People, parks and a pandemic made a strong combination for North Carolina state parks last year, with a record number of visitors taking advantage of the outdoor attractions. Carolina Beach State Park, whose popularity was growing before COVID-19 hit, saw droves of visitors coming by land and sea. According to an N.C. Department of Natu ...
The room occupancy tax total in New Hanover County fell 14.5% in 2020 compared to 2019, according to local tourism officials. That’s a decrease from about $15.5 million in 2019 to $13.2 million last year. Accommodations in New Hanover County, including hotels, motels, inns, room rentals, tourist camps or other short-term rentals, are subject to the county& ...
A midtown Wilmington hotel near New Hanover Regional Medical Center recently underwent a $3.5 million renovation. Crews gutted, then refurbished, all of the 120 rooms at the Hampton Inn Wilmington-Medical Park, 2320 S. 17th St. They also added a bar, renovated the hallways and bathrooms and expanded the fitness center, said general manager Ericka Hall. A Hilton ...
Many travelers seem to be itching for adventure, a tourism industry expert told local officials Thursday. Data shows that excitement about traveling is at its highest level since the beginning of the pandemic, said Kimberly Vince-Cruz, vice president of tourism market research firm Destination Analysts. According to Vince-Cruz, 56.7 % of those surveyed are open to tr ...
The first year of business is the most tenuous, no matter what, but add a pandemic to that year, and it becomes even more tricky. But if your business model gives your customers what they desire during such times, then you just keep on keeping on. That is what The Hive, a boutique hotel in downtown Wilmington, plans to do in 2021. Kaylie O’Connor, one of the ...
Golf, on the decline in recent years, has seen renewed popularity in the months since COVID-19 limited Americans’ leisure and exercise options. That’s according to several national reports, including a November story for CBS News’ Moneywatch. “Unlike sports like football, soccer and basketball, hitting the links allows for plenty of social ...
The Holiday Inn Resort in Wrightsville Beach has a new owner and will soon be upgraded, according to an announcement Tuesday. Officials with OTO Development of Spartanburg, South Carolina, stated in a news release that the purchase of the Holiday Inn Resort Wilmington E-Wrightsville Beach is the firm's fifth acquisition in three years. The sale price was not ...
A venue that offers space for large events with hundreds of people is not exactly the prime business model during a pandemic. That, however, is the situation the Wilmington Convention Center has navigated this year. With many associations and corporations issuing travel restrictions, conventions and banquets have canceled or rescheduled for next year, leaving the ...
It’s beginning to look like, well, no holiday season we’ve ever seen – Santa’s donning a mask, Black Friday is now the whole month of November. Even Wrightsville Beach’s popular Holiday Flotilla has been grounded. Since it began circulating here last spring (the first local case was reported on Friday the 13th of March) COVID-19 has r ...
It is not news that tourism is an essential part of the local area economy, but the true impact of the tourism and hospitality industry is clearly reflected in the results of the latest Convention and Visitor’s Bureau Visitor Profile and Expenditure Research Study. Ninety-five percent of surveyed visitors to Wilmington and area beaches reported being sa ...
Feds Investigating NCino Employment Practices Under Antitrust Laws
Cece Nunn
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Feb 25, 2021
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'Just Enough': Bar Owners React To First Indoor Drinking Allowed Since Pandemic Began
Cece Nunn
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Feb 25, 2021
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At Mayfaire, Local Store Expands Into Former New York & Company Space
Cece Nunn
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Feb 25, 2021
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WilmingtonBiz Talk: Booming Housing Market
Cece Nunn
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Feb 25, 2021
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King Talks Leadership At Chamber Annual Meeting; Three Receive Awards
Jenny Callison
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Feb 26, 2021
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Cape Fear Catamarans on U.S. 421 customizes, designs and builds aluminum boats....
“The market is so competitive, even a matter of hours can be too little, too late."...
People, parks and a pandemic made a strong combination for North Carolina state parks last year, with a record number of visitors taking ad...
The 2021 WilmingtonBiz: Book on Business is an annual publication showcasing the Wilmington region as a center of business.
