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Lily, The First Non-Alcoholic Single Canned Beverage Featuring the Rare & Ancient Adaptogen, Egyptian Water Lily to Launch This Spring

DrinkLily

The first in its category, Lily, a functional non-alcoholic beverage, was created by two native New Yorkers committed to finding a guilt-free way to soothe their anxiety. Over the course of two years they developed a formula designed to gently unwind that tension, leaving consumers with a mood boosting feeling. Every can of Lily harnesses the power of the ancient adaptogen providing tranquility from the Egyptian Water Lily, which was cherished by pharaohs for thousands of years. This flower is packed with rare antioxidants known for sparking creativity and aiding in restoring energy levels, sleep quality, soothing anxiety, stress relief, blood circulation & detoxification. With only 32 calories, 3 grams of sugar, 40% of your daily recommended antioxidants, and no artificial ingredients, each can is something you can feel good about. The drink’s bright and refreshing taste has a base of organic Italian blood orange juice sourced from the lush volcanic soil surrounding Mt. Etna in Sicily. Also in the brew is organic black tea leaves and invigorating Korean Red Ginseng root. The ginseng, a powerful adaptogen, provides an abundance of essential B vitamins (B1, B6, B12). The black and gold tea leaves are sourced from the fertile Yunnan province of China, and deliver a nutty flavor to go along with mind stabilizing L-theanine. Lily’s co-founders and childhood friends Bradley Morgan and Isaac Lliguin, grew up in Manhattan and frequently struggled with coping from the daily stressors of their high pressure jobs. “I was working from 7AM to midnight as the lead producer for a daily TV show on VICE in Brooklyn. After years of commuting between boroughs and working late hours, the stress really started to affect my health. The responsibilities for creating a new television show every day felt endless: writing, producing, editing, while managing high profile talent and staff. And the more weed I smoked, the less it seemed to help with the stress. With the guidance of holistic medicine professionals, I began my search for natural solutions,” says co-founder Bradley Morgan. In the summer of 2020, Bradley was introduced to the Egyptian Water Lily in a tiny Chinatown tea shop. After experiencing the blissful and anxiety reducing qualities of the flower, the path to creating Lily had begun. With other flavors currently in development, Lily is excited to continue their journey of sharing the benefits of this special flower with everyone who knows what it feels like to be a bit overwhelmed with modern day life. Available in 4-pack ($20), 8-pack ($40) and 24-pack ($120) options, the slim and sleek designed 11.5oz cans are available nationwide online and at select health and wellness stores throughout the tri-state area. To learn more about Lily and retailers, please follow along on Instagram @drinklily or visit www.drinklily.com. ABOUT LILY: Co-founded by New York City kids and childhood friends, Isaac Lliguin and Bradley Morgan, Lily, the functional beverage brand was founded in 2023. After years of development, Lily is the first on the market and in the non-alcoholic category to harness the powers of the Egyptian Water Lily and was first concieved as a result of needing to find an energy boosting and stress relief alternative. With only 32 calories, 3 grams of sugar, 40% of your daily recommended antioxidants, and no artificial ingredients, each can is something you can feel good about. The drink’s base is organic Italian blood orange juice with organic black tea leaves and Korean Red Ginseng root. The ginseng, a powerful adaptogen, provides an abundance of invigorating B vitamins (B1, B6, B12) along with mind-stabilizing L-theanine. Contact Details DrinkLily Gabrielle Perez Press@DrinkLily.com Company Website https://www.drinklily.com/

May 01, 2023 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Planet Based Foods creating clean food using hemp as key sustainable ingredient

Planet Based Foods

Planet Based Foods CEO Braelyn Davis joined Steve Darling from Proactive to share news about the company which creates unique products using a clean blend of hemp seed, pea protein and brown rice, to maximize nutrients and fiber with zero waste. Davis tells Proactive more about the company, its product line and which sectors it will look to grow in. Contact Details Proactive Investors +1 604-688-8158 na-editorial@proactiveinvestors.com

April 27, 2023 01:12 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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USDA’s ‘Defend the Flock’ Campaign Addresses How to Help Keep Your Backyard Chickens Safe from Bird Flu

