer

In addition to winning NCTIA’s 2022-2023 Platinum Marketing Achievement Award in the Meetings category, the Wilmington and Beaches “Video Direct Mailer” marketing tool also received the “Best Innovation” award by a panel of industry judges as the one shining example among all entries that best exemplifies an innovative approach to communication, organization or promotion.

In an effort to develop a unique way to promote our destination and solicit group business that would not get lost in the digital clutter, the CVB worked with its agency to develop a custom direct mail piece. Upon opening the Video Direct Mailer, a meetings and convention video automatically begins playing, showcasing key messaging and how Wilmington and Beaches offers everything planners need to host a memorable event, all in one place. Along with the video, the direct mailer incorporates scenic imagery and complementary designs into a cohesive marketing piece that represents Wilmington, N.C. as the best of the Carolina coast.

Mobile Trip Guide

This year’s NCTIA Tourism Marketing Achievement Gold Award in the category of Leisure Travel was awarded to the Wilmington and Beaches CVB for its Mobile Trip Guide, a mobile-first resource with location-based functionality designed to enhance the destination experiences of in-market visitors. Since most visitors access information mobile-first the mobile trip guide was developed to reach and support visitors during their visit in finding things to do, attractions, dining, lodging, shopping and more. Research indicates that visitors are more hesitant to download apps, so the CVB’s marketing team worked with a vendor to develop an innovative web-based mobile trip guide that does not require an app. Upon launching the Mobile Trip Guide, the CVB engaged industry partners to help promote the mobile trip guide to visitors upon arrival to hotels, attractions and restaurants. In-room placards, cards and table tents were provided to lodging partners as ways to promote the guide to visitors.

NCTIA Marketing Achievement Awards

The NCTIA Tourism Marketing Achievement Awards are given to honor and showcase innovation, best practices, creativity and the results accomplished through the travel and tourism industry’s marketing efforts. Separate award categories are established for the target audiences that destination marketers and tourism-related businesses communicate with on a daily basis. The awards judging committee is comprised of travel and tourism professionals representing many facets of destination marketing, including CVB peers from other states, meeting planners, website designers and editors from international meeting and convention trade publications.

Wilmington and Beaches Convention & Visitors Bureau

“It is exciting for the Wilmington and Beaches CVB to be recognized by NCTIA and industry professionals for innovative marketing efforts. We share these honors with the agency and vendors who worked alongside our team to help turn the CVB’s visions into reality with award-winning destination marketing tools,” states Kim Hufham, president/CEO of the New Hanover County TDA.

The New Hanover County Tourism Development Authority (TDA), d/b/a Wilmington and Beaches Convention & Visitors Bureau, markets and develops the county and its communities’ leisure and group travel experiences for economic growth and quality of place.

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Contact:
Connie Nelson
Communications/Public Relations Director
Wilmington and Beaches CVB
910-341-4030 x120
866-266-9690
cvbpr@wilmingtonandbeaches.com