Carolina Retreats attends the Travel Rally, hosted by the Wilmington and Beaches Hospitality Industry

On Wednesday, May 4, Carolina Retreats had the pleasure of attending the Travel Rally Breakfast hosted by the Wilmington and Beaches Hospitality Industry. Due to the pandemic, this was the first in-person travel rally in two years, and Carolina Retreats first time attending. We had a great time!

While the event was focused on celebrating our local hospitality/travel industries, we also discussed the future of travel in New Hanover county. Various panelists from the hotel, vacation rental management, arts, and restaurant industries gathered to discuss future challenges, as well as key takeaways on how to overcome these adversaries and continue in the right direction.

We started off with (a delicious) breakfast and then listened to the keynote speaker, Dr. Adam Jones, Associate Professor of Economics, UNCW Cameron School of Business, who addressed the future of travel, along with bringing insight on innovative ways to build and retain the workforce of the future. 

Following Dr. Jones’s keynote speech, ​​we listened to a panel discussion with various industry leaders, discussing the best practices for lodging, attractions, restaurants, and arts industries. One of the most critical things addressed was the need to work together to achieve growth. Whether through cross-promotion across industries or utilizing each other’s strengths, it is clear that the future of travel here on the North Carolina coast is dependent on unity and harmony across these various industries. 

All in all, we had a fantastic time and learned valuable information on both the current travel trends and the future of our local industries. To top things off, we even walked away with a door prize! Thanks for a great event, Wilmington and Beaches Hospitality Industry!