YourUpdateTV

Over the last several years, more people have turned to raising chickens at home. But a highly infectious bird flu called Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) has created challenges for backyard growers, already affecting more than 58 million birds nationwide. Recently, Dr. Julie Gauthier, the Assistant Director of Poultry Health at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, participated in a nationwide satellite media tour to discuss the crisis and how their ‘Defend the Flock’ campaign is helping address the issue. A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/-7Wg4IcF5Bc The U.S. poultry industry is one of the largest in the world and an important sector of our agricultural economy. Disease outbreaks can devastate flocks, impact trade, cause job and financial losses, and affect prices on eggs, prepared poultry, and other staples. The Defend the Flock education program offers free tools and resources to help everyone who handles or works with poultry follow proper biosecurity practices. These practices will help keep your birds healthy and reduce the risk of avian influenza and other infectious diseases. Tips include: · Keep flocks away from open water and wild birds that can carry disease · Separating your poultry from the rest of your property, using only one entry and exit point · Clean regularly and wear dedicated clothes and shoes when tending to your flock · Clean equipment and vehicles with soap and water before and after they are near your flock · Don’t share tools, poultry supplies or equipment with other flock owners · Report sick birds and know the warning signs, including lower egg production, soft-shelled or misshapen eggs, and runny nose, sneezing and trouble breathing. Report any signs of illness or unexplained deaths to your veterinarian, animal health official, or call the USDA at 866-536-7593 For more tips and advice to keep your chickens safe, search online for ‘Defend the Flock’ About Dr. Julie Gauthier Dr. Julie Gauthier is Assistant Director for Poultry Health and a Veterinary Medical Officer at the U.S. Department of Agriculture/APHIS. The doctor is a Veterinary Medicine Prevention Officer for the U.S. Army Reserve where she has served for more than five years. Dr. Gauthier received her Master’s in Public Health from the Yale School of Public Health and her Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine from Michigan State University. Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

April 27, 2023 10:31 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Winners (WNRS) Reports Best Ever Annual Revenue Increase of Almost 400% in 2022 for its Sports Gambling Research, Data, Advice, Analysis and Prediction Services

