The Durham Conventions and Visitors Bureau has jumped on the Internet bandwagon with its own home page on the World Wide Web.
Since September 1995, the page has offered links for everything from local hotels and restaurants to facts about Durham's history.
The Web page serves as another communications tool for the bureau, containing much of the information that previously had been available only in pamphlet form.
Local businesses listed in the "Welcome to Durham Visitors Guide" are also advertised on the home page.
"We ask every single person how they find out about us," said Dolly Pokrass, owner of the Blooming Garden Inn. "Lots of our guests have [Internet access] and Prodigy. It was surprising that people from all over the world could find us."
Bureau officials said that the page will help residents and visitors. "Both the traveler and the business person can access the information; that is the beauty of the Internet," said Vicki Isley, director of communications for the bureau.
Currently, the information on the home page is geared toward the individual, Isley said. The bureau hopes to coordinate with Durham and Durham County to focus on more information for meetings and conventions, she said.
The page will also provide services to Durham residents. Through a link to a calendar of events, the page provides general information on local happenings. The bureau also hopes to sell Durham Bulls' tickets through the Internet, Isley said.
Duke students should also benefit from the page. "I think it will be helpful because my dad has Netscape [a World Wide Web browser], and when he comes to visit me he can then find places to stay and eat ahead of time," said Trinity freshman Amanda Moody.
Durham's home page reflects a nationwide trend, as evidenced through the link to the web site City Link. Though City Link, an Internet user can locate information about many different U.S. cities.
Local officials say that the home page will keep Durham on the cutting edge of technology. "Everybody is in the Information Age. We are looking at the next century and we want to get on the board now as opposed to later," said Deborah Craig-Ray of Durham County's department of governmental affairs.
The Durham Chamber of Commerce is working with The Herald-Sun of Durham to design a separate web page which would complement the effort of the visitor's bureau. The new page will outline demographic and business statistics and provide general information about the Chamber of Commerce, said Pat White, director of research for the chamber.
Families interested in moving to Durham will be able to find out the average cost of living, tax rates and information about local schools through this page. That page will probably be available in March, White said.
World Wide Web surfers can find the bureau's home page at http://DCVB.DURHAM.NC.US.
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