Although summer is coming to an end, the tourism season is far from over. Many families with children must plan their vacations during the summer while their children are out of school. But a large number of tourists are not restricted to traveling only during the summer.

Many people travel year round. This is especially true of the retired, since their schedules are much more flexible than those with children at home.

A growing number of travelers prefer short vacations, like long weekends or simple overnight trips. This style of vacation allows for a greater variety of experiences instead of just one or two "big" vacations each year. Short trips reduce the use of fuel, either saving money or freeing up money to be spent on other things like another vacation.

The latest statistics about the impact of tourism in Robeson County are now available. Last year, tourist spent almost $116 million in our county. This is up 9.5 percent from the previous year. This is rather significant when you consider that tourism in the entire state of North Carolina was up only 7.2 percent.

This increase in tourism in Robeson County is especially interesting when you consider there are no major attractions like beaches, mountains, or major amusement parks that would draw people to our county. Obviously, those who promote tourism in the county - like the Lumberton Visitors Bureau, the Robeson Tourism Development Association, the many chambers of commerce around the county, and even private citizens who "brag" to their out-of-state acquaintances - are doing a good job of marketing the tourism opportunities in the county.

Those in charge of the many special events that are held in the county each year - like performances at Givens Performing Arts Center, all of the great festivals, the Robeson Regional Agricultural Fair, the Lumber River State Park, the Rumba on the Lumber, and the Chevy to the Levee - are doing a great job of marketing their events and are drawing increasing numbers of people into the county. And probably most important is that the hundreds of local folks who come face-to-face with travelers are good at extending "southern hospitality" to our guests. Those who work in hotels, restaurants, convenience stores, and retail businesses must know that if our guests are treated properly and made to feel welcome, they will return.

Even though tourists spend a lot of money in our county, it is often difficult to understand just how important tourism is to our local economy. Tourism provides over 1,100 jobs in Robeson County, and the payroll for these workers is over $18 million. That is really significant when you consider that it is front-page news when a new business announces that they will hire just 50 or 60 workers and have a payroll of only $2 million. It is also significant when you consider that these workers spend most of what they earn right here in our communities when they purchase groceries, clothes, furniture, and a host of other items.

Last year, tourists paid $6.3 million in state taxes and $2.2 million in local taxes when they paid for their hotel rooms and everything else they bought while they were in our county. These are taxes that were collected to pay for our schools, fire departments, local governments, and lots of other things we use every day, but the tourists don't even use at all. This is over $8 million in taxes that we do not have to spend to have the same benefits. So tourists are helping us out.

Although many of us are working hard to create events and activities that will entice tourists to spend an extra day as they travel through our county, we should recognize that at the present time, the vast majority of tourists just stop overnight as they travel through our county. There is lots of extra money to be made by giving even more tourists a reason to stop in our area to spend the night instead of stopping in some other area along the interstate corridor.

I really think it would be a great idea to develop a bunch of Bed and Breakfast facilities throughout the county. Some of them could be along the interstates, some in Lumberton, and some in the other communities in the county. Some might be in the old historic homes; others might be in more traditional homes. Some might have a rural theme; others might have a colonial theme. Some may be secluded for privacy and relaxation, and others might be in the middle of the travel area.

If you travel along the interstate, you occasionally see a Bed and Breakfast advertised. But if we could develop a bunch of them right here in Robeson County, we could become the most recognized area along the interstate corridor for this tourism opportunity. We are conveniently located in the middle of the East Coast. More than 50,000 cars pass through our county every day, and my guess is that many of the folks in those cars would enjoy spending the night in a nice Bed and Breakfast if they have a chance. So let's give them the chance.

Most people think that B&Bs are economy facilities that provide cheap lodging, because you stay in someone else's house. But this is far from the truth. Most B&Bs are very upscale, and those who use these facilities do not hesitate paying more for the individual service, treatment, and experience than they would get even if they stay at an upscale motel.

This is a fantastic opportunity for some of our residents to get their piece of the tourism action. If you have or know of a good location, have been considering a home-based business, and enjoy dealing with people, please give me a call. If you know of others, share this information with them and encourage them to call me. Let's get something started.

E-mail address: Everett_Davis@ncsu.edu

Mailing Address:
P. O. Box 2280
Lumberton, NC 28359-2280

Phone: 910-671-3276
Fax: 910-671-6278

Date Created 10/14/08