WINNERS INC

Winners, Inc. (OTC: WNRS) through its operating subsidiaries provide sports betting enthusiasts with high-quality content, analysis, research, data, and guidance for popular betting sports, reported revenues for the year ending December 31 st, 2022, of $109,080 compared to revenues of $27,483 for the year ending December 31 st, 2022, representing an increase of almost 400%. 2022 was a year testing various marketing initiatives to determine how best to allocate marketing $ to significantly increase revenues in 2023 and beyond. The Financial and Disclosure Statement can be viewed in its entirety at OTC Markets. Recently, Winners (WNRS) reported it had executed a definitive agreement with Horse Races Now (“HRN”), a leading entity in the Horse Racing Industry, and with Next Play Digital (“NPD”), a leading digital marketing agency with expertise in sports betting marketing, content and optimization for the competitive sports betting and gaming sectors to market sportsbook services and opportunities to its database of over 380,000 Users of its Horse-Racing App to expand its handicapping services into this Multi-Billion Dollar industry. The parties shall have a split of fees. Brian Foy, CMO of Winners stated, “After the acquisition of my company The Longshot Report by Winners, football season was just starting, so we had to first lay out and build the proven funnel and foundation all while proving the revenue model. We have been implementing and working on this subscription model for four plus years now, so with experience and historical data it was seamless to implement VegasWinners picks into the funnel. Subscription revenues are continuing to come in daily and we don’t see a stop to them anytime soon.” Wayne Allyn Root, CEO of Winners, stated, "This was our first-ever test of a digital marketing campaign to sell our handicapping advice to sports gamblers. We’ve been a leader in the sports handicapping industry for 38 years. In all that time, we only advertised on television and radio. Today digital marketing is the only cost-effective way to advertise. We purchased The LongShot Report last year. Brian Foy, its CEO, is an expert in digital marketing. We decided to use the four months of NFL 2022 as a test. We tested with a very small amount of money. We were literally shocked by the results. The response to Brian's digital marketing campaign was outstanding. It was beyond our wildest expectations. We spent very little money and received back very favorable sales CPA (“cost per acquisition”) from September to December 2022. And without spending any further money, we produced subscription renewal sales from January through March 2023. And in our off-season (post-March Madness), subscription renewals continue to come in. We've found a winning formula. This fall, we plan to invest substantial money into digital marketing. And we now have a second powerful revenue stream, as we now have signed affiliate revenue-sharing partnerships for sports with many of the biggest names in the casino and sportsbook industry." VegasWinners is a licensed sports gambling affiliate that intends to drive traffic to gaming operators for commission. Currently licensed in several states and awaiting make applications in others, it is the intent of VegasWinners to get licensed in all states that allow online sports gambling. To date, online sports gambling is legal in; Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, Washington DC, West Virginia, Wyoming and Ontario. Globally, sports betting accounted for US$83.65 billion in 2022 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 10.3% from 2023 to 2030 as reported by Grand View Research. The demand for sports betting is driven by factors such as the major shift in the regulatory landscape of the global gambling sector, the penetration of connected devices, and the developing digital infrastructure. Online sports betting gained popularity during the pandemic due to an upsurge in eSports and similar forms of betting and an increased usage and accessibility of smartphones which accounted for nearly 70% of online betting in 2020 according to a recent survey from Uplatform ABOUT WINNERS, INC. Winners, Inc. (OTC: WNRS) through its subsidiaries is engaged in the business of sports gambling research, data, advice, analysis and predictions utilizing all available media, advertising formats and its database of users. Revenues are expected to accelerate due to the explosion of legalized sports handicapping since the 2018 Supreme Court decision granting States have the right to approve sports. Its Subsidiaries: VegasWinners is a registered sports gambling affiliate that intends to drive traffic to gaming operators for commission and is currently registered in West Virginia, Indiana, Colorado, New Jersey, Tennessee, Pennsylvania and able to operate in New York, Nevada, Mississippi, Wyoming, Illinois, Iowa, Louisiana and has made application in several additional states; The LongShot Report is a rapidly growing internet/online subscription-based company that gives advice on sports picks for fantasy and sports betting including football, basketball, baseball, hockey and golf. For more information, please visit websites VegasWinners and The LongShot Report and on Social Media at Twitter. SAFE HARBOR STATEMENT This press release contains forward-looking statements that can be identified by terminology such as "believes," "expects," "potential," "plans," "suggests," "may," "should," "could," "intends," or similar expressions. Many forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results to be materially different from any future results implied by such statements. These factors include, but are not limited to, our ability to continue to enhance our products and systems to address industry changes, our ability to expand our customer base and retain existing customers, our ability to effectively compete in our market segment, the lack of public information on our company, our ability to raise sufficient capital to fund our business, operations, our ability to continue as a going concern, and a limited public market for our common stock, among other risks. Many factors are difficult to predict accurately and are generally beyond the company's control. Forward-looking statements speak only as to the date they are made, and we do not undertake to update forward-looking statements to reflect circumstances or events that occur after the date the forward-looking statements are made. FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT: Brian Foy Chief Marketing Officer Brian@winnersinc.us SOURCE: Winners, Inc. Contact Details Winners, Inc. Brian@winnersinc.us Company Website https://vegaswinners.com/

April 27, 2023 09:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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Pangea Natural Foods seeing success with the manufacturing and distribution of healthy food

Pangea Natural Foods

Pangea Natural Foods CEO Pratap Sandhu joined Steve Darling from Proactive to talk more about the company which has several verticals in the healthy food sector. Sandhu tells Proactive more about the products the company offers including food manufacturing, co-packing services and food distribution. He also discusses its growth plans. Contact Details Proactive Investors +1 604-688-8158 na-editorial@proactiveinvestors.com

April 26, 2023 01:31 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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AmeriLife’s LeadStar Announces Latest Platform Enhancement Backed by RGI Solutions, Combining Best-in-Class Leads Platform with Enterprise-Wide Direct Mail Leads Solution

