2001 Meeting & Convention Guide.

The meeting and convention business -- as well as the travel and tourism industry as a whole -- changed dramatically in the aftermath of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Altered, yes, but far from moribund.

"People are still going to travel," says Judy Randall, a Mooresville consultant specializing in strategic planning for the tourism industry. "And North Carolina's cities and destinations are not heavily dependent on air travel."

That means the state's convention and visitors bureaus will still be able to find businesses to target for meetings and conventions. The first thing they need to know is how big the meeting and convention business is in North Carolina. Currently, no one really knows, but the N.C. Division of Tourism, Film and Sports Development plans to find out.

The division announced this summer that the travel industry had a $12.6 billion economic impact on the state in 2000, but it's still working on a study, to be completed within the next year, that will break down the total by kind of travel. "We do know that meetings and conventions have a big economic impact in the state," says division spokesman Jim Robertson. "After this study, we'll know exactly what we're dealing with and so be able to take more advantage of it."

Local convention and visitors bureaus have a better handle on their meeting and convention business. For example, in Wake County, the Greater Raleigh Convention & Visitors Bureau estimates about 25% of its 2000 travel revenues of nearly $1.2 billion was generated by meetings and conventions. The Cape Fear Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau, a multicounty agency, estimates that 6.25% of its travel business is generated by meetings and conventions.

No matter the size of the meeting and convention business in a county, local CVBs do their best to recruit meetings and offer the best possible services and amenities. Public facilities continue to be built, such as the UNC Wilmington Executive Development Center, which opened in March; the $40-million BTI Center for the Performing Arts in Raleigh, which opened in February; and the five-story, 450,000-square-foot Showplace, an exhibit hall that opened in High Point last fall. The 52,000-square-foot Greenville Convention Center is scheduled to open in April 2002.

Here's a look at how some of the state's CVBs go after meetings and then prepare for their arrival.

Traffic and transportation

Traffic problems can escalate in a large city such as Charlotte when large conventions come to town. The city experienced serious traffic jams this summer when 50,000 delegates were in town for the National Baptist Convention, the largest group ever hosted by the city. But most of the time, convention attendees in the Queen City are able to get around with relative ease and only minor traffic jams. There are more than 3,000 hotel rooms within walking distance of the convention center, and many downtown hotels run. shuttles to and from convention sites. Attendees -- and anyone else -- can also use the free Center City.

Shuttle. In 2002, the Charlotte Trolley will begin regular operations between uptown and the South End, a nearby district known for its dining and nightlife. A new citywide taxicab ordinance that look effect this summer is designed to improve that service.

Raleigh attracts smaller conventions. It has just one hotel, the Sheraton Capital Center, within walking distance of the Raleigh Convention and Conference Center. Consequently, groups turn to buses to get attendees to the convention site. Many attendees also drive their own cars.

In Hickory, about half the city's 1,850 hotel rooms are within walking distance of the Hickory Metro Convention Center. Shuttles and vans often are used for transportation between other hotels and the convention center. Attendees also drive their own cars. At the 2000 North Carolina Oasis Shrine Convention, a fleet of buses was used to get nearly 2,000 delegates to and from their destinations.

In High Point, parking is not a problem when visitors come to events at Showplace. The High Point Convention & Visitors Bureau says there are 3,000 public parking spaces near the center, which can accommodate up to 500 exhibitors.

Accommodations

The number of hotel rooms in a city, especially within walking distance of the convention center, often determines whether a meeting or convention can be held in a certain location. In Charlotte, an increase of 35% -- to 4,200 -- in the number of rooms uptown will improve the logistics of getting attendees to the convent on center. The construction of the 700-room Westin Hotel, scheduled to open in October 2002, has led to new major bookings for the conference center, which is across the street.

In other parts of the state, groups that are cost-conscious can get lower hotel rates by meeting during the offseason. In the Cape Fear Coast area, that's spring and fall, while in the Pinehurst-Southern Pines Aberdeen area, lower rates are available in the summer and winter.

Rates aren't always the end-all, though, especially for corporate groups. Hotels that can offer something new have an advantage. Earlier this year, the Grove park Inn in Asheville opened its $40-million European-style luxury spa, and it's been a big hit with meeting planners. "When I made sales calls this summer, groups that hadn't shown an interest in Asheville before were very excited about the spa," says Susan Ballard, director of sales' for the Asheville Convention & Visitors Bureau. "These kinds of groups are always looking for something unique." It also doesn't hurt that the inn has about 50,000 square feet of meeting space.

