From Your Rutherford County Tourism Development Authority

Serving Rutherford’s Accommodations,
Attractions, Restaurants, Event Organizers,
Business Owners and Government Entities

What is this Newsletter - What is the TDA Alliance?

Welcome the brand-new monthly Tourism Development Authority (TDA) Alliance Newsletter, Website, and Information Meetings! 

Recently formed by the TDA, the TDA Alliance will connect you to opportunities, information and networking for one of our county’s biggest industries – tourism.  As one of the served groups listed above in our masthead, you are automatically a member.  You will receive the monthly Alliance Newsletter, as well as invitations to all Alliance information meetings, presentations and seminars.  You will also receive a copy of the Lake Lure & the Blue Ridge Foothills “ReVisit Your Senses Monthly Travel Guide,” another e-newsletter targeting potential visitors to our area.

In both newsletters, we will feature one attraction, one dining, and one lodging property – we will do these randomly each month, always trying to spread them across the county.  We plan to feature everyone eventually, but see who is featured – you might find an excellent package partner each month!

Bookmark - The Alliance Website - TDAAlliance.com

TDAAlliance.com is your home site for the TDA Alliance, and will be an ever-expanding resource to Alliance members.  Check out the site -- if you have feedback about what you would like to see on this page, please let us know.  (You can also find it by going to rutherfordtourism.com, scrolling to the bottom right, and clicking on TDAA.)

Save the Date - Formational TDA Alliance Meetings

Wednesday, July 22nd - 2: 00 PM  - Tanner Board Room on
the Tanner Campus, adjacent to the Water Oak Restaurant in Rutherfordton. OR Tuesday,  August 18th – 2:00 PM - Lake Lure Inn Dining Room.

We need your input!  Come to one or both of our formational meetings to hear and to learn who your TDA is, what we and the Alliance have to offer you, and about the information we want to share to help your business.  But come also to tell us what you need from your TDA.

What  information are you looking for? In what areas can we help your business?  What problems do you face that we might be able to help you with?  Accommodation owners and managers – would you like to know what the occupancy tax does for you?  Want packaging resources and information?

Future Alliance meetings will rotate throughout the county, and will be focused on different topics…many of which you can help us determine at one of our formational meetings!  See you there!

2009-2010 Strategic Marketing/PR Plan

This year’s strategic marketing/PR plan is at completion.  A portion of the plan shows a list of publications, broadcasts and internet sites where ads will be placed and where PR efforts will go – but it is much more than that.  It also serves as an organizational road map from which the “marketing, PR, internal and external communication action items” are generated.

Very simply put, the strategic marketing/PR plan identifies where the organization is, where it wants to be at some point in the future and how it is going to get there. Strategic plans typically cover a three to five year period and are considered living documents. To get a copy,  come to the Alliance meeting in July or August, or contact the TDA offices at 800-849-5998.

Endless Summer

The summer season is upon us – and right now, it
looks like it may never end! “EndlessSummer” is how
the TDA is marketing summer events. Posters, rack cards/postcards,  advertising, and web work are all underway. 

To see a full size sample ad or rack card, just click on the photos to the right.

We encourage you to partner and package with these events. If you are interested, contact Crystal at crystal@rutherfordtourism.com – she will be glad to help you!

DEADLINE - Autumn Peaks Events Marketing Materials

Autumn Peaks will be our events marketing campaign from Labor Day to Thanksgiving. If you want to be included in this campaign, we need to know your fall events – and soon! Please send them to crystal@rutherfordtourism.com by June 7th. As the TDA implements its new Stakeholder Services, more information will be coming out about how you can be part of our events marketing campaigns – at no cost to you. For now, though, just send us those events! We look forward to promoting as many as we can!

Hometown Holidays

May 7, holiday event planners from around the county met to share information and ideas for the 2009 Holiday season.  Building on the incredible success of the Forest City holiday lights – which brings in thousands of visitors every  year  –  and is garnishing media interest. Event planners are working together towards the goal of making the whole of Rutherford County the ultimate holiday destination.  The season will run from Thanksgiving until New Years Day, and will include the popular Polar Plunge.  The TDA will market all of Rutherford’s Holiday Events under the “Hometown Holidays”  banner.  If you would like to be involved in future Holiday discussions, e-mail Michelle at michelle@rutherfordtourism.com.

Tourism Day in Raleigh

May 12, your TDA participated in the Tourism Day in Raleigh – the Discover America Extravaganza.  Lake Lure & the Blue Ridge Foothills was represented by a booth, customized ID tags, Executive Director Ann Almond and Communications Manager Michelle Whitaker. 

Our booth was in a central location – and everyone seemed to have something great to say about our beautiful area and the memories they’d created here over the years.  We encouraged them to come back to create more. We gave out lots of area visitor guides, maps, and other information.  The opportunity was open to members of the Destination Marketing Association of NC.

WFMY Video to Air

After two days of filming Rutherford County,  the film crew from WFMY in Greensboro wasn’t sure how they were going to get in everything we have here in a four minute prime-time segment.  Set to air as part of their summer fun specials in June, the segment will be posted on our website and used for many purposes. 

The video covers everything from Chimney Rock in the west to Golden Valley in the east and everything in between….restaurants, museums, baseball, you name it!  Look for it soon – it will be a great place to link to from your websites.

In the News

We will often highlight some of the news coverage of our area.  This month, check out the story on the Kathika Travel Website by clicking here.  This story about “Free Ride through the Blue Ridge Mountains North Carolina” includes a number of the Rutherford County locations sent to them, and features a photo of Lake Lure we provided.  The story was done through a co-operative PR effort between the TDA and the Blue Ridge National Heritage Area (BRNHA).