AmeriLife

LeadStar, the proprietary, private leads platform created with and exclusively for AmeriLife -affiliated agents, announced today that it has partnered with data-driven business solutions company RGI Solutions to develop LeadStar Direct, the latest enhancement to LeadStar that will sit alongside its Marketplace platform and deliver agents fully compliant direct mail lead campaigns and a CRM solution. LeadStar Direct, which is slated to be launched later this summer, will initially allow agents to seamlessly order Medicare Advantage, Medicare Supplement and Final Expense lead mailers that are tested, fully compliant, and have 100 percent data availability with no territorial blackouts – all in one central location and without having to juggle multiple leads vendors. Leveraging the proven success of RGI Solutions, all lead cards in LeadStar Direct will be continuously tested and optimized to generate the performance required to deliver more sales at a lower cost for agents. Additionally, agents using LeadStar Direct will have access to award-winning customer support should they need it. This support, alongside LeadStar Marketplace’s seamless onboarding for real-time data leads and both inbound and warm-transfer customer calls, will provide agents with the tools they need to start selling quickly and confidently on all channels. “Our agents spoke and we listened, and with both cost and compliance being top of mind today, LeadStar Direct is coming online at the perfect time,” said William DeCourcy, senior vice president of Growth Marketing and Customer Acquisition for AmeriLife and founder of LeadStar. “We’re excited to deliver premier direct mail lead options to agents, through an Amazon-like storefront, which includes competitive pricing, worry-free compliance, and a best-in-class user experience that is the hallmark of the LeadStar platforms.” “We’re thrilled to join forces with LeadStar and AmeriLife to bring this much-needed program to market,” added Nathan Addesa, president of RGI Solutions. “RGI has been longtime partners with a number of AmeriLife’s affiliated companies. This enterprise partnership will drive end-to-end efficiencies and total compliance for everyone in the AmeriLife network.” Launched in October 2022 in partnership with Fluent and SalesRiver (formerly known as Leadrilla), LeadStar Marketplace delivers exclusive, real-time leads as well as inbound and warm-transfer calls – directly to field agents – at the industry’s best prices. With the ability to customize lead volume and types against individual agents’ needs, LeadStar Marketplace empowers agents with unmatched flexibility, reliability and performance to accelerate their sales and grow their businesses. Now, together with LeadStar Direct, agents will have access to one of the best one-stop-shop lead solutions in the market today. “The launch of LeadStar and LeadStar Marketplace was a major milestone not only for AmeriLife’s affiliated agents, but the industry as well,” said Ovi Vitas, Chief Marketing Officer for AmeriLife. “LeadStar Direct is yet another reminder to our partners that we remain laser focused on their needs, working tirelessly to deliver tools and technology that will truly move the needle for the growth of their business.” ### About RGI Solutions With over 40 years of experience, RGI Solutions has helped thousands of clients in the insurance industry. RGI’s focus is to help clients grow their top line revenue. Our innovative cost per lead program generates consistent flows of direct mail leads to agents, carriers and marketing organizations. RGI also helps companies grow thought its Agent Boost solution. This recruitment program cost effectively sources highly qualified agents for our clients. For more information, visit us at RGIDA.com. About AmeriLife AmeriLife’s strength is its mission: to provide insurance and retirement solutions to help people live longer, healthier lives. In doing so, AmeriLife has become recognized as the leader in developing, marketing, and distributing life and health insurance, annuities and retirement planning solutions to enhance the lives of pre-retirees and retirees across the United States. For more than 50 years, AmeriLife has partnered with top insurance carriers to provide value and quality to customers served through a distribution network of over 300,000 insurance agents and advisors and 120 marketing organizations and insurance agency locations nationwide. For more information, visit AmeriLife.com, and follow AmeriLife on Facebook and LinkedIn. Contact Details Media Jeff Maldonado +1 321-297-1112 jmaldonado@amerilife.com Partnership Inquiries Patrick Nichols +1 727-726-0726 pnichols@amerilife.com Company Website https://amerilife.com/

April 26, 2023 01:30 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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ANNISTON, ALABAMA WOMAN FEATURED IN NEWEST HIBBETT SMALL-TOWN SNEAKERHEAD

Hibbett, Inc.