But smaller facilities also are finding ways to appeal to convention planners. The Inn on Biltmore Estate, with 4,500 square feet of meeting space, opened in May and has already seen much success in booking corporate, board-of-directors and other small meetings. In addition to its high-end amenities, such as an outdoor spa and cuisine featuring fresh produce from the estate's gardens, it offers a view of the Biltmore House and is adjacent to the Biltmore Winery.

Recreation and dining

When meeting planners are looking for places to hold meetings, food and play can be high on their list of requirements. Many meeting attendees want not only to conduct business, they want to enjoy time away from the office. In the Pinehurst-Southern Pines-Aberdeen area, there's just one word that comes to mind when thinking about recreation: golf. With 43 golf courses in a 15-mile radius, people come here to play golf as much as they do to conduct business. "If you just wanted to do business, you could meet in a facility at an airport or in any city," says Beverly Stewart, director of sales for the Convention & Visitors Bureau of the Pinehurst, Southern Pines and Aberdeen area. "But here you can have your meeting, play wonderful golf in a resort setting and not fight traffic."

The Asheville CVB promotes the Biltmore Estate and its proximity to the Blue Ridge Parkway, as well as skiing and hiking for outdoors enthusiasts. The Cape Fear area has 31 miles of beaches that meeting attendees and their families can enjoy. CVBs in the central part of the state play on their proximity to both the mountains and the coast for visitors considering pre- or post-convention trips.

Major tourist attractions draw groups planning off-site events. In Raleigh, there's the 200,000-square-foot N.C. Museum of National History and Exploris, an interactive museum about the world. The Winston-Salem Convention & Visitors Bureau has the Southeastern Center for Contemporary Art; the Greensboro Area Convention & Visitors Bureau the Greensboro Children's Museum and Blandwood Carriage House.

When considering dining choices, location and easy accessibility to a convention site are what is attractive to attendees. Where they flock to most depends on the group's tastes and pocketbooks. But the Asheville CVB's Ballard does see one trend. "People generally like to stay away from chains and instead go to restaurants that are unique to the city they're in," she says.

When it comes to other kinds of nightlife, Raleigh and Charlotte offer the most in terms of numbers and variety, in downtown Raleigh, there are about 100 restaurants and clubs. Charlotte's uptown has undergone a renaissance with restaurants offering sandwiches and other cheap eats; soul food; Continental, Latin American, Mediterranean and Asian cuisine; brick-oven pizzas; and seafood and steaks. There also are funky dance clubs and an Irish pub. Says Melvin Tennant, president and CEO of the Charlotte Convention & Visitors Bureau, "When groups come back for a second time, they are amazed by the growth in our entertainment and dining offerings uptown. We often have to bring planners back in order for them to believe us."

Attracting attention

Attracting the attention of meeting planners is paramount for cities wanting to host meetings and conventions.

CVBs carefully target groups for size and function. The Greater Raleigh CVB, for example, focuses on groups of 500 and less, given the city's 13,000 hotel rooms and 1 30,000-square-foot convention center. According to Martin Armes, director of communications and marketing for the Greater Raleigh CVB, the sales force most actively pursues the social, military, educational, religious and fraternal markets (it's such a common approach that the industry uses the acronym SMERF to describe it), as well as state associations, regional/national associations and corporate and government meetings.

With the 280,000-square-foot Charlotte Convention Center and more than 21,500 hotel rooms countywide, the Charlotte CVB targets large conventions. However, because of Mecklenburg County's nearly 200 hotels, many with meeting facilities, the CVB also markets the city to smaller groups. Last year, Mecklenburg County was the top travel revenue generator in the state, with $2.6 billion. Meetings and conventions accounted for a significant part of that total.

Cities such as Winston-Salem, Greensboro and Greenville specialize in meetings that suit their facilities and hotel-room inventory. For example, Winston-Salem, with 42 hotels and motels and six bed-and-breakfast inns with fewer than 5,000 guest rooms, specializes in meetings of fewer than 50 people. Greensboro attracts statewide groups because of its central location and the Sheraton Greensboro Hotel at Four Seasons/Joseph S. Koury Convention Center, which has more than 1,000 guest rooms and 250,000 square feet of meeting and convention space.

Although their budgets vary greatly, most CVBs use strategies similar to the CVB of the Pinehurst, Southern Pines and Aberdeen area to attract meetings and conventions. Stewart says her organization advertises in meeting industry and association publications, statewide magazines and in-state newspapers. She also attends trade shows and makes sales calls on potential clients. The CVB has a Web site, which is linked with the site of the International Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus. The CVB also urges residents to promote the area and to encourage groups with which they are associated to hold meetings in local facilities.

