The Port City garnered a recent hospitality-related accolade, and it’s one that has the area’s growing craft brew  community buzzing.

Wilmington was recently named one of “America’s Beeriest Beach Towns” by Craftbeer.com on the site’s 2015 list. With the compilation in only its second year, Wilmington’s inclusion is a testament to the growing local microbrew trend and its impact.

“North Carolina is one of the fastest-growing craft beer states in the country, and while Charlotte, Raleigh and Asheville in particular continue to grab all the headlines, no city in the past year has been more responsible for the Tar Heel State’s rapid ascension than Wilmington,” the article stated.

The site pointed to the number of breweries and steady stream of bottle shops that have popped up over the past year, in awarding the distinction.

With six local breweries, two more readying to open and consistent talk of potential breweries in the works, it’s little wonder that beer-related tourism in the area is on the rise.

In fact, the city’s convention and visitors bureau has added a page to its website (wilmingtonandbeaches.com) that’s dedicated to all things local beer.

What began as a temporary placement on the site proved to be a necessary addition. It started as part of a statewide promotion organized by the N.C. Craft Brewers Guild and Visit North Carolina.

“The CVB launched a one-page brewery page as a ‘child page’ in April 2015, in conjunction with our participation in [the] 2015 N.C. Beer Month promotion – 2015 was the first year that Wilmington and Beaches CVB participated in the promotion because it was the first year we had enough product to warrant participation,” explained Wilmington and Beaches Convention and Visitors Bureau spokeswoman Connie Nelson. “Due to visitor interest, travel trends and expanded product in New Hanover County, the CVB expanded and relaunched it as a special landing page on June 30, 2015.”

Nelson has noticed an increase in visitor interest in the area’s craft beers. A few years ago, she said, related inquiries were almost nonexistent in the area by visitors seeking microbrew destinations.

“[There’s been] an uptick in phone calls and walk-in visitors at our visitor information center inquiring about craft beer,” Nelson said. “Two or three years ago it was something we were rarely asked about.”

While statistics aren’t available yet regarding the impact of beer tourism on the local economy, the N.C. Craft Brewers Guild estimates the annual economic impact of North Carolina-produced craft beer is at $1.2 billion. That, according to the organization, also supports more than 10,000 jobs in the state.

According to the guild, as of October, North Carolina had 133 craft breweries and brewpubs, “more than any other state in the South.” North Carolina ranks 11th nationally in the number of breweries, more than doubling from 45 breweries in 2010.

Like Nelson, Charles Archer, general manager of Wilmington’s Front Street Brewery, has also seen an increase in visitor interest in local craft beer. Recently celebrating the downtown brewery’s 20th anniversary, Archer added that the 2015 tourism season seems to have extended, as well.

“We are seeing more tourists coming in and asking about our beers and really an overall increase – in tourists and locals alike – in the sheer number of people coming in for our brewery tours,” Archer explained. “We’re also seeing more tourists here this fall. Even at the end of October people [were] visiting and coming in [to the brewery] way after the prime summer tourism season.”

Additionally, Archer has noticed larger numbers of refills of Front Street’s beer growler too. He also noted that brewery and bottle shop workers that he’s talked to say they’re experiencing a similar increase in growler sales.

As for Wilmington’s classification as one of the “Beeriest Beach Towns,” Archer said that it makes sense.

“Two and a half to three years ago, Front Street was the only [microbrewery] in town, but with the newer ones and the bottle shops, there’s been a huge increase in the availability of really good beer here – and all across the state,” Archer said.