Wilmington,
NC – October 2014 / Newsmaker Alert / Wednesday (October 22)
the Wilmington and Beaches
Convention and Visitors Bureau [CVB] joined with the City of Wilmington
and New Hanover County along its award-winning riverfront to announce that
Wilmington, North Carolina has been voted as America’s Best Riverfront
in the 10Best
Readers’ Choice travel award contest sponsored by USA TODAY.
Wilmington, North Carolina’s
new #1 ranking among USA TODAY’s 10Best - Best American Riverfronts
tops a growing list of accolades bestowed upon the destination in recent
months. This prestigious 10Best Readers’ Choice travel award shines a spotlight
on Wilmington’s vibrant riverfront with more than 200 shops, restaurants,
attractions, tours and cruises within easy walking distance.
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According to Libby McMillan,
content manager for USA TODAY’s 10Best, this was one of their largest
contests to date and the race between Wilmington (#1) and Spokane (#2)
was a tight one. Wilmington received 33% of the total votes and Spokane
received 28% of the total votes. The two competitors shared an amazing
61% of all votes over the four-week voting period. To see the full list
of winners, visit www.10best.com/awards/travel/best-american-riverfront.
Nominees were chosen by a
panel of relevant experts which include a combination of editors from USA
TODAY; editors from USA TODAY 10Best.com; relevant expert contributors;
and sources for both these media and other Gannett properties. The nomination
panel for each award category is displayed on its associated contest page.
All voting is digital and the 10Best Readers’ Choice Award contest is accessible
on the 10Best.com website. 10Best receives about 700,000 page views per
month.
“With this designation, the
rest of the country will learn what we already know – Wilmington has the
best Riverfront in the United States and remains our most popular tourist
attraction. The city is proud of the investment we have made in this important
public amenity and today’s national designation shows why it’s so important
to our community,” said Wilmington Mayor Bill Saffo.
“To have our riverfront ranked
#1 Best American Riverfront is an exciting achievement that will further
advance our tourism and hospitality industry and overall economic development
efforts,” said Commissioner Jonathan Barfield, Jr. “And I applaud the City
of Wilmington’s leadership for their investment and visionary leadership.”
Barfield added.
“Visitors of Wilmington and
its island beaches know that our riverfront is a special place for recreation,
dining, shopping and enjoying natural beauty. Visitor surveys consistently
prove that Wilmington’s historic river district is among our two key ‘attractors’—the
other being our island beaches, located just minutes away,” states Kim
Hufham, president/CEO of the New Hanover County Tourism Development Authority.
“From a tourism standpoint, the importance of a national designation such
as this cannot be overstated. We are grateful to our visitors and residents
for the roles they played in making this dream designation of ‘America’s
Best Riverfront’ a reality for Wilmington, North Carolina.”
From its historic river district
to its island beaches, Wilmington, North Carolina is flowing with a vibrant
attitude and a warm energy. Wilmington’s city is concentrated in a walkable
river district with an eclectic mix of culture in a progressive, yet historic
setting. Wilmington’s coastline is filled with down-to-earth people, natural
beauty and unlimited vacation choices. The pulse and progressive pace of
this coastal community free you to be spontaneous… and see where the water
takes you.
Wilmington’s riverfront is
renowned for its breathtaking Cape Fear River sunsets and views of the
Battleship
North Carolina. As a focal point of Wilmington’s National Register
Historic District, the riverfront also serves as a stunning backdrop to
dozens of festivals and events, as well as film and television productions
such as “Iron Man 3,” “We’re the Millers,” several Nicholas Sparks films,
and TV’s “Sleepy Hollow,” “Under the Dome,” “Dawson’s Creek,” “One Tree
Hill,” “Matlock” and more. Visitors can experience Wilmington’s historic
river district by horse-drawn carriage, Segway, riverboat cruises, walking
and trolley tours. The 1.75-mile wood-plank Riverwalk hosts a weekly farmer’s
market and concerts, as well as popular annual events such as the North
Carolina Azalea Festival in April, Riverfest
in October and dozens more throughout the year.
Wilmington and its island
beaches offer one destination with four unique settings. Wilmington is
an easy drive from I-95 via I-40 and US74. Prefer to fly? The Wilmington
International Airport (ILM) is located only 10 minutes from the river
and 20 minutes from the beach. ILM provides flight options through Delta
and American Airlines/US Airways. ILM offers many non-stop flights to popular
destinations within the U.S. and is only one stop away from the world.
For a free official Visitors
Guide to Wilmington, North
Carolina and the island beaches of Carolina
Beach,
Kure Beach and Wrightsville
Beach, please call 866-266-9690 or visit the website www.GoWilmingtonAndBeaches.com.
Media
Contact:
Wilmington
and Beaches Convention & Visitors Bureau
Connie
Nelson
Communications/PR
Director
910-332-8751
866-266-9690
ext. 120
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The
New Hanover County Tourism Development Authority d/b/a Wilmington and Beaches
Convention and Visitors Bureau is the official destination marketing organization
of New Hanover County, North Carolina that stimulates economic development
through the promotion of travel and tourism.
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