The Golden Crescent has some new drivers in the tourism market, sparking optimism that this segment of the economy will weather the summer vacation season better than other regions.

CAMPBELL

“The economy is taking its toll on tourism nationwide; however, tourism in Cabarrus County is holding up much better than in most regions for a number of reasons, including the fierce loyalty of NASCAR fans who will continue to travel to attend races and visit the race shops, the affordability of our attractions and a significant increase in our hotel room inventory,” says Sharon Campbell, vice president sales and marketing for the Cabarrus County Convention & Visitors Bureau.

Tourism plays a significant role in the economy of any town, notes Leah Mitcham, executive director of the Mooresville Convention & Visitors Bureau. Sales tax is the second largest generator of revenue.

MITCHAM

“We have seen a decline in the demand for hotel rooms, but not to the extent of some other areas,” Mitcham says. “Since March we have noticed a significant increase in highway business and visitors to the area.”

The Cabarrus CVB also is targeting travelers. It will launch a billboard campaign in mid-June targeting travelers looking for a stop-over as they travel along I-85. “We have the greatest concentration of hotels and restaurants with immediate interstate access along I-85 from Georgia to Virginia,” says Campbell, “and this will be our message to these travelers, accompanied by a message that takes them to a cell-phone listing of our hotels.”

Unquestionably, though, “Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Concord and the motorsports attractions that orbit the speedway are our biggest draw,” says Campbell.

Little lake access at Lake Norman

Much of Lake Norman’s hope hangs on Augustalee, a $500-million-plus, master planned, mixed-use development in Cornelius.

Getting Ready: The Augustalee project in Cornelius is expected to feature an upscale full service hotel and a boutique hotel for visitors to Lake Norman.

Meanwhile, Visit Lake Norman continues to bring in the national and state sporting events and water activities to the Lake Norman area, says Sally Ashworth, executive director of Visit Lake Norman. This spring the Walmart FLW National Guard Open Bass Fishing Tournament was held here for the third consecutive year with a $1.5 million economic impact to the region, she says.

Despite having an amenity like Lake Norman, it does not live up to its potential as a tourism draw. Much of the shoreline is in private hands, inaccessible to travelers. The first full-service hotel on the lake is expected to be built in Mooresville next year in the Langtree at the Lake mixed-use project.

ASHWORTH

Lake Norman area hotels are experiencing a downturn of 16 percent to 18 percent in occupancy and a 12 percent to 15 percent in the average daily rate, says Ashworth. The indicator began to shift during the third quarter of 2008. “We anticipate it to remain flat through 2009 and the first quarter of 2010,” she says.

Yet tourism remains one of the state’s most vital industries. Gov. Beverly Perdue announced in May that domestic visitors to and within North Carolina spent a record $16.9 billion in 2008, an increase of 2.1 percent from 2007. The number was higher than the previous record of $16.5 billion set in 2007. “The tourism industry is a critical economic engine for North Carolina—and this continued growth in revenues is a positive sign,” says Perdue.

3,500 tourism jobs in Cabarrus

Concord Mills Mall is the most popular visitor destination in North Carolina.

Enticing Tourists: The Cabarrus CVB has a marketing campaign targeting residents of nearby military bases. Great Wolf Lodge, above, and Lowe’s Motor Speedway, both in Concord, are offering incentives to members of the military.

According to the N.C. Department of Commerce, visitor spending in Cabarrus County in 2007 was $2.75 million. In prior years visitor spending had increased, on average, by about 10 percent a year with the highest growth in 2007 of over 25 percent following the opening of the Embassy Suites hotel and Concord Convention Center, says Campbell. “In late 2008 and to date in 2009, however, we have seen slight decreases in visitor spending—initially because of the high prices in gasoline and later because of the downturn in the economy,” she says.

Tourism has been growing in importance as an economic generator for Cabarrus County in recent years, says Campbell. The latest figures from the North Carolina Department of Commerce indicate that in 2007 tourism directly supported 3,500 jobs in Cabarrus County. By the end of 2009, the number of hotel rooms in Cabarrus County will have increased by 35 percent with the opening of five new hotels. “The increased number of hotel room inventory means more visitor activity throughout the county and therefore more visitor spending, more sales tax revenue generated by visitor spending, and more jobs supported by visitor spending,” she says.

Lower gasoline prices could boost travel this summer. However, the recession and the fear of layoffs may keep some in the Golden Crescent close to home and well-connected to the office via cell phone and email.

Destinations that rely heavily on tourists who live more than a day’s drive away will probably see a drop in business this summer, industry experts say. But tourist attractions that rely mostly on local and regional visitors could thrive. That could benefit the Golden Crescent.

“We foresee changes in our visitation this summer,” Campbell of the Cabarrus CVB says. “Certainly the Great Wolf Lodge will bring more and more families to the region, especially with its close proximity to other major attractions—Concord Mills, Lowe’s Motor Speedway and the race shops. Geographically, we expect our demographics will narrow down to a two- to five-hour drive.

A ‘Griswold’ summer?

“Industry research says we’re in for a ‘Griswold Summer’ where families—without much planning—will just get in the car and drive until they find a good place to stop,” Campbell says. “With gas prices being half what they were last summer, we are optimistic there will be lots of Griswolds heading our way, and our marketing initiatives this spring have all been designed to get them to stop and stay awhile.”

In June, Visit Lake Norman will host a portion of the 2009 State Games, a multi-sport Olympic style festival designed to promote personal development through physical fitness and health, at various sites in Huntersville, Ashworth says. Also, the Cowbell Challenge Race will be held June 20 in Davidson. The Cowbell Challenge Marathon is the fifth race on USA Cycling’s 2009 National Ultra Endurance Calendar and over 500 of the top cyclist in the nation are expected to compete.

Economic Drivers: Motorsports attractions such as the Mooresville Dragway, above, provide a boost to tourism in Iredell County.

Much of Mooresville’s tourism is motorsports-based, with racing attractions including JR Motorsports, Penske Racing, Red Bull Racing, Dale Earnhardt Inc., Rusty Wallace Inc., Kasey Kahne Racing, Martin Truex Racing (opening in June 2009), the NC Auto Racing Hall of Fame, Memory Lane Motorsports and the Historical Automotive Museum.

Other Mooresville attractions are Queen’s Landing, which offers lunch, dinner and sightseeing cruises on Lake Norman and the Lazy 5 Ranch, a drive-thru safari park featuring animals from six continents.

In the meetings and conventions market, the Cabarrus CVB is narrowing its reach to a drive market in the Carolinas and nearby states. “We are also focusing on recession-proof markets like weddings, family reunions and youth sports events,” says Campbell. “Even in slow economic times, people continue to budget for these events.”

Also, where larger cities are seeing staggering numbers of cancellations, Campbell says, “we are not because of our appeal as an affordable destination that draws mostly regional events that are not perceived as extravagant by shareholders.”