There can be little doubt that tourism is the economic engine that drives the Outer Banks. One in three jobs is directly dependent on it, and quite a number of other jobs exist because of the visitors who come to the Outer Banks every year.
Hoping to preserve that and at the same time keep what is a very good quality of life, the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau is putting together a 20 year plan.
They're well into the third of seven steps—just had some meetings with the public that will bring the input part of the the process to a close.
Meetings were held at the Fessenden Center on Hatteras Island and the Ramada Inn in Kill Devil Hills on Tuesday. As the input from the people gathered was read and discussed, the moderator commented that there was remarkable similarities between the two areas and what their concerns were.
Perhaps the most significant difference was how traffic was viewed, but even there, traffic was still seen as an issue that had to be addressed.
On the southern beaches the concern was focused on access and keeping the roads open during storm events. On the northern beaches, the Mid Currituck Bridge and weekend traffic woes in Duck and Southern Shores took center stage.
Where there was near universal agreement was in the importance of creating workforce housing and how that can impact our visitors’ experience while here.
On the positive side, there was a real emphasis on how important it is to retain the the beauty and natural setting of the Outer Banks. And a number of people spoke out about the local artists and how much they contribute to the community.
The Outer Banks is a wonderful and complex community. Stop by and visit and experience it for yourself while staying in a Brindley Beach Vacations home.