Explore Asheville

Despite Hurricane Helene's challenges, visitors spent $2.65 billion in Buncombe County in 2024, demonstrating the complexity and strength of our recovery story. "We all know 2024 presented unprecedented challenges for our travel and hospitality community due to Hurricane Helene and recognize that the resilience and determination of our community have been remarkable," said Vic Isley, president & CEO of Explore Asheville and the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority. 2024 Tourism Impact Highlights: 👥 18,377 people employed in travel & hospitality (8% of NC's tourism workforce) 💰 $609 million in total payroll generated 🏛️ $116.5 million in state tax revenue + $103 million in local taxes 📊 7.2% of North Carolina's total visitor spending As we continue our recovery efforts, we're seeing encouraging signs of visitor confidence returning. We remain committed to supporting our local businesses and workforce as we rebuild stronger than before! Read Visit North Carolina's report and the impact of the #visitoreconomy statewide at https://lnkd.in/d3JCTbJ

Leanne Morgan's Sold-Out Weekend Generates $5.8M in Direct Spending! Nearly 20,000 fans filled Harrah's Cherokee Center - Asheville this past weekend as nationally celebrated comedian #LeanneMorgan performed four back-to-back shows, delivering not only big laughs but also a major boost to Asheville's creative travel and hospitality sector. With more than three out of four ticket buyers traveling from outside the area, Leanne Morgan's sold-out shows generated $1.55 million in ticket sales, $252,556 in local tax revenue, and an estimated $5.77 million in direct spending across Buncombe County, including lodging, dining, retail, and other local businesses. These multi-million-dollar #economicimpactevents prove that live entertainment is a powerful driver for Asheville's local businesses and its visitor economy. Read about the broader economic impact here: https://lnkd.in/eSQkWjPA

Did you know that Asheville launched America's country music story? A century ago, at the George Vanderbilt Hotel, the groundbreaking 1925 #AshevilleSessions captured the first commercial recordings of Appalachian music—two years before any other city in Appalachia. This November 6-9, Explore Asheville, Blue Ridge Music Center, Worthwhile Sounds, Wicked Weed Brewing, and AVL Fest are celebrating this incredible milestone with "The Asheville Sessions: Celebrating 100 Years of Americana & Appalachia"—a weekend connecting our musical roots to today's thriving scene. The Centennial Weekend features: 🎼 Musical artists Ketch Secor of Old Crow Medicine Show, Nest of Singing Birds and Jesse Smathers and River Whyless, Tyler Ramsey, Toubab Krewe, and Floating Action 🪕History programs and panel discussions 📀 "Music from the Land of the Sky" meticulously remastering 28 tracks from the original 1925 sessions, pressed right in Downtown Asheville at Citizen Vinyl Join us in honoring the voices of the past while celebrating the artists defining our future! Tickets go on sale August 22 | Learn more: www.AshevilleSessions.com

Join travel and hospitality partners, community leaders, and colleagues for the 2025 Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority Annual Meeting, taking place September 8, 3-6pm, at the Wortham Center for the Performing Arts. After a challenging year that’s revealed our community’s gumption, grit, determination, and resilience, we will recognize the significant progress we’ve made together and explore new efforts and events that will help drive the rebound for our creative economy in the coming year. We will also recognize this year’s recipients of the William A.V. Cecil Award, whose unwavering commitment and community-minded dedication supported Asheville and Buncombe County through unprecedented times.   Stick around after the program for networking with industry colleagues while enjoying seasonal bites from Catering by Corey! Register here: http://bit.ly/4mG9ezb

Take us back to Monday at The Radical! We're so grateful for the 300+ industry partners, community leaders, and colleagues who joined us for the 2025 Summer Social. DJ Lil Meow Meow kept the vibes going strong in Golden Hour and The Roof, while attendees got a first-hand look at the newly opened RAD Rendezvous art gallery and retail space, and tapped into their creativity with Mitch Capp's the Doodle Dude and the North Carolina Glass Center's mobile glass blowing unit. Thank you to all our incredible partners who make these gatherings a meaningful experience for everyone! Keep an eye out for details on our next industry event, the 2025 BCTDA Annual Meeting, taking place September 8 at the Wortham Center for the Performing Arts 📸: Carol Spagnuola