Hibbett, Inc. (NASDAQ:HIBB), an athletic-inspired fashion retailer with more than 1,100 Hibbett and City Gear specialty stores nationwide, today announced the latest release of the exclusive Small-Town Sneakerhead (STSH) series celebrating sneaker culture. The newest episode features 24 year-old Amari Fleming of Anniston, Alabama, a Physical Therapy Tech whose father inspired her to collect sneakers. “Small-Town Sneakerhead is an homage to unique and interesting sneaker collectors from unexpected small pockets of the country,” said Sarah Sharp-Wangaard, VP Marketing, Hibbett. “Hibbett was founded in the great state of Alabama and we enjoy featuring another sneaker fan with a passion for her hometown and hearing about why she loves Anniston.” In the latest Small-Town Sneakerhead episode, Fleming, who has a degree in Exercise Science and works as a Physical Therapy Tech, says that she loves her small town of Anniston, Alabama because her father’s family originated there. She is proud of Anniston’s significant civil rights history that takes place there including that it was a stopping point in 1961 for the Freedom Riders. Some of Fleming’s favorite spots in Anniston include; Quintard Mall, for movies and shopping, Crab Barrack for seafood and Choccolocco Park for beautiful scenery, biking, hiking and kayaking and to catch practices and games for the minor league baseball team, the Choccolocco Monsters. Fleming was inspired to start collecting sneakers by her father who had his own sneaker collection. “Growing up I always enjoyed streetwear and always wanted to own a pair of Jordan’s. When I got my first full time job, I was finally able to buy my own pair and now there are approximately 75 pairs in my collection. What draws me to a pair of sneakers is the uniqueness of the design, how rare they are, a pair that will hold value and something that I know not a lot of people have. The top three things a pair has to have are a story, a unique silhouette and a color that pops.” “Being a sneakerhead means that not only do you enjoy collecting sneakers, but you also enjoy learning about the story and value behind the sneaker. Wearing sneakers allows us to tell a story without even speaking. What’s special about sneaker culture is just appreciating the story and value of a sneaker. It’s interesting to see how sneakers appreciate in value, like jewelry or fine wine, collecting shoes is like enjoying and collecting art. In my collection I’m most proud that I was able to secure the Nike Concepts X Dunk Low Orange Lobsters and the Air Jordan 1Retro High OG Denim.” "It was a great pleasure to highlight Amari and her story - a homegrown sneakerhead in Alabama, where Hibbett was founded,” said Matt Halfhill, Founder and CEO, Nice Kicks. “It was even more special to tell a story of Nike Air and its versatile and timeless style as a staple for everyone no matter your age or where you call home.” About Small-Town Sneakerhead In 2020, Hibbett launched the Small-Town Sneakerhead project to provide sneakerheads from all walks of life the platform to share their personal sneaker narrative. Produced in partnership with Nike and Nice Kicks, the series highlights the evolving sneaker scene and enthusiasts from across the country. Hibbett has featured collectors from East Buffalo, NY, Cheyenne, WY, Hampton, VA, Cape Girardeau, MO, Murphy, TX, Hopkinsville, KY, Lafayette, LA, Crosby, TX, Sandy Springs, GA and St. George, UT with more coming soon. About Hibbett, Inc. Hibbett, headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama, is a leading athletic-inspired fashion retailer with 1133 Hibbett and City Gear specialty stores, located in 36 states nationwide. Hibbett has a rich history of convenient locations, personalized customer service and access to coveted footwear, apparel and equipment from top brands like Nike, Jordan, and adidas. Consumers can browse styles, find new releases, shop looks and make purchases online or in their nearest store by visiting www.hibbett.com. Follow us @hibbettsports and @citygear on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. Contact Details Wendy Yellin pr@hibbett.com Company Website https://www.Hibbett.com

April 26, 2023 01:03 PM Eastern Daylight Time

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Unleash Your Inner Adventurer

