Officials weigh tourism outlook

By Cece Nunn, posted Jan 14, 2026 on wilmingtonbiz.com

With the N.C. Aquarium set to be closed for additions and renovations this year and next, along with the closure of Cape Fear Museum before it moves into its new space, visitor attendance to the popular attractions will obviously take a hit in 2026.

Aquarium officials said in December that the facility will be closed in the early part of this year for a multi-year renovation and expansion project. The aquarium has reported welcoming about 500,000 visitors a year in recent years.

The project, with a current estimated price tag of $75 million, has been set to include a new 350,000-gallon tank (about 115,000 gallons bigger than the existing one), a 4,000-square-foot rooftop deck and new educational facilities to be able to hold more schoolchildren.

The aquarium’s website on Jan. 5 showed ticket availability through Jan. 19.

Meanwhile, the Cape Fear Museum of History and Science closed its former facility at 814 Market St. on Dec. 31 as part of its transition to a new museum at 230 Grace St.

“This closure is essential to allow for the safe preparation and relocation of more than 400 artifacts that will be on display in the new building,” county officials stated in a news release last month. “This process, including the move of items and installation of new exhibits, will take approximately seven months to complete, with an anticipated opening in July 2026. Once open, this downtown block will be anchored by the museum and public library, creating a cultural hub for residents and visitors.”

As part of the expansion, the existing museum building and park at 814 Market St. will remain operational after the new museum opens, according to the release.

“It will function as a dedicated research facility, exhibition design and fabrication workshop, and collections management complex,” the release stated. “The building will continue to be staffed to support ongoing collections stewardship, exhibition development, and educational initiatives.”

Museum director Kate Baillon said in the release, “The museum team has spent years developing exhibition content to bring a modern, state-of-the-art cultural amenity to New Hanover County. Cape Fear Museum’s facility in the Grace District will offer a dynamic and immersive educational experience that celebrates our region’s history, science, and cultures. We look forward to welcoming visitors in summer 2026.”

While acknowledging the impact the closures will have, tourism officials remain optimistic about the area’s popularity surviving intact. They are continuing an initiative that started last year – implementing the area’s Tourism Master Plan, said Kim Hufham, president and CEO of the Wilmington and Beaches Convention & Visitors Bureau.

“One of the current major initiatives (that’s part of the master plan) has been achieved by hiring an employee to fill a newly created community engagement manager position. A Community Engagement Plan is currently being developed and implementation will begin in 2026,” Hufham said in December.
In-state travel remains the area’s No. 1 feeder market.

“Historically, in-state travel has proven to be more resilient to economic and weather fluctuations,” Hufham said. “We will continue to market to out-of-state markets based on those areas identified by our research as highest potential for visitation. We do not currently market directly to international markets; however, we do reach an international audience through our partnership with Visit NC.”

To date, Hufham said in December, tourism numbers were continuing to grow at a modest increase over last year, “which is a travel trend that many destinations are experiencing. To quote one of our state tourism leaders, ‘Flat is the new up,’ when we look at tourism growth.”

She added, “Uncertainty remains one of the biggest challenges in the tourism industry, as there are many factors beyond our control, including the economy and weather.”

International flight takes off at airport

Wilmington International Airport’s first international commercial flight took off Dec. 24, capping a year of growth for the airport.

The ILM flight to Punta Cana, Dominican Republic, which Avelo Airlines officials announced in August, is set to run on Wednesdays and Saturdays through April.

It’s a milestone for the growing airport, said airport director Jeff Bourk at the time of the announcement.

As of the latest available data from November, the airport had seen nearly 831,000 enplanements up to then, compared to more than 671,000 enplanements during the same period in 2024.

ILM also ranked in 2025 also as the fastest-growing major airport in the U.S. for seat capacity, which increased by 66% between 2022 and 2025. Seven airlines service ILM, including American Airlines, Delta and United, along with more recent additions Sun Country Airlines, JetBlue and Breeze Airways.

Avelo began service at ILM in June 2022, starting with three flights. Since then, the budget airline has added a slate of new destinations. It now operates 17 nonstops out of Wilmington.

The airline also launched ILM’s first base of operations last year.

That base allows Avelo more flexibility in adding new nonstop destinations at ILM, according to company officials. Avelo will use travel data from the Punta Cana flight to gauge demand in the market and whether additional flights could be added in the future.

Bourk said at the time of the Punta Cana flight announcement that while he’s hopeful more international flights could be on the way, this first route will be key in understanding demand in the Wilmington market.

Trevor Yealty, Avelo’s head of commercial, told the Business Journal recently that he sees the potential for continued growth in the Port City.

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