Despite the changed climate in the United States, people will continue to meet, and the state's CVBs will continue to go after their business. But Randall adds one caveat: "They're going to have to work a lot harder," she says.

Bea Quirk is a charlotte-based free-lance writer.

2001 Meeting & Convention Guide


                           Phone number
Hotel/Meeting facility     Web site

Western North Carolina

Asheville

Inn on Biltmore Estate     [phone]
                           www.biltmore.com

Blowing Rock

Chetola Resort             (800) CHETOLA,
                           [phone]
                           www.chetola.com

Charlotte/Piedmont

Charlotte

Adam's Mark                [phone]
                           adamsmark.com
Charlotte  Marriott        [phone]
City Center                marriottcitycenter.com
Charlotte  Marriott        [phone]
Executive Park             marriott.com
Hilton Charlotte & Towers  [phone]
                           www.hilton.com

Hickory

Gateway Hotel &            [phone],
Conference Center          [phone]
                           gateway-hotel.com

Triad

Winston-Salem

Adam's Mark Winston        [phone]
Plaza Hotel                www.adamsmark.com
Graylyn International      [phone]
Conference Center          www.graylyn.com

Triangle

Chapel Hill

Best Western University    [phone]
Inn                        www.bestwestern.com/
                           universityinnchapelhill
Sheraton Chapel Hill       [phone]
Hotel                      sheratonchapelhill.com
The Siena Hotel            [phone]
                           www.sienahotel.com

Raleigh

Four Points Hotel          [phone]
Raleigh Crabtree           www.fourpointsraleigh.com

Research Triangle Park

Sheraton Imperial Hotel &  [phone]
Convention Center          www.sheratonrtp.com

Eastern North Carolina

Duck

The Sanderling             [phone],
                           [phone]
                           www.thesanderling.com




Hotel/Meeting facility     Meeting space (sq. ft.)  Meeting rooms

Western North Carolina

Asheville

Inn on Biltmore Estate              5,253                 5


Blowing Rock

Chetola Resort                      4,500                 6



Charlotte/Piedmont

Charlotte

Adam's Mark                        52,000                31

Charlotte  Marriott                16,000                14
City Center
Charlotte  Marriott                15,500                17
Executive Park
Hilton Charlotte & Towers          27,000                17


Hickory

Gateway Hotel &                    15,000                 7
Conference Center


Triad

Winston-Salem

Adam's Mark Winston                70,000                35
Plaza Hotel
Graylyn International              15,000                25
Conference Center

Triangle

Chapel Hill

Best Western University                na                na
Inn

Sheraton Chapel Hill               16,000                16
Hotel
The Siena Hotel                     3,400                 4


Raleigh

Four Points Hotel                  11,414                10
Raleigh Crabtree

Research Triangle Park

Sheraton Imperial Hotel &          31,000                24
Convention Center

Eastern North Carolina

Duck

The Sanderling                      2,500                 5






Hotel/Meeting facility     Guest rooms  Single-room rate  Fax machine

Western North Carolina

Asheville

Inn on Biltmore Estate         213         $199-$359           x


Blowing Rock

Chetola Resort                 162          $84-$186           x



Charlotte/Piedmont

Charlotte

Adam's Mark                    613         $169-$179           x

Charlotte  Marriott            434            $89              x
City Center
Charlotte  Marriott            297          $69-$139
Executive Park
Hilton Charlotte & Towers      407          $99-$225           x


Hickory

Gateway Hotel &                109          $75-$110           x
Conference Center


Triad

Winston-Salem

Adam's Mark Winston            603            $79              x
Plaza Hotel
Graylyn International          98              na              x
Conference Center

Triangle

Chapel Hill

Best Western University        84           $79-$85
Inn

Sheraton Chapel Hill           168         $109-$189
Hotel
The Siena Hotel                80          $139-$179           x


Raleigh

Four Points Hotel              315          $69-$99            x
Raleigh Crabtree

Research Triangle Park

Sheraton Imperial Hotel &      331          $85-$195           x
Convention Center

