2024/25
CHAPEL HILL/ORANGE COUNTY VISITORS BUREAU ANNUAL REPORT Connecting Visitors, Community, and Economic Vitality
LET CURIOSITY LEAD YOU HERE Chapel Hill welcomed thousands of fans to Kenan Stadium on the campus of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill on June 10, 2025 for the MexTour international soccer match Mexico v. Türkiye PHOTO:JON GARDINER/UNC-CHAPEL HILL
TOURI Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Bureau
WHO WE ARE
The Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Bureau is a department of Orange County, NC government and serves as the official accredited Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) for Chapel Hill and the communities of Orange County.
OUR MISSION
To market Orange County, NC in collaboration with community stakeholders; to attract and serve visitors; and to positively impact the local economy and quality of life.
OUR VISION
To establish and promote Orange County as a premier place to visit; and a conference destination.
SMALL TOWN CHARM. BIG ECONOMIC IMPACT. STRATEGICALLY PROMOTED. SUCCESSFULLY DELIVERED.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS JULY 1, 2024 – JUNE 30, 2025
KAREN DEHART, Chair
North Carolina High School Athletic Association
D.R. BRYAN
The Chamber For A Greater Chapel Hill-Carrboro
HEIDI WERNER DAWSON Orange County Hotels
CRESTON WOODS
Orange County Hotels
PARIS MILLER-FOUSHEE Chapel Hill Town Council
ALLISON REID
University of North Carolina Carrboro Town Council
MATT HUGHES
Town of Hillsborough Board of Commissioners
CRAIG LLOYD
Hillsborough/Orange County Chamber of Commerce
BEN MARKLIN
Alliance For Historic Hillsborough
SALLY GREENE
Board of Orange County Commissioners
LISA KAYLIE
Orange County Economic Development Commission
WENDY SMITH
Orange County Arts Commission
MEREDITH SAYBE
At-Large, Union Grove Farm
DAVID PUTNAM
Town of Chapel Hill Economic Development, Ex-Officio
JON HARTMAN-BROWN Town of Carrboro Economic Development, Ex-Officio
2 | CHAPEL HILL/ORANGE COUNTY VISITORS BUREAU • 2024/25 ANNUAL REPORT
OTHERS WHO SERVED DURING 2024-25 GRACE HOLTKAMP TANYA MOORE STEVEN PECK SAM VADGAMA ANNA RICHARDS JERRI LYNN SHULKE
ORANGE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS (AS OF 6/30/25)
JAMEZETTA BEDFORD, Chair JEAN HAMILTON , Vice-Chair MARILYN CARTER AMY FOWLER SALLY GREENE EARL MCKEE PHYLLIS PORTIE-ASCOTT
ORANGE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
ISM ABOUT US
OUR STAFF LAURIE PAOLICELLI Executive Director
HANNAH HEMPHILL Business Officer
MARLENE BARBERA Sales Director
PATTY GRIFFIN
Communications Director
TINA FULLER
Website/Social Media Coordinator
PIX WALSH
Welcome Center Receptionist
CARLA ALSTON HORTON
Saturday Receptionist
WE CONNECT IN PERSON WELCOME CENTER
308 W. Franklin Street, Chapel Hill, NC 27516 (919) 245-4320 info@visitchapelhill.org Mon– Fri, 8:30am – 5pm; Sat, 10am – 3pm.
WE CONNECT ONLINE WWW.VISITCHAPELHILL.ORG
WE CONNECT ON SOCIAL MEDIA Follow “VISITCHAPELHILL”
OUR TOURISM MEMBERSHIPS • DESTINATIONS INTERNATIONAL AND ACCREDITATION • US TRAVEL ASSOCIATION • NORTH CAROLINA TRAVEL & TOURISM COALITION • NORTH CAROLINA TRAVEL INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION • NORTH CAROLINA RESTAURANT & LODGING ASSOCIATION • ASSOCIATION EXECUTIVES OF NC • INTERNATIONAL GAY & LESBIAN TRAVEL ASSOCIATION
SMALL TOWN CHARM. BIG ECONOMIC IMPACT. STRATEGICALLY PROMOTED. SUCCESSFULLY DELIVERED. | 3
DEAR TOURISM PARTNER, Thank you for your continued support
on thoughtful growth—welcoming visitors
Tourism is a powerful driver of econom-
supporting a strong and resilient local
of travel and tourism in Orange County. ic vitality—supporting local businesses, creating jobs, and bringing new energy
into our community. Just as importantly,
KAREN DEHART
Associate Commissioner, Development, Marketing, and Administrative Services North Carolina High School Athletic Association
it introduces visitors to Orange County in ways that often lead to return visits, long-
term relationships, and lasting economic impact.
We are encouraged to hear how visitors experience Orange County not just as a
destination, but as a welcoming place.
in ways that enhance quality of life while economy.
