News and Updates

Get the latest updates, industry insights, and important announcements impacting our state's vibrant hospitality sector. Our goals is to keep you informed about  the policies, trends, and initiatives shaping North Carolina's travel and tourism landscape.

2027 Military World Summer Games to include both Carolinas

December 3, 2025

Axios Charlotte | 12.03.2025 The 8th CISM Military World Summer Games have expanded to include North and South Carolina. Why it matters: Charlotte will remain the Games‘ home base, but venues in both North and South Carolina are expected to be used. Adding South Carolina provides more potential venues, organizers tell Axios. State of play: Roughly 20 venues in both…

SBJ Unpacks: N.C.’s Research Triangle sees sports business profile grow

November 12, 2025

Sports Business Journal | 11.10.2025 Tonight in Unpacks: North Carolina’s Research Triangle has grown its profile as a top sports business market with sports infrastructure development and event hosting, reports SBJ’s David Broughton in this week’s magazine. Also tonight: Listen to SBJ’s most popular podcast, Morning Buzzcast, where Abe Madkour opens the week with the legacy…

Report: More people moving to downtown Raleigh

October 28, 2025

WRAL | 10.28.2025 The quarterly report released Tuesday by the downtown Raleigh Alliance shows that more people are moving downtown. While leaders admit it has been a struggle for downtown to return to pre-pandemic levels of interest for entertainment or even living downtown, recent numbers are indicating a shift.  Visitor visits to downtown Raleigh increased…

‘We’re building it:’ Inside massive I-26 Connector project in Asheville

October 26, 2025

828NewsNOW | 10.26.2025 ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — After decades of planning, Asheville’s long-awaited Interstate 26 Connector is finally taking shape — and a clear finish line is in sight. North Carolina Department of Transportation Division 13 Construction Engineer Nathan Moneyham walked through a complex web of projects Thursday in Asheville, painting a picture of the…

Truist Championship prepares to usher in golf’s new era in Charlotte

October 20, 2025

Axios Charlotte | 10.06.2025 Golf’s new era in Charlotte doesn’t just include a new name. The Truist Championship promises more elevated hospitality experiences, too. Why it matters: Charlotte is coming off hosting the PGA Championship — one of the game’s major events that drew hundreds of thousands of people to Quail Hollow Club. Catch up quick: Charlotte’s annual PGA Tour event became the Truist…

North Carolina Governor Josh Stein establishes gang prevention, intervention task force

August 25, 2025

Fox8 Winston-Salem | 08/19/2025 WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. (WGHP) — Governor Josh Stein made a big announcement in Winston-Salem on Tuesday afternoon. He said youth gang activity is surging, and he’s created a task force to help prevent it. Stein signed an executive order to establish the Gang Prevention and Intervention Task Force. They will not only…

Tourism dollars create friction in some NC counties

August 20, 2025

Business NC | 08.18.2025 Whoever said taxes don’t go down? In late June, Duplin County agreed to cut its room tax from 6% to 4.5%, which will reduce collections to less than $200,000 annually. Under a state law applicable to the eastern N.C. county, that enabled its commission to dissolve the Duplin County Tourism Development…

Forecasters expect US hotel performance will get worse before it gets better

August 20, 2025

CoStar | 08.11.2025 NASHVILLE, Tennessee — It’s time for the hotel and travel industries to “face the music” as they are in for a bumpy ride. The 17th annual Hotel Data Conference kicked off in Nashville with that general sentiment — paired with the announcement of CoStar’s downgraded outlook for the year. Now, CoStar is predicting a…

RDU picks Texas developer to transform Lake Crabtree Park into massive recreation campus

July 21, 2025

Axios Raleigh | July 18th, 2025 Raleigh-Durham International Airport is in the early stages of working with the Texas developer Pacific Elm Properties to build an outdoor recreation complex on the former Lake Crabtree County Park. Why it matters: The future of the Lake Crabtree County Park at 1400 Aviation Pkwy. in Morrisville has been particularly controversial after…