durham inc.
HOLIDAYS BRING GLAD TIDINGS FOR DURHAM BUSINESSES L O C A L R E TA I L E R S A N D R E S TA U R AT E U R S R E V U P F O R A B U S T L I N G W I N T E R S E AS O N BY A N N A- R H E S A V E R S O L A | P H O T O G R A P H Y BY J O H N M I C H A E L S I M P S O N
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his year’s holiday outlook is merry and bright for shop and restaurant owners, particularly since the Bull City caught the attention of The New York Times as a “diverse cultural and culinary destination.” Durham was featured on Nov. 2, 2023, in the newspaper’s travel column that highlights things to do and see when an out-oftowner has only 36 hours to check out an area. Visitors to Durham spent more than $1 billion in 2022, up 31% over 2021 and the second highest year-over-year growth rate in the state, according to Discover Durham’s tourism impact report for fiscal year 2023. The state and local tax impact amounted to nearly $72 million. Durham’s hospitality jobs grew 21% to more than 7,000 workers, which was the state’s largest increase. This job growth was spurred, in part, by a rise in new business openings and expanded restaurant hours, though many establishments have not returned to pre-pandemic schedules. Still, demand for more workers is high for the restaurant and hotel sectors. Nearly 60% of out-of-town visitors come to reunite with family and friends during the holidays, said Discover Durham President and CEO Susan Amey. “There’s nothing like hosting your family and seeing
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the joy grandkids experience during the holidays,” she said. Travel patterns and visitor spending continue to shift postpandemic, but the most recent visitor impact data shows the
county’s lodging occupancy rate is up 4% compared to this time last year. “We’re encouraged, and expect to continue seeing this year-over-year growth during this holiday season,” Amey said.
Hometown Apparel fills its 1,800-square-foot storefront on Ninth Street with wearable gifts and home decor made by more than 40 different artists and vendors based in Durham and throughout North Carolina.
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However, colder weather can slow travel and tourism rates, which can impact surrounding retail and hospitality businesses. “That’s important to mention, considering retail and food and beverage accounted for more than half of visitor spending in 2022,” Amey added. Last December attracted more than half a million unique visitors to seven different downtown districts, according to a monthly report assembled by Tiffany Bashore, business engagement director for Downtown Durham Inc. There were 787,000 visitors to downtown last year between Thanksgiving and the end of December – a 10% increase over 2021. She said there have been 9.8 million visitors to the area so far this year, and could match the pre-COVID visitor number of 10.5 million by year’s end. Gina Rozier, DDI’s marketing and communication director, said the outdoor tree lighting event on Dec. 2, 2023, at CCB Plaza is expected to bring thousands downtown with a talented lineup of Durham musicians and performers. City council members unanimously approved the creation of The Bullpen, Durham’s first social district, in October 2022, and it kicked off just a couple days before the tree lighting last December; businesses adjacent to CCB Plaza ended up running out of Bullpen cups – which allow people to responsibly drink beer, wine or cocktails purchased from participating bars and restaurants as they walk through downtown – during the event.