YourUpdateTV

Are you looking for a vacation destination that offers endless adventure and relaxation? Well, look no further than northeastern North Carolina’s charming lake and river towns. Wit Tuttell, executive director of Visit NC, and Bruce Tyler, co-founder of Weldon Mills Distillery, recently conducted a satellite media tour to talk about the hidden gems and local hotspots that make this region so special. A video accompanying this announcement is available at: https://youtu.be/CF6-KlI9A90 With spring in full flow, Visit North Carolina rolls out Dream Big in Small Town NC in the state’s Northeast Lakes & Rivers region, an area dotted with waterside gems, refreshing views and resonant history. Travelers can try their luck with sweepstakes prizing as they follow the Dream Big initiative’s roadmap to under-the-radar destinations that will welcome a boost in visitation and interest in longer stays. “Halifax, Henderson, Tarboro, Warrenton — these towns and others invite travelers to cozy up and connect,” said Wit Tuttell, executive director of Visit North Carolina. “Their appeal is immediate as well as timeless with fresh vitality springing from the big dreams of hometown heroes and newly arrived visionaries. Now is a perfect time for travelers to discover places worth knowing.” Dream Big in Small Town NC, created by the General Assembly as the Rural Tourism Recovery Pilot Program, targets 16 counties at risk for population loss as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The initiative began with a focus on five Scenic Mountain counties and now continues in Edgecombe, Halifax, Vance and Warren counties, whose bodies of water include Kerr Lake, Lake Gaston, and the Tar and Roanoke rivers. The final phase, beginning in June, will zero in on seven Inner Banks counties. Easily reached from exits along Interstates 85 and 95, the Northeast Lakes & Rivers destinations combine distinctive culture with landmark history plus natural beauty and recreation. Start the getaway dream by entering the sweepstakes for a chance to win: · A $1,000 voucher from program partner Airbnb. · Three $100 gift cards for a choice of restaurants, shops and activities. · A $500 gift card from Visit NC to assist with travel expenses. For outdoor lovers, the rivers and lakes create ample reason to explore, Tuttell said. In Henderson, Kerr Lake and its 850 miles of shoreline have a dozen local access points, including eight in a state recreation area known for hiking and birding as well as water activities. At Lake Gaston, between Warrenton and Roanoke Rapids, adventure seekers can sign up for lessons from international wakeboarding champion Adam Fields’ AF Wake. Tarboro visitors can access the scenic Tar River Paddle Trail, and distance paddlers can embark on the Roanoke River State Trail from Weldon. Stunning views of history and nature reward hikers and bikers at Medoc Mountain State Park and on the Roanoke Canal Museum & Trail, which makes loaner bikes available. “There’s joy in these outdoor activities plus a sense of wonder from the historic moments since the time of the Tuscarora,” Tuttell said. “In Halifax, North Carolina became the first colony to call for independence from Britain. Weldon was home to the world’s longest railroad, which played an outsize role in Civil War history. The Roanoke Canal Trail includes stops on the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom. Princeville became one of the first towns in the country chartered by Black residents, and Warren County is recognized as the ‘birthplace of environmental justice’ based on a 1982 protest.” If economic growth has favored urban areas in recent decades, the Lakes & Rivers towns have been fortified by a deep-rooted community spirit and sense of possibility. Ambitious locals who left have returned with big ideas for revitalizing and reinventing the places where they grew up. Homecoming enterprises include Tarboro’s On the Square restaurant and Tarboro Brewing, Halifax’s Hen & the Hog and Halifax Studios, and Littleton’s Blue Jay Bistro, Main Street Wines and Daphne’s Coffee Shop plus the revitalized Lakeland Cultural Arts Center. Near Norlina, Seven Springs Farm & Vineyard opened in 2020 to become a popular spot for music events and wine tastings. Lori Medlin, president and CEO of the Halifax County Convention & Visitors Bureau, cites a pair of entrepreneurs who were inspired to turn a former sleepwear factory in Weldon into a distillery. Almost immediately after opening in 2019, Weldon Mills Distillery gained national attention with its award-winning bourbons and other spirits. The founders of Sylvan Heights Bird Park in Scotland Neck arrived by way of Great Britain. And in nearby Vance County, downtown Henderson attracted an achiever who opened The Eleanor on