The Visitors Bureau is proud to serve as
both a promoter of place and a connec-
tor—linking visitors with local businesses, supporting community
partners, and
ensuring that Orange County’s spirit of
hospitality translates into real economic
benefit for residents and businesses alike. — Karen
A LETTER
FROM THE CHAIR WHAT’S INSIDE Mission, Boards & Staff.....................................2 Letter From The Chair ........................................4 Economic Impact of Visitor Spending .....6 Sales & Meetings .................................................8 Public Relations & Communications......10 Marketing & advertising.................................12 Financials................................................................14
Feedback from guests frequently highlights the care and hospitality they encounter—from help in stressful moments
to the simple joy of feeling included and
VIT
respected. These everyday interactions re-
flect the heart of our community and play a meaningful role in strengthening our local economy.
Across North Carolina, tourism
continues to enrich communities by at-
tracting new visitors, supporting small businesses, and generating revenue that
helps fund public services and infrastructure. In Orange County, our focus remains
4 | CHAPEL HILL/ORANGE COUNTY VISITORS BUREAU • 2024/25 ANNUAL REPORT
DIRECT TOURISM EMPLOYMENT IN NORTH CAROLINA INCREASED TO OVER
230,000 JOBS, AND DIRECT TOURISM PAYROLL GREW TO APPROXIMATELY
$9.5 BILLION.
TALITY
SMALL TOWN CHARM. BIG ECONOMIC IMPACT. STRATEGICALLY PROMOTED. SUCCESSFULLY DELIVERED. | 5
ORANGE COUNTY TOURISM A WARM WELCOME THAT BRINGS MANY RETURNS
23%
I
19%
TRAN
15%
RECREATION
The Visitors Bureau invites visitors to explore our attractions, enjoy events, shop, dine, and stay—creating memories and leaving lasting value for our community.
IMPACT OF TRAVEL TO ORANGE COUNTY
$280.04 MILLION SPENT
Spent by domestic and international visitors to and within Orange County increasing 4.9% from 2023.
2,039 JOBS CREATED Jobs created in Orange County directly attributable to travel and tourism.
$76.26 MILLION PAYROLL
Travel generated payroll.
$19.25
MILLION TAX REVENUE GENERATED
$10.6 million state tax generated. $8.65 million local tax generated.
6 | CHAPEL HILL/ORANGE COUNTY VISITORS BUREAU • 2024/25 ANNUAL REPORT
VISITOR SPENDING BY SECTOR 36%
7%
RETAIL
*Statistics are from the “Economic Impact of Travel on North Carolina Counties 2
HOTEL OCCUPANCY STATS
2024- 25
OCCUPANCY
64.2%
A.D.R.
$177.99
REVPAR
$114.19
SUPPLY
584,000
DEMAND
374,677
ROOM REV
$66.68 MILLI
TOURISM CONTINUES TO DRIVE MEASURABLE ECONOMIC
IMPACT IMPACT
IN ORANGE COUNTY.
FOOD & BEVERAGE
LODGING
NSPORTATION
2024 ,” which was prepared for Visit North Carolina by Tourism Economics.
5
ION
2023 - 24
% CHANGE
65.3%
-1.8%
$173.90
2.4%
$113.60
0.5%
584,000
0%
381,508
-1.8%
$66.34 MILLION
0.5%
Hotels measure how well they are doing by reviewing specific metrics: OCCUPANCY (how many rooms are filled), DEMAND (how many rooms people want and book), SUPPLY (how many rooms the hotel has), ADR OR AVERAGE DAILY RATE (the average price guests pay for a room), ROOM REVENUE (the total money made from rooms), and REVPAR OR REVENUE PER AVAILABLE ROOM (how much money each room makes whether it’s occupied or not), which together show how busy the hotel is and how well it turns rooms into income.
SMALL TOWN CHARM. BIG ECONOMIC IMPACT. STRATEGICALLY PROMOTED. SUCCESSFULLY DELIVERED. | 7
SALES & MEETINGS
ACTIVITIES AND PROMOTIONS THAT IMPACT TRAVEL TO OUR DESTINATION Creating inviting opportunities to showcase our destination, build connections, and encourage travel through strategic sales and marketing efforts Advanced sales and marketing strategies to grow meetings, sports, and group travel business while increasing qualified leads for local hotels. Expanded hotel leads through participation in regional and national trade shows, direct outreach to meeting planners, and active engagement on CVENT, a leading platform used by planners to source destinations, hotels, and meeting space. Responded to CVENT inquiries and cultivated planner relationships to translate digital leads into new booking opportunities for Orange County hotels.
Provided citywide coordination and visitor services for major events, including a European Soccer Tournament and MexTour 2025.
