What Michelin's South guide will cost North Carolina
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Michelin plate on a restaurant in Poland. Photo: Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images
North Carolina tourism offices will pay $345,000 annually over multiple years for the chance to be included in the Michelin Guide's expansion into the South.
Why it matters: Tourism officials expect a return on their investments based on research that Michelin stars boost travel spending.
Yes, but: Not all states see the value. Virginia, for one, turned down the opportunity because of a $360,000 price tag.
Between the lines: Virginia already has one three-star restaurant as part of the Washington, D.C. Michelin Guide.
- North Carolina, however, has none. A state cannot qualify for a Michelin star unless it has a guide in it.
The big picture: A Michelin star is among the restaurant world's top honors. The French tire company has been inspecting restaurants in the U.S. since 2005, Axios' Karri Peifer writes.
- But in recent years, Michelin has only visited parts of America willing to pony up cash, the New York Times reported in 2023.
- The "partnership" payments began in 2019 with a $600,000 payout from Visit California to help offset the review costs, the director of the Michelin guides told the NYT.
Follow the money: Visit North Carolina — part of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina — has agreed to pay $170,000 per year, but would not share how many years the contract is for. The majority of Visit NC's funding is taxpayer dollars.
- Additionally, Explore Asheville, the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority, Discover Durham and Visit Raleigh are each contributing $45,000 a year. CRVA tells Axios they're making their payments for three years.
- The local organizations are funded primarily through taxes on hotels and, in the case of Raleigh and Charlotte, food and beverage.
Between the lines: Visit NC says its involvement ensures restaurants across the entire state will be considered for stars.
- Travel South USA contributed funding, along with the participating southern states, to support the Michelin Guide's marketing and promotion, Visit NC tells Axios.
What they're saying: A 2019 study by Ernst & Young showed that Michelin recognition is a "catalyst for decisions to visit a given destination, stay longer and spend more," Visit NC said.
- 71% of travelers said they would likely spend more in a city with Michelin-starred restaurants, and 57% said they would extend their stay, according to the study.
What's next: Anonymous Michelin Guide inspectors are already scoping out restaurants in Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.
- Michelin will unveil its restaurant selections in a future ceremony.