Belle hotel and a shop called Gear and Beer. “Small towns are best explored at leisure,” Tuttell said. “Between the outdoors and the distinctive downtowns, there’s infinite opportunity to dream big in our Lakes & Rivers destinations.” Dream Big comes with a two-facet approach to economic development: a tourism promotion to infuse revenue into local economies plus appeal to people interested in relocation. As a unit of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, Visit NC is coordinating Dream Big with the N.C. Department of Commerce and other private and public entities involved in growing the state’s first-in-talent workforce. Funded with $1.5 million from the American Rescue Plan Act, the initiative has a dedicated presence on VisitNC.com, complete with links for job postings in the Scenic Mountains ( Graham, Haywood, Madison, Mitchell and Yancey ) and Inner Banks ( Chowan, Gates, Hertford, Martin, Perquimans, Tyrrell and Washington ) as well as the Northeast Lakes & Rivers. The Dream Big homepage also links to the Airbnb website with content to help travelers plan trips and find short-term rental properties in each region. Beyond the exposure from the satellite media tour and sweepstakes, Dream Big will reach the traveling public via @VisitNC’s social media channels. A digital content creator campaign is bringing selected tastemakers to the destinations to engage followers in the local culture and lifestyle appeal for people interested in a long-term change of scenery. Program partner Airbnb, which is also promoting the campaign on its social media channels, is using its inventory of short-term rental properties to host the content creators. “North Carolina is full of unmatched opportunities for big dreams to take hold,” Tuttell said. “We want people to bring them here and make them real.” · For a quick look at enticements in Dream Big destinations, click here. · Find photos from Dream Big destinations here. About Wit Tuttell Wit Tuttell was named Executive Director of Visit North Carolina in November 2013. He oversees the strategic planning, policy development and marketing initiatives for North Carolina's official state tourism office and the industry sectors it serves. North Carolina's state tourism office, formerly the North Carolina Division of Tourism, Film, and Sports Development, was transferred to the non-profit Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina in October 2014 and renamed Visit North Carolina. Tuttell has been in North Carolina tourism since 2006. During this time, the office has been recognized with numerous national awards for excellence in marketing and advertising. He has served as chair of the board of directors of Travel South USA and serves on the board of the U.S. Travel Association. In 2022, Tuttell was named State Tourism Director of the Year by the National Council of State Tourism Directors. He has more than 30 years’ experience in the tourism industry including working for Universal Studios Florida and the Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau Inc. He graduated from the University of Florida and was also a reporter for the Anchorage (Alaska) Times. About Bruce Tyler Attorney Bruce Tyler, a 26-year Army veteran, and Michael Hinderliter opened Weldon Mills Distillery in 2019. Their quest to create a distillery in a historic building with character led them to Weldon, a historic town on the Roanoke River that's known as the “rockfish capital of the world.” Weldon Mills quickly became a regular award winner at competitions, including the East Coast Craft Spirits Awards, the Microliquor Spirit Awards, the SIP Awards and the San Diego International Wine and Spirits Challenge, which named Weldon Mills the Distillery of the Year for 2022. Best known for its bourbons (The All Malt, Reserve, Select and Soldier's Cut, which honors the 82nd Airborne Division and raises money for Gold Star Families), Weldon Mills also crafts vodka, gin, tequila and other spirits. Tyler is vice president of the Distillers Association of North Carolina Board of Directors. About Visit North Carolina: Visit North Carolina is part of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina. Established in 2014, the EDPNC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation that oversees the state's efforts in business and job recruitment and retention, international trade, and tourism, film and sports development. The mission of Visit North Carolina is to unify and lead the state in developing North Carolina as a major destination for leisure travel, group tours, meetings and conventions, sports events and film production. For more information on North Carolina’s destinations and travel assets, go to VisitNC.com. Contact Details YourUpdateTV +1 212-736-2727 yourupdatetv@gmail.com