Produced a professional hotel video series, “Places and Spaces,” hosted and narrated by Visitors Bureau staff, highlighting each Orange County hotel with meeting space and the Friday Center.
Coordinated transportation planning, itinerary development, event services, and on-site logistics to ensure a seamless visitor experience and support overnight stays and local spending.
Collaborated with a video production team to capture meeting rooms, amenities, and location advantages for use by meeting planners.
Served as transportation coordinator for the Uproar Annual Event by securing routes and directing attendees to trolley service to improve access between venues and hotels.
Managed targeted advertising campaigns with the Bureau’s agency to promote hotels and conference facilities to new meeting planners along the Atlantic Coast.
GROWT
8 | CHAPEL HILL/ORANGE COUNTY VISITORS BUREAU • 2024/25 ANNUAL REPORT
CONVERTING CONNECTIONS INTO
CONFERENCES, EVENTS,
AND STAYS. SALES NUMBERS
TOTAL BOOKINGS
ROOM NIGHTS
ESTIMATED SPENDING
LEADS GENERATED
35
2,693
$1,115,998
134
BOOKINGS BY MARKET
TH CONFERENCE & MEETINGS
WEDDINGS
SPORTS
60%
23%
3%
SOCIAL OR ACCOMMODATIONS ONLY
14%
SMALL TOWN CHARM. BIG ECONOMIC IMPACT. STRATEGICALLY PROMOTED. SUCCESSFULLY DELIVERED. | 9
PUBLIC RELATIONS & COMMUNICATION AMPLIFYING ORANGE COUNTY'S STORY WORLDWIDE
Met directly with more than 45 travel writers, freelancers, editors, content creators and influencers who visited our destination or attended Visit North Carolina media missions and marketplaces in Chicago, Durham and Hickory to generate credible stories and social content about Orange County. Collaborated with video crews and photographers to support compelling visual storytelling. Earned free local, regional, national and international coverage that elevated awareness of Orange County’s culture, attractions, and events. 284 stories and/or mentions appeared across various media.
10 | CHAPEL HILL/ORANGE COUNTY VISITORS BUREAU • 2024/25 ANNUAL REPORT
TRAVEL+LEISURE:
Chapel Hill Among 10 Best Places to live in North Carolina
SOUTHERN LIVING:
This North Carolina Town is Home to the Nation’s Oldest Public University - And It’s a Foodie Paradise
LOCAL PALATE:
9 Noteworthy Restaurants in North Carolina includes Bombolo and Lantern
OUR STATE MAGAZINE:
11 Day Trips to Take in North Carolina includes Chapel Hill
NORTH CAROLINA WEEKEND:
PBSNC story Carrboro’s Peel Gallery
THRILLIST.COM:
College Town Chapel Hill Partying since 1793
EATER CAROLINAS:
15 Most Anticipated Restaurants in the Carolinas opening in Spring 2025 includes Wedgewood
ISLANDS.COM:
Artsy, Progressive Carrboro
NCTRIPPING.COM:
PUBLICATIONS PRODUCED IN 24/25
Extended Orange County’s global reach through earned media—unpaid editorial coverage that delivers exposure beyond what advertising budgets can achieve.
SAMPLE STORIES AND ACCOLADES
MEDIA RELATIONS & EARNED MEDIA
The Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Bureau tells the story of our destination to garner positive publicity and media exposure for the community while promoting our tourism amenities. 2025 OFFICIAL VISITORS GUIDE FUN FACTS brochures on Chapel Hill/Carrboro, UNC, Orange County/Hillsborough TRIANGLE ILLUSTRATIVE MAP RESTAURANTS OF ORANGE COUNTY map pad CARRBORO BROCHURE Where diverse paths meet on walkable streets. LATE NIGHT DINING ON FRANKLIN STREET flyer Promotional pieces for two international soccer matches.
AM
14 of the Most interesting Historic Towns in North Carolina includes Hillsborough
WHEREFAMILY.COM:
Readers Vote Chapel Hill Best FamilyFriendly College Town
THIS IS RALEIGH:
36 HOURS IN CHAPEL HILL: A PERFECT WEEKEND ITINERARY OF FOOD, FUN & LOCAL CHARM
ONS
284 STORIES AND/OR
MENTIONS ACROSS VARIOUS
MEDIA
MPLIFY
SMALL TOWN CHARM. BIG ECONOMIC IMPACT. STRATEGICALLY PROMOTED. SUCCESSFULLY DELIVERED. | 11
MARKETING & ADVERTISING
CONNECTING WITH EVEN OUR SMALLEST KEY AUDIENCES
We communicate continuously with key audiences through a variety of channels to keep them informed about our attractions, lodging, events and more—turning visits into local economic impact. Developed a paid marketing campaign in key visitor markets showcasing Chapel Hill, Carrboro, and Hillsborough to drive awareness and visitation. Continued the Let Curiosity Lead You Here theme. Used digital and print ads. Launched a Spanish-language outreach campaign with EnLace Latino NC media to reach new audiences for the Mexican National Soccer Match held in June 2025. Created and deployed a targeted hotels and meetings campaign across LinkedIn, social media, digital platforms. Produced and promoted standalone Orange County destination videos through Instagram Reels to expand reach and engagement. Website and YouTube includes 24 Sneak Pique videos offering unique experiences and help with itinerary planning.
