n this episode of Life in the Carolina’s Podcast, we have invited Thomas Salley, the Director of Tourism for Wilkesboro, North Carolina. His expertise in tourism and marketing led him to spearhead Wilkesboro’s tourism to attract more people, create more projects, and build a stronger community. Today, Thomas talks about his journey of getting involved in the world of tourism, the county’s evolution, the people in the community, and the bigger picture Wilkesboro is pursuing in the future.
Art of Tourism
[1:18] Thomas’s career revolves around hospitality, tourism, and customer service. As he learned to develop those skills, it led him to shine in the tourism role and make a difference for his community.
Journey to Career
[3:53] Thomas’ character is the deciding factor for pursuing his tourism career. Once he realizes who he is, it becomes his reason why he was able to make a difference in the tourism world.
The Evolution
[12:27] The best way to describe it is like a buzz. People come slowly, and ultimately, it becomes a whole collaborative work. Individual and town-specific projects aim to increase economic development and the community’s health.
Outdoor Economy
[17:08] The outdoor economy comprises amenities such as biking, hiking, trailing, driving, racing, outdoor concert, state parks, and festivals.
Community People
[20:19] Wilkesboro’s appeal stems from its people’s inventiveness, creativity, perseverance, and will to succeed—to establish a decent quality of life, no matter what life throws at them.
[26:10] A business partnership is vital for the community since it gets people comfortable with taking risks. And that’s what Wilkesboro needs to grow, for its people to step out and build more projects.
Connections
[28:53] Thomas considers himself the facilitator, the one who knows every people around, and you can ask if there are things you need to know. This skill helped him so he could connect with different people so that they could collaborate and build a project.
Transformative
[34:37] It is transformative for Thomas to work for the community. Seeing the smiles on the people’s faces is enough for him to continue working and help the community’s growth.
[39:32] All the people know that they are all one unit. One town and community, so maintaining an inward focus and helping each other is necessary if the community wants to see bigger things happen.
Bigger Picture
[42:09] They will create a more extensive scale for what they do well. Also, Thomas plans to have data and research to accomplish the county’s bigger picture.
[46:00] Slowly, Wilkesboro is starting to move forward toward the goal. More people are getting involved to ensure that the entire community moves together.