DATE: Tuesday, April 8, 1997                TAG: 9704080323

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B4   EDITION: NORTH CAROLINA 

SOURCE: ASSOCIATED PRESS

DATELINE: ASHEVILLE                         LENGTH:   56 lines

TOURISM STAYED AFLOAT IN 1996 DESPITE STORMS

Despite two hurricanes in the east and heavy flooding in the west, North Carolina's tourism industry managed to stay above water in 1996.

Tourism expenditures for 1996 were $9.8 billion, up 6.5 percent from $9.2 billion in the previous year, Gov. James B. Hunt Jr. announced Monday.

The number of North Carolinians employed full time in tourism-related jobs also rose last year to 167,100 from 161,000 in 1995, according to research conducted by Travel Industry Association of America in Washington.

The increase came in a year that started with violent winter storms covering roads with ice. Added to that were hurricanes Fran and Bertha, which eroded beaches and covered the remains with rubble, and flooding that devastated mountain villages.

``For an industry that depends on our state's natural beauty to thrive, these record numbers are remarkable. I am proud of the dedication and hard work of all of North Carolina's tourism professionals,'' Hunt told the 24th annual Governor's Conference on Travel and Tourism.

The state's travel-generated wage base climbed from $2.6 billion to $2.7 billion during the same time. Travel-related state and local tax revenues for 1996 totaled more than $730 million, up from more than $500 million the previous year.

Susan Moran, public relations manager for the state division of travel and tourism, said officials at the conference sighed with relief upon hearing the figures.

``It comes as a surprise to us, but what we need to remember is that the increase, although wonderful, isn't as strong as we've seen in the past,'' she said.

Tourism expenditures increased about 11 percent from 1994-1995, she said.

A tourism official in Wilmington, near where both Fran and Bertha came ashore, said the area appeared to have weathered the storms by rebuilding quickly.

``The hurricanes definitely impacted the summer season in the Cape Fear coast area but overall last year was a record year but we did fine,'' said Chris Mackey, sales manager with the Cape Fear Coast Convention and Visitors Bureau. ``Considering the fact that the eyes of two full-strength hurricanes hit this area we were surprised to see how fast this area bounced back from the storms.''

The recent increase could also be attributed, at least partly, to the cost of dealing with the aftermath from the disasters, Moran said.

``Hotels are up because hotels are full of insurance adjusters and emergency management folks'' during a disaster, Moran said. ``The hotels being so full helped offset a little the loss in attractions.''

Moran said industry officials would now focus on damage control for the upcoming season.

``We're now working on a plan to ensure that the reputation of North Carolina has not been adversely affected by the events of the past year; we want the increase to be even greater,'' she said. KEYWORDS: TOURISM

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