Written by Emily Prickett PRTM undergraduate student

This past summer, I wanted to find a unique opportunity that would provide marketing experience in tourism, and I found an incredible informal internship with Martin County that did exactly that. As an NC State student, I got to utilize a resource from the NCSU Alumni Association that connected current students with NC State alumni (https://alumni.ncsu.edu/membership/career-services-2/). Through this tool, I connected with Chase Conner, Director of Martin County Tourism Development Authority (TDA) (https://visitmartincounty.com/).

He informed me of an internship they were offering through a current project called UPLIFT allowing them to have a marketing intern for the summer. The UPLIFT program supports rural North Carolina tourism leaders and practitioners through educational offerings and technical assistance (https://www.uplifttourism.com/). Additionally, UPLIFT provided support to participating counties to hire interns which allowed me to work with the Martin County TDA.

This internship was a chance for me to actively research, create content, and set goals for a new marketing position that would take over after my internship. While some of this work was conducted by attending the monthly board meetings in person, the majority of my work was done remote from Raleigh with weekly check in meetings with the director. I was drawn to this particular internship because it provided a new experience to learn how to market a destination for the benefit of the community and the natural and cultural resources. I felt like it would help further develop me as a professional in the tourism industry. When working with a rural county, I observed how it ties into the importance of connections and support. The small knit community can be a large advantage if utilized properly which I felt Martin County was on the right track to achieve. Rural destinations can also lend themselves to having more visible character throughout the destination and experiences. These are the festivals that were held over the last year which represented the different aspects of their community and the things they enjoy celebrating together. For instance, the Bear Grass Chicken Mull Festival represents a piece of history special to Martin County. It is believed that the dish, Chicken Mull, originated from the veteran cooks who would use the food left over stirring it with a boat paddle and serve it to the whole community. This recipe has been passed down through generations and this festival exists to share it with those beyond the limits of Martin County. Another festival which aims at remembering the rich history of the county is the Oak City Goose Nest Festival. Amongst the food and fun activities, they hope to share the story of how Goose Nest came about and why the community is special enough to celebrate. It not only pays tribute to those who went before them, but also demonstrates to the surrounding communities the value Oak City brings.

Emily presenting the marketing plan to the TDA Board

Going into this internship with the tasks laid out, I felt well-prepared due to coursework I have already completed at NCSU. I have made multiple marketing plans and had to present them in front of the class which related directly to the main project of my campaign. I also feel like my Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management classes have taught me the importance of effective research and how to find the information I need to support my project. This was very helpful in the process of researching the best way to market Martin County. So, through the course of my work I learned how to build a marketing plan specifically for a rural destination utilizing research, local input, and past data. I collected information in a way to pass along to the next marketing coordinator and presented in front of the TDA board. In a professional setting, I also got to see the importance of connections between all representatives from the county and how each area can support the others in unique ways.

Amongst all of these experiences, I was most surprised by the opportunities for creativity within the internship work. I got to stretch myself by finding innovative ways to promote the county differently than they had already tried. This allowed me to use my out of the box thinking to possibly expand their marketing efforts and reach more tourists. This not only was a challenging aspect of the work I did, but it was also my favorite part. Overall, this experience taught me many things which I feel will prepare me for future internships and working opportunities.