The plug has been pulled on Wrightsville’s pay-per-inquiry television ad campaign, leaving the Tourism Development Authority with about $28,000 in unspent funds.
Authority officials have chosen to earmark that money to extend Wrightsville’s reach into off-season outlets, when potential tourists are mulling over what they’re going to do and where they’re going to go come spring.
Wrightsville has already secured television slots during 16 ACC basketball games starting on Nov. 15 and running through Mar. 7.
Tuesday night, the authority voted to continue that ad campaign through March by purchasing slots in early-morning news programs between 6-9 a.m., mainly targeting markets in the Raleigh-Charlotte-Greensboro areas, said Joel Kluger, president of Sunbelt Media and the town’s chief negotiator for broadcasting buys.
With that early-morning time-slot, the authority is aiming its appeal toward a target demographic of empty-nesters and workings folks, luring them into town when the shoulder season of April-May begins.
The pay-per-inquiry was canceled due primarily to a lack of interest. The television stations that air the commercials also run a toll-free number simultaneously; the station is paid each time someone calls to request more information. Inquiries, Kluger said, have been plummeting since the economic fallout, with even the best travel accounts suffering.
With excitement surrounding Wrightsville’s new broadcasting campaign, room occupancy was nailed with the announcement Tuesday night of yet another drop in tax collections, this time 0.78 percent county-wide for September over the same month last year. Wrightsville’s numbers were not available as of Wednesday, Nov. 11, but the small drop across the county has town industry authorities hopeful that any damage wreaked on Wrightsville Beach will be minimal.
Wrightsville is still reeling from the enormous plunder it took in August, when room occupancy plummeted an enormous 17.88 percent—or more than $1 million—over the same time last year.
Room occupancy appears to have fallen across the board, except in Kure Beach which saw a spike in August of 3.75 percent. Brunswick County lodging has also taken a blow, with room occupancy toppling 8 percent in July and 9 percent in August, said Kim Hufham, president/CEO of the Wilmington/Cape Fear Coast Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Albeit what appears to be an industry meltdown, authorities have conveyed feelings of encouragement.
“We’re Americans. We’re still going to vacation and come to the beach,” said Alderman Lisa Weeks of Wrightsville Beach. “I’m optimistic.”
Weeks expressed confidence in the revitalized television campaign, but added that if it’s not successful, “we (the authority) are going to have to continue monitoring our budget and adjust accordingly.”
The Wrightsville Beach business pages on Facebook and Twitter have been building exponentially, although activity on www.visitwrightsville.com has been on a steady decline since August-September. Authorities contribute that drop to the installation of superior navigation tools, which make it easier for the customer to find what they’re looking for.
