H. Lancaster: “North Carolina is blessed with an abundance of natural beauty, beauty which can be seen whether you are traveling…”

“North Carolina is blessed with an abundance of natural beauty, beauty which can be seen whether you are traveling through the mountains and foot hills of western North Carolina or enjoying a moonlit stroll along North Carolina's golden beaches. This beauty manifests itself throughout eastern North Carolina, much of which I represent. In addition to the numerous national parks and national wildlife refuges, eastern North Carolina is home to the Wright Brothers National Memorial and home to the oldest outdoor symphonic drama, the Lost Colony, which portrays the lives and hardships faced by the first English colonists. The list of attractions goes on and on. It is little wonder that the travel and tourism industry is now the second largest industry in North Carolina employing almost 150,000 North Carolinians with a payroll of $2.2 billion. The statistics for the nation are equally staggering with travel and tourism generating a total of $360 billion during 1991. Because of the tremendous economic impact of the travel and tourism industry, it is appropriate that this week has been designated as National Tourism Week.”