Eastern North Carolina

Duck

The Sanderling                 92         $139-$1,000          x






Hotel/Meeting facility     Internet access  A/V equipment  Restaurant

Western North Carolina

Asheville

Inn on Biltmore Estate            x               x            x


Blowing Rock

Chetola Resort                    x               x            x



Charlotte/Piedmont

Charlotte

Adam's Mark                       x               x            x

Charlotte  Marriott               x               x            x
City Center
Charlotte  Marriott               x               x            x
Executive Park
Hilton Charlotte & Towers         x               x            x


Hickory

Gateway Hotel &                   x               x
Conference Center


Triad

Winston-Salem

Adam's Mark Winston               x               x            x
Plaza Hotel
Graylyn International             x               x            x
Conference Center

Triangle

Chapel Hill

Best Western University                                        x
Inn

Sheraton Chapel Hill              x               x            x
Hotel
The Siena Hotel                   x               x            x


Raleigh

Four Points Hotel                 x               x            x
Raleigh Crabtree

Research Triangle Park

Sheraton Imperial Hotel &         x               x            x
Convention Center

Eastern North Carolina

Duck

The Sanderling                    x               x            x






Hotel/Meeting facility     Health club  Swimming pool  Tennis/Golf

Western North Carolina

Asheville

Inn on Biltmore Estate          x             x


Blowing Rock

Chetola Resort                  x             x             T



Charlotte/Piedmont

Charlotte

Adam's Mark                     x             x

Charlotte  Marriott             x             x
City Center
Charlotte  Marriott             x             x
Executive Park
Hilton Charlotte & Towers       x             x


Hickory

Gateway Hotel &                 x             x
Conference Center


Triad

Winston-Salem

Adam's Mark Winston             x             x
Plaza Hotel
Graylyn International                         x             T
Conference Center

Triangle

Chapel Hill

Best Western University                       x
Inn

Sheraton Chapel Hill            x             x
Hotel
The Siena Hotel                 x             x


Raleigh

Four Points Hotel               x             x
Raleigh Crabtree

Research Triangle Park

Sheraton Imperial Hotel &       x             x             T
Convention Center

Eastern North Carolina

Duck

The Sanderling                  x             x             T






Hotel/Meeting facility     Ad page

Western North Carolina

Asheville

Inn on Biltmore Estate       18


Blowing Rock

Chetola Resort               15



Charlotte/Piedmont

Charlotte

Adam's Mark                  42

Charlotte  Marriott          55
City Center
Charlotte  Marriott          55
Executive Park
Hilton Charlotte & Towers    56


Hickory

Gateway Hotel &              48
Conference Center


Triad

Winston-Salem

Adam's Mark Winston          19
Plaza Hotel
Graylyn International        53
Conference Center

Triangle

Chapel Hill

Best Western University      58
Inn

Sheraton Chapel Hill         49
Hotel
The Siena Hotel              43


Raleigh

Four Points Hotel            49
Raleigh Crabtree

Research Triangle Park

Sheraton Imperial Hotel &    49
Convention Center

Eastern North Carolina

Duck

The Sanderling               54
Greenville

Greenville Convention    [phone]
 Center Campus           www.greenvilleconventioncenter.com  74,000

Sunset Beach

Sea Trail Golf Resort &  [phone], [phone]
 Conference Center       www.seatrail.com                    50,000

Wrightsville Beach

Blockade Runner Beach    [phone]
 Resort                  www.blockade-runner.com             12,000
Hilton Wilmington        [phone], [phone]
 Riverside               www.wilmingtonhilton.com            20,000
Holiday Inn SunSpree     [phone]
 Resort                  wrightsville-sunspree.com           8,500

South Carolina
Myrtle Beach

Kingston Plantation      [phone]
                         www.kingstonplantation.com          70,000

Sand Dunes/Ocean Dunes   [phone]
                         www.sandresorts.com                 21,000



Greenville

Greenville Convention
 Center Campus           21  330   $84-$99    x  x  x  x  x  x

Sunset Beach

Sea Trail Golf Resort &            call for
 Conference Center       24  465    quote     x  x  x  x  x  x  T/G

Wrightsville Beach

Blockade Runner Beach
 Resort                  10  163  $74 and up  x  x  x  x  x  x
Hilton Wilmington
 Riverside               19  274   $99-$179   x  x  x  x  x  x
Holiday Inn SunSpree
 Resort                  10  184  $109-$299   x  x  x  x  x  x

South Carolina
Myrtle Beach

Kingston Plantation
                         17  900   $89-$329   x  x  x  x  x  x   T

Sand Dunes/Ocean Dunes             call for
                         21  820    quote     x  x  x  x  x  x   G



