Image courtesy of Wilmington (N.C.) and Beaches Convention and Visitors Bureau

Kim Hufham, president and CEO of the Wilmington (N.C.) and Beaches Convention and Visitors Bureau, breathed a sigh of relief Monday when she went back to the office for the first time Monday since Hurricane Florence smashed into the city 10 days ago.

While thousands of residents continue to deal with flooded properties, the recovery effort is under way as officials begin to return city services, including in the meeting and event industry.

“We’re seeing signs of recovery,” she says. “Businesses are opening back up daily. Our convention center will be back open this weekend. Our offices had been closed and I was so relieved to see that we had no damage.

“We feel for the residents who have lost their homes and the lives that have been lost, but we will recover.

There is a sense of pride and everyone is working really hard on the recovery effort. We are excited about what the future is holding for us.”

Hufham says the 107,000-square-foot Wilmington Convention Center suffered some minimal water damage, but will reopen this weekend for business. She says the convention center lost one association meeting that was scheduled when the hurricane hit, but the majority of meetings that were planned have been rebooked.

There was good news Monday as the remaining segment of I-95 was reopened, and with most access via I-40 also clear, Wilmington is no longer cut off from the rest of the state.

“We were beginning to feel like an island,” Hufham says. “The airport is back open and running now, so we’re accessible.”

The city has about 5,000 hotel rooms and many were being used for rescue workers and temporary housing. Hufham says they are still assessing if any hotels sustained any major damage.

The city’s meeting and event business has been on the upswing, with record numbers of events, attendees and room nights in recent years. The addition of three new hotels, including an Embassy Suites to anchor the convention center, plus a new Aloft hotel that begins construction soon, has positioned the city to attract more business.

In addition, the city has added new development in the Northern River district, adding new amenities to the historic areas including Riverfront Park and the Wilson Center, creating additional unique meeting venues.

“We have the best of both worlds here,” Hufham says. “It’s been amazing to see how the community is coming together and how they are reaching out to each other.”