Orange County NC Website
12 <br />County to enjoy. In the current fiscal year, the OCAC has <br />successfully allocated $30,482 in state funds and $26,750 in <br />County funds to nonprofit organizations, schools, and artists <br />sponsoring art- related projects in Orange County. These funds are <br />matched at least dollar for dollar by the grant recipients. The recent <br />Arts & Economic Prosperity IV study (released June, 2012 by <br />Americans for the Arts) provides compelling evidence that nonprofit <br />arts and culture are an $85.4 million industry in Orange County — <br />one that supports 3,352 full -time equivalent jobs and generates <br />$8.0 million in local and state government revenue. Nonprofit arts <br />and culture organizations in Orange County, which spent $63.9 <br />million in FY10, leveraged a remarkable $21.5 million in additional <br />spending by arts and culture audiences — spending that pumped <br />vital revenue into local restaurants, hotels, retail stores, parking <br />garages and other businesses. <br />The Chapel Hill /Orange County Visitors Bureau introduced a new <br />marketing campaign focused on attracting mid -week business, <br />Chemed "The Edge of the Triangle ". The campaign reminds <br />business travelers of the growing popularity of the Research <br />Triangle Park. The campaign has reached 26 million people in <br />target markets on the Atlantic Coast, through digital, print and radio <br />platforms. The North Carolina Department of Commerce issued an <br />announcement in August 2012 that spending by domestic U.S. <br />travelers totaled $144.07 million in Orange County during 2010. <br />This was a 5.7 percent increase over 2009 figures and ranks <br />Orange County 24th out of North Carolina's 100 counties in travel <br />expenditures. <br />This visitors bureau responded to 1603 requests for information <br />from meeting planners; generated 76 sales leads for area hotels; <br />confirmed 51 conference bookings that will bring 6,809 delegates to <br />Orange County who will spend $2.4 million using an estimated <br />4,000 room nights. As a result of this outreach, the Visitors Bureau <br />saw an increase in visitors, conferences, media coverage and <br />demand for rooms, restaurants and information. <br />The Visitors Bureau embarked on new research study focused on <br />visitors and, gauging attitudes, awareness and purchasing behavior <br />of tourists in order to better understand who the target audience is <br />and how to improve marketing initiatives. Results will be made <br />available in late February. Additionally, 500 hundred informational <br />packets were designed and distributed to all County schools <br />promoting Chapel Hill /Orange County hotels for any sporting events <br />held in Orange County. <br />