Chamber of Commerce and Tourism Development Authority to separate

The limestone and granite former United States Post Office building constructed in 1914 displays a sign depicting both organizations. Photo by Catherine Hardee / Neuse News

A long-standing relationship between the Kinston-Lenoir County Chamber of Commerce and Kinston/Lenoir County Tourism Development and Authority, also referred to as Visit Kinston, is coming to an end. 

Gram Spear, chairman of the TDA board, said the organization, which is supported by a portion of local occupancy tax proceeds, has contracted with the Chamber since its inception to administer the funds and programs of the TDA. 

That partnership, Spear said, has been mutually beneficial for many years. In recent years, however, the increases in tourism to Lenoir County have made it more beneficial for each organization to work separately to achieve different goals. 

Judy Jones, chairman of the Chamber of Commerce board, said this move will allow both organizations to better serve the area.

“This should be a win-win for everybody. There is no negative connotation to this. It will be a positive move for both entities, and it will be better for Kinston and Lenoir County,” Jones said. 

The current contract between the two organizations runs until June of next year, but Jones said the decision was made to make the separation effective on December 31, 2019, to allow the Chamber to begin its new fiscal year on January 1, 2020 with the new arrangement in effect. 

Brenda Canup, interim president of the Chamber, said this move will bring Lenoir County into alignment with others in the region. No other county in the area, she said, has a Chamber of Commerce and TDA that are connected the way they have been in Lenoir County. 

Spear said the TDA has hired a consultant to help guide them through the process.

“This gives us an opportunity to rethink everything that we do so that we are doing the best job we can promoting Kinston and Lenoir County to folks across the country and the world,” Spear said. 

Jones said the Chamber will now be able to focus entirely on its mission to be a catalyst for the business community in the city and the county. 

Despite the separation, both Spear and Jones said the relationship between the two will remain strong as they work to promote the area in their different arenas. 

“Nobody will skip a beat,” Jones said.