May 4, 2009
(Raleigh, NC) - Experience the state’s serene beauty this summer with the Center for Sustainable Tourism at East Carolina University and the North Carolina Division of Tourism, Film and Sports Development’s list of 10 green travel tips.
These tips help visitors enjoy the natural and scenic beauty of North Carolina while preserving it for the future.
“NC green travel is an opportunity for visitors to slow down, open their eyes and view the places they visit not only as an attraction, but as someone’s home,” said Alex Naar, Outreach Coordinator for ECU’s Center for Sustainable Tourism. “If visitors follow these tips, they have the opportunity to leave these beautiful parts of our state even better than they found it.”
NC Green Travel Tips
1. North Carolina has a number of breathtaking and easily reached natural areas. By staying on designated trails and roads you help protect these areas by preventing erosion and keeping sensitive plants and ecosystems from being trampled.
2. North Carolina’s vibrant panoramas make it an ideal destination to enjoy by car on the many scenic byways, and you can save gas, reduce air pollution and protect wildlife by respecting designated speed limits on your trip.
3. The diversity of nature makes North Carolina an interesting place for people and pets. By keeping pets on a leash and under control you can help protect both other visitors and wildlife. And remembering to bring a plastic bag for pet waste can help keep streams and creeks cleaner.
4. When you support local artists and craftsmen by purchasing locally made handicrafts and products, you help preserve North Carolina’s rich cultural heritage and help sustain the next generation of local artist.
5. Supporting local agriculture is one of the best ways to enjoy the rich flavors of North Carolina, while reducing the distance food has to travel and supporting local farmers.
6. While enjoying our many historic downtowns, you can help keep things clean by making sure you put all trash in waste bins. Many towns and business offer recycling for visitors, so if you can’t find a recycling bin, ask for one.
7. There is a lot of North Carolina that can only be seen using non-motorized forms of transportation. Traveling that way helps reduce air and noise pollution.
8. North Carolina’s rich history has given the state a number of historic sites and artifacts, and you can reduce impact on the sites by following all posted signs and not touching or removing objects.
9. To help reduce noise and impact, try traveling in small groups and be respectful of other visitors.
10. The rich environment of North Carolina makes it a great place to see a wide range of wildlife. Help protect these animals by viewing wildlife from a distance, not feeding any wild animal and never following or harassing wildlife.
Tourism remains one of the state’s most vital industries. The economic activity and employment generated by tourism spans various economic sectors. Annually, visitors to North Carolina spend more than $16 billion, generating more than 190,000 jobs for North Carolinians. State and local tax revenues, as a result of the visitor spending, totaled more than $1.3 billion in 2007.
The North Carolina Division of Tourism, Film and Sports Development unifies and leads the state in developing North Carolina as a major destination for leisure travel, group tours, meetings and conventions, sports events, film production and grape and wine industry growth. The Division develops and executes effective marketing programs to accomplish these goals for the benefit of the travel, film, sports and wine industries; the economy; and the citizens of North Carolina.
Read more about Blue Ridge Parkway travel tips and information
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