Tourism is very important to North Carolina’s economy, especially its western (mountainous) regions and the coast and islands of Outer Banks. The state ranks sixth in the United States (after Florida, California, New York, Nevada, and Pennsylvania) in the number of tourists visiting it.Among the most famous and popular attractions are Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway, the Wright Brothers National Memorial, the “Old Salem” area, and Hatteras Island.Tens of thousands of fans are drawn to the state by the NASCAR series, an extremely popular production car race in the United States. North Carolina is the birthplace of NASCAR, and these days the Charlotte area is home to most of the series’ drivers and staff. Not only does NASCAR greatly increase the number of tourists, but it also creates many jobs in the state.
The city of Concord is home to the huge (140,000 spectators) Charlotte Motor Speedway, which hosts some of the most prestigious Coca-Cola 600 and Sprint All-Star Races each year. The NASCAR Hall of Fame, a museum of sorts dedicated to the most famous and titled drivers, was opened in Charlotte in 2010.
Autumn brings a spectacular display of fall barbs and apples ripening in the orchards. In the winter, the mountains come alive with the shouts and screams of the mountain bikers and boarders who spend a good time at the mountain resorts of the Twin Cities of the Carolinas.
The beaches and coastal recreation areas are popular for weekend getaways throughout the year, but especially in the summer. And the entire state has its own history, from the famous Wright Brothers to the great windjammer and the World War II battleship “The Queen Caroline”.
The desire to become a recognized and well-known destination is a complex marketing challenge. The city of New Bern in eastern North Carolina has several attractions. Another part of the state has much less to offer, but the tourist promotion fund is generated by the statewide hotel bed tax. Under political pressure, tourism officials began promoting Craven County as a destination, favoring it over New Bern. There are serious problems in promoting relatively unknown cities, but promoting Craven County greatly increases the difficulty.