Brunswick County towns seek their own ‘brand' to lure tourists

It's not that difficult to figure out how to persuade tourists to come to Brunswick County's beaches.


Nearby towns without oceanfront property have to try a little harder – but that's exactly what several of them are doing.

The city of Southport took a step toward increasing its occupancy tax and creating a tourism development authority with a vote earlier this week.

After a public hearing Sept. 9, aldermen will vote a final time on the 2-cent tax hike.

If it is approved, Southport will join two other inland Brunswick County towns boosting their efforts in promoting tourism.

It's harder for these areas to find their "brand" without the natural draw of the ocean.

But town leaders hope the extra marketing efforts will be successful in bringing in people looking for a different experience.

"We're not a beach town," said Southport Alderman Ed Boguskie. "If people are just coming to the beach, they're not going to come here unless there's a reason to come here."

Since 1998, Brunswick County has had its own tourism development authority – known as Brunswick Islands.

While it does work to promote the entire county, Executive Director Mitzi York said its brand is centered on the beaches.

The inland towns don't think that's the wrong thing to do, but the marketing strategy doesn't help them as much.

"The slogan on their brochures is ‘More beach for your blanket,'" Southport Alderman Ken Karn said. "That's great. It brings more people to the beach, but not necessarily to Southport."

The city hopes to bring in about $30,000 from the room tax increase, which Karn said will help advertise its relaxing, laid-back Southern atmosphere.

Southport is following in the footsteps of Leland, which formed its development authority late last year. The authority is now working on creating a tourism logo for the town and distilling its brand, said Chairman Barry Eagle, who is general manager of the Comfort Suites at Magnolia Greens.

Early thoughts are to focus on Leland's central location, close to both downtown Wilmington and the beaches.

It also plans to focus on outdoor sports like kayaking and emphasize the town's parks.

"We've got to figure out, ‘What do we have?'" said Dana Fisher, executive director of the North Brunswick Chamber of Commerce and authority board member.

Shallotte also has a tourism development authority, which was launched in 1998.

It plans to bring in $60,000 this year.

That town has branded itself as a place to golf and enjoy the river.

"We're becoming a destination within ourselves," said Terri Durham, authority board chairwoman and director of the Southeastern Welcome Center. "We have a lot to offer."

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