April 26, 2023 11:28 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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OYO USA Clocks 48% Growth in Revenue from Bookings on its Own Platforms

OYO

Global travel tech company OYO’s US business witnessed a 48% growth in revenue from bookings on its own platform, such as the app, website, mobile web and call centers in Q4 2022 vs same period in 2021. OYO’s app led the growth with a 99% surge in revenue from bookings in Q4 2022 vs same period in 2021. The company had earlier disclosed that its app is the second most downloaded travel app with over 100 million downloads globally. Growth in revenue from bookings via the company’s call centers saw a 59% increase for the same period. Talking about the improved direct demand, Gautam Swaroop, CEO OYO International said, “US is a highly competitive travel & hospitality market. Driving revenue from bookings onto one's own platform and channels is always a demanding task. While bookings through online travel agents such a Booking.com and Expedia.com play an important role in increasing revenues for our hotel partners, direct demand through OYO’s own platforms leads to better margins for our hoteliers. We have improved direct bookings through simple yet effective measures to bring in operational efficiencies and create a strong business impact. We saw a 3x growth in app conversions and a 2x growth in conversions from the call center using product, price optimizations and by creating operational efficiencies, performance management & better incentive structures in the organization.” Nikhil Heda, Head of Business Development, OYO USA added, “We have focused on things that matter to travelers while planning their stays and improving reach and readability of our communication. As a result, we have seen 1.4X growth in our email opens and 2X growth in click throughs of notifications on our app. This has resulted in a significant improvement in demand via OYO’s own channels. Optimizations such as focusing on the right SEO keyword and improving property reviews on Google have also resulted in improved direct bookings, in turn resulting in substantial savings in OTA commissions for our owners.” Commenting on their experience of working with OYO, Ajay Patel, owner of OYO Hotel Eloy Casa Grande, Arizona said, “We have been seeing 1.5X growth in RevPar from bookings via OYO’s app and call center. Over the last 6 months this has resulted in us paying lower commissions. Typical OTA commissions range anywhere between 15% to 18% and reduced reliance on other channels have helped us save over 50% of the commissions.” OYO offers hotels access to a large base of regular customers through its app and website, and also lists hotels on multiple Online Travel Agents (OTAs) to boost booking demand and, revenue. OYO’s best-in-class Artificial Intelligence-enabled pricing software automatically drives the best booking prices across all channels, based on room type, seasonality and other factors, therefore, enabling such increase in online revenues. Earlier this year OYO said that it is planning to add over 100 hotels in the US in 2023. This is nearly double the number of hotels the company added to its portfolio in 2022. OYO will focus on adding more hotels in the states of Oregon, Washington, Texas, Oklahoma, Georgia and Florida. Texas continues to be the largest and fastest growing market for OYO in the US, while it also has sizable concentration of hotels in Oregon, South and North Carolina, Florida & Georgia. In 2022, the company saw a ~23% increase in new hotels added to its portfolio in the US vs 2021. OYO has started offering hotels the flexibility of not having to invest heavily in redoing the hotel to join the OYO platform, something that other budget hotel chains insist on. Therefore, the initial investment to join OYO is minimal. It has been focusing instead on standardizing service led components such as customer support and booking experience. The company helps ensure great experience for customers, with ease of search and a quick booking experience, highly competitive room prices as per market demand patterns, automated tools such as Artificial Intelligence powered chatbots to quickly resolve customer queries, loyalty programmes and easy refund, if needed. OYO’s US operations recently announced that it has outpaced the budget hotel segments growth in per available room revenue (RevPar) with an 18% rise in 2022 vs pre-covid year, 2019. The budget hotel segment in the meanwhile, grew by only 6% in the US. Disclaimer: Oravel Stays Limited is proposing, subject to applicable statutory and regulatory requirements, receipt of requisite approvals, market conditions and other considerations, to make an initial public offering of its equity shares (the “Equity Shares”) and has filed the Draft Red Herring Prospectus (“DRHP”) with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (“SEBI”). The DRHP is available on the website of SEBI at www.sebi.gov.in, websites of the Stock Exchanges, i.e., BSE Limited and National Stock Exchange of India Limited at www.bseindia.com and www.nseindia.com, respectively, and is available on the websites of the Global Coordinators and Book Running Lead Managers, i.e., Kotak Mahindra Capital Company Limited, J.P. Morgan India Private Limited and Citigroup Global Markets India Private Limited at www.investmentbank.kotak.com, www.jpmipl.com and www.online.citibank.co.in/rhtm/citigroupglobalscreen1.htm; the websites of the Book Running Lead Managers, i.e., ICICI Securities Limited, Nomura Financial Advisory and Securities (India) Private Limited, JM Financial Limited and Deutsche Equities India Private Limited at www.icicisecurities.com, www.nomuraholdings.com/company/group/asia/india/index.html, www.jmfl.com and www.db.com/India, respectively. Investors should note that investment in equity shares involves a high degree of risk and for details relating to the same, refer to the Red Herring Prospectus which may be filed with the Registrar of Companies in the future, including the section titled “Risk Factors”. Potential investors should not rely on the DRHP filed with SEBI for making any investment decision. The Equity Shares offered in the Fresh Issue (as defined in the DRHP) and the Offer for Sale (as defined in the DRHP) have not been and will not be registered under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”) and, may not be offered or sold within the United States except pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. Accordingly, the Equity Shares are only being offered and sold (i) within the United States only to “qualified institutional buyers” (as defined in Rule 144A under the Securities Act) in transactions exempt from, or not subject to, the registration requirements under the Securities Act, and (ii) outside the United States in offshore transactions in reliance on Regulation S under the Securities Act and pursuant to the applicable laws of the jurisdictions where those offers and sales are made. There will be no public offering of the Equity Shares in the United States. Contact Details Anupriya +91 97911 63065 anupriya.d@oyorooms.com Company Website https://www.oyorooms.com/

April 26, 2023 09:30 AM Eastern Daylight Time

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