Southeastern Welcome Center
Ready For Tourist Rush
BY DOUG RLITTER
America's starling to feel
good about the economy
again, which means more
families will likely be taking vaca
tions this summer than last.
That's good news as far as
Sabrina Hodges is concerned. The
Southeastern Welcome Center di
rector would like nothing more than
to see more tourists this year than
she did in 1992.
Of course, last year wasn't so
bad. More than 375,000 people vis
ited the eye-catching welcome cen
ter on the U.S. 17 Shallotte bypass
in its First year of operation.
"Last year we didn't know what
to expect," Hodges said during a re
cent interview. "This year I've got
numbers to compare it to. I think
it'll be a good year because people
are feeling better about the econo
my."
In 1992, the center served ap
proximately 377,177 people. The
number was based on staff esti
mates in the early part of the year
and an electronic counter that kept
track of vehicles starting in June.
The busiest months were June
through September when 63,816
vehicles were counted and an esti
mated 172,093 people stopped at
the welcome center. July was the
busiest single month with 17,558
cars and 47,707 visitors.
Hodges heads a four-person cen
ter staff that is armed with
brochures, maps and helpful hints
hUv 'V'
STAFF PHOTOS BY DOUG ULTTTE*
SOUTHEASTERN WEIX20ME CENTER visitors often make favorable comments about the build
ing's unusual design.
to ensure travelers reach their desti- Hodges said travelers depend ploycc restrooms, a break room and
nation and have a good lime when heavily on welcome centers and storage area. Upstairs is a confer
they arrive. chambers of commerce. "We're a ence room and more storage space.
'Tourism is one of the biggest in- service to the traveling public. I Hodges is convinced of the cen
dustries in our county, and I think think it's a good image piecc for the ier's benefit to coastal North
the welcome center plays a big part county." Carolina and Brunswick County in
in that," Hodges said. "We're a pro- The center, which opened last particular.
motional tool for tourism. That's February, features a spacious lobby "We have an advantage. We're in
the bottom line." and reception area, visitor and em- Brunswick County and I think the
coastal communities are seeing a
lot more traffic because of the cen
ter," she said.
"Really, coastal North Carolina
is benefiting a lot whether they
know it or not. We know bccause
we know where we're sending the
people."
In January and February of this
year, Hodges said the center served !
nearly 50,(XX) visitors.
"We're already seeing an in
crease in traffic," she reported in
early March. "I expect the numbers
to be a little better this year, espe
cially with the four-laning of
Highway 17."
The welcome center staff handed
out 257,(XX) brochures last year
promoting different attractions
across the state.
"I think that's pretty good for a
center that's not on an interstate,"
Hodges said. Most of the 475 dif
ferent brochures displayed at the
center promote Brunswick, New
Hanover and Onslow counties.
Hodges says there's no such
thing as an "average visitor" at the
center. The staff has seen lots of
people from Pennsylvania, Ohio,
Michigan and Virginia, plus many
foreign visitors.
"We have visitors of all national
ities. We've probably had some
body from every country visit the
welcome center," she said. "We've
had a lot of Germans and a lot of
Canadians."
(Continued On Following Page)
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