Greenville

Greenville Convention
 Center Campus           41

Sunset Beach

Sea Trail Golf Resort &
 Conference Center       51

Wrightsville Beach

Blockade Runner Beach
 Resort                  58
Hilton Wilmington
 Riverside               57
Holiday Inn SunSpree
 Resort                  59

South Carolina
Myrtle Beach

Kingston Plantation
                         55

Sand Dunes/Ocean Dunes
                         47



Compiled from information suppliedby advertisers.
2001 Meeting & Convention Guide

Convention and Vistors Bureaus


                           Phone number
                           Web site

Caper Fear Coast           [phone]
 Convention & Visitors     www.cape-feat.nc.us
 Bureau

The Cape Fear Coast CVB
offers a variety of
services to meeting
planners such as
preconvention planning
services to include
securing competitive bid
proposals, arranging for
site inspections and
assisting with
presentations. Other
services include provid
ng registration and
visitor information
assistance, destination
literature and publicity/
promotion assistance and
more.

Greensboro Area            [phone]
 Convention & Visitors     www.greensboronc.org
 Bureau

Greensboro CVB services
include site inspection
tours, bid proposals,
attendance building
support, serves as guide
to local resourcess;
supplies destination
brochures, video, Meeting
Planners Guide;
assistance with spouse
and entertainment
activities; computerized
housing bureau;
registration assistance;
publicity and promotion.
Serves as a one-stop shop
for all convention needs.

Lake Norman                [phone]
 Convention & Visitors     www.lakenorman.org
 Bureau

The Lake Norman CVB
operates a Vistors Center
at exit 28 off Interstate
77 in Cornelius. Lake
Norman, with 520 miles
of shoreline, is known
for charming bed and
breakfasts, wonderful
accommodations and fine
dining. The lake is also
destination for the
sports enthusiast who
enjoys water activites,
NASCAR or a round of
golf.




                           Contact                 Meeting space
                           e-mail                    (sq. ft.)

Caper Fear Coast           Kim Huffman
 Convention & Visitors                                193,862
 Bureau

The Cape Fear Coast CVB
offers a variety of
services to meeting
planners such as
preconvention planning
services to include
securing competitive bid
proposals, arranging for
site inspections and
assisting with
presentations. Other
services include provid
ng registration and
visitor information
assistance, destination
literature and publicity/
promotion assistance and
more.

Greensboro Area            Ava Pope
 Convention & Visitors     [e-mail]       250,000
 Bureau

Greensboro CVB services
include site inspection
tours, bid proposals,
attendance building
support, serves as guide
to local resourcess;
supplies destination
brochures, video, Meeting
Planners Guide;
assistance with spouse
and entertainment
activities; computerized
housing bureau;
registration assistance;
publicity and promotion.
Serves as a one-stop shop
for all convention needs.

Lake Norman                Bill Russell
 Convention & Visitors     [e-mail]     27,796
 Bureau

The Lake Norman CVB
operates a Vistors Center
at exit 28 off Interstate
77 in Cornelius. Lake
Norman, with 520 miles
of shoreline, is known
for charming bed and
breakfasts, wonderful
accommodations and fine
dining. The lake is also
destination for the
sports enthusiast who
enjoys water activites,
NASCAR or a round of
golf.




                           Hotel rooms
                            available   Ad page

Caper Fear Coast
 Convention & Visitors        7,108       59
 Bureau

The Cape Fear Coast CVB
offers a variety of
services to meeting
planners such as
preconvention planning
services to include
securing competitive bid
proposals, arranging for
site inspections and
assisting with
presentations. Other
services include provid
ng registration and
visitor information
assistance, destination
literature and publicity/
promotion assistance and
more.

Greensboro Area
 Convention & Visitors       16,000       38
 Bureau

Greensboro CVB services
include site inspection
tours, bid proposals,
attendance building
support, serves as guide
to local resourcess;
supplies destination
brochures, video, Meeting
Planners Guide;
assistance with spouse
and entertainment
activities; computerized
housing bureau;
registration assistance;
publicity and promotion.
Serves as a one-stop shop
for all convention needs.

Lake Norman
 Convention & Visitors        2,200        4
 Bureau

The Lake Norman CVB
operates a Vistors Center
at exit 28 off Interstate
77 in Cornelius. Lake
Norman, with 520 miles
of shoreline, is known
for charming bed and
breakfasts, wonderful
accommodations and fine
dining. The lake is also
destination for the
sports enthusiast who
enjoys water activites,
NASCAR or a round of
golf.



Complied from information supplied by advertisers.