Managed and optimized the destination website, www.visitchapelhill.org, increasing engagement among both new and returning visitors. Redesigned website completed in September 2024. Managed and optimized all social media channels to highlight Orange County’s people, places, and events. Managed Google Search marketing and optimization to ensure strong visibility for Orange County across North Carolina travel searches. Send weekly Orange Slices and monthly Tourism By the Numbers and Check It Out e-newsletters to more than 6,200 subscribers.
CONNECT 12 | CHAPEL HILL/ORANGE COUNTY VISITORS BUREAU • 2024/25 ANNUAL REPORT
EVERY CAMPAIGN INVITES
DISCOVERY AND EVERY
VISIT
REACH 1,653,676 PAGE ENGAGEMENTS 3,950,051 IMPRESSIONS 107,930,692
STRENGTHENS THE
COMMUNITY.
TION
PAID AD CAMPAIGNS*
LANDING PAGE VIEWS 35,395 CLICKS 184,705 PAGE LIKES
2,601
EVENT RESPONSES 4,763 *Includes campaigns run by our agency ( leisure, hotels/ meetings, and Soccer & Uproar) as well as in-house advertising campaigns (Facebook page, Instagram and blogs.)
WEBSITE
VISITCHAPELHILL.ORG
VISITS 617,624 PAGE VIEWS 1,182,708
SOCIAL MEDIA ENGAGEMENT
189,680 12,413 PER MONTH)
YOUTUBE VIEWS
173,400 422.5 PER MONTH
VISITOR NUMBERS WALK-INS TO WELCOME CENTER, VISITOR, AND ADVERTISING INQUIRIES ATTENDANCE AT MAJOR VISITOR ATTRACTIONS AND TOURS
6,532
2,290,387
SMALL TOWN CHARM. BIG ECONOMIC IMPACT. STRATEGICALLY PROMOTED. SUCCESSFULLY DELIVERED. | 13
FINANCIALS
WHERE STRATEGIC INVESTMENT MEETS ECONOMIC RETURN The Chapel Hill/Orange County Visitors Bureau is funded through the accommodations occupancy taxes collected by Orange County, NC, and receives an annual financial audit which highlights our county’s internal control policies and prudent use of funds.
.7% .3%
10%
7%
REVENUES
17%
65%
65% OCCUPANCY TAX 17% TOWN OF CHAPEL HILL PERFORMANCE AGREEMENT 7% ARTS COMMISSION .3% AMERICA 250 GRANT .7% INTEREST INCOME
MOM
10% APPROPRIATE FUND BALANCE
OCCUPANCY TAX
$2,197,372
TOWN OF CHAPEL HILL PERFORMANCE AGREEMENT
$581,858
ARTS COMMISSION
$243,118
AMERICA 250 GRANT
$10,000
INTEREST INCOME
$19,933
APPROPRIATE FUND BALANCE
$333,447
TOTAL REVENUES:
14 | CHAPEL HILL/ORANGE COUNTY VISITORS BUREAU • 2024/25 ANNUAL REPORT
$3,385,728
THOUGHTFUL INVESTMENT TURNED INTO REAL RESULTS—
GROWTH YOU CAN SEE AND MOMENTUM YOU CAN FEEL.
EXPENDITURES
7%
41%
24% 1% 10% 17%
41% SALES & MARKETING 17% ARTS COMMISSION OPERATIONS 10% OPERATIONS 1% CAPITAL 24% ADMINISTRATION/PERSONNEL SERVICES
MENTUM 7% TRANSFER TO ORANGE COIUNTY GENERAL FUND
SALES & MARKETING
$1,407,108
ARTS COMMISSION OPERATIONS
$584,898
OPERATIONS
$348,898
CAPITAL
$12,941
ADMINISTRATION/PERSONNEL
$808,497
TRANSFER TO ORANGE COUNTY GENERAL FUND
$224,000
TOTAL EXPENDITURES
$3,385,728
SMALL TOWN CHARM. BIG ECONOMIC IMPACT. STRATEGICALLY PROMOTED. SUCCESSFULLY DELIVERED. | 15
LET CURIOSITY LEAD YOU HERE SMALL TOWN CHARM. BIG ECONOMIC IMPACT. STRATEGICALLY PROMOTED. SUCCESSFULLY DELIVERED.