The streets were ALIVE last week thanks to #WidespreadPanic's three-night run at the Harrah's Cherokee Center - Asheville! Our community punches above its weight in live music, and we are so fortunate to live in a place with such tremendous creative spirit. Widespread Impact by the Numbers: 💰 More than $8 MILLION contributed to our local economy 🎤 Over 19,000 guests attended the concert series 🌎 81% were visitors ❤️ $32,944 raised for local non-profit organizations through the venue's Community Give Back programs Here's to the power of live music and the magic it brings to our mountain city! Read more about the impact here: https://lnkd.in/ewpMq4VC

The July BCTDA meeting included a mid-year lodging performance analysis. Revenues for travel and hospitality businesses in Buncombe County are currently down 20–40% on average, while expenses have increased, limiting potential profits. While #lodgingperformance is typically the key leading indicator of a destination's health, the mid-year data presented does not tell the complete story of what all our travel and hospitality partners are experiencing. Hotel occupancy remained elevated for the first half of 2025 due to FEMA response workers and displaced residents with emergency vouchers following Hurricane Helene. However, as evidenced by decreased vacation rental demand and feedback from hospitality partners, these overnight guests are not engaging in leisure activities such as tours, attractions, shopping, dining, and entertainment that traditional vacationers typically support. While recovery in our community continues, it remains uneven due to shifts in visitor types and spending patterns. Our team will continue to work with state leaders and national media partners to communicate that Asheville is #openandready, so we can continue to inspire leisure visitors who are essential to our community's #economicvitality. Other takeaways from the July board meeting include: 📊 June lodging occupancy and demand; ⭐ Highlights of Q4 Business Development, Marketing, Partnership, and Culture efforts and achievements towards Explore Asheville's Strategic Imperatives; 📈 A recap of FY25 groups sales performance from Explore Asheville's Business Development; 🔦 A Meetings Database Institute (MDI) presentation on group sales arrivals and data trends for FY26. Read the full meeting recap to learn more about our ongoing recovery efforts and upcoming opportunities to connect with the local travel & hospitality community this summer here: https://lnkd.in/d9QC5Htd

Earlier this summer, Explore Asheville brought together federal and municipal partners, tour guides, outfitters, environmentalists, and outdoor advocates to discuss the French Broad River's recovery progress and current conditions. The collaborative meeting resulted in our comprehensive #Summer2025Guide to the #FrenchBroadRiver — created to help locals and visitors safely reconnect with this beloved waterway while supporting the businesses that call it home. We've also updated the disclaimer that appears on Explore Asheville's water sports and fishing pages to reflect current conditions. 🚣 River-Based Businesses: We encourage you to add the disclaimer from the water sports and fishing pages to your website and marketing materials to help keep visitors aware of current conditions. 🗣 Share this Resource: Direct visitors to our guide when they ask about the French Broad River. It's designed to answer their questions while directing them to local businesses that are open and operating. 🫣 Not Featured? If your business is operating on the river but wasn't included in our article, contact us at partnersupport@exploreasheville.com. We want to ensure all available services are represented as the river continues its recovery! Read the Summer 2025 Guide to the French Broad River: https://lnkd.in/dKX3EBYr

July is #IndependentRetailerMonth, and we're proud of the locally owned and operated shops that make up more than 90% of all Asheville businesses. Following Hurricane Helene, our local business community has shown remarkable resilience. Now, we're doubling down on our commitment to their success with two powerful initiatives: 🔄 The #Shift10 Pledge: We're challenging locals and visitors to shift just 10% of their spending from chains to local shops. If every family shifted just $10 monthly, over $9.3 billion would flow back into local economies nationwide. Small shifts, massive impact. Sign up: https://lnkd.in/ggFcP2RJ 🏆 The #IndieRetailChallenge: Our app-based scavenger hunt turns shopping local into an adventure! Shoppers who check in to at least 5 independent retailers using the Explore Asheville app are entered to win a basket of local goodies plus two tickets to Biltmore!  Details: https://lnkd.in/gPFTXHX4 Asheville is open and ready. Come visit us this summer!

Travel + Leisure published its list of the “Best Cities in the US,” and Asheville is in the top 10! Readers praised Asheville for our hiking trails, craft beer, funky art galleries, and the inspiring comeback of our community after Hurricane Helene. We are honored to make this year's list and hope it encourages you, your friends, family, and customers to book a trip to Asheville area and support our revival! Check the link for more on this prestigious #accolade! https://lnkd.in/e9H2K63Y