From Woodfin to Canton, Hendersonville to Brevard, local communities are embracing outdoor recreation as a way to drive economic growth and provide recreational opportunities for residents.
City program offers ‘carrot’ to hotel developers
Since 2021, 13 hotel projects have gone through the by-right process, with 11 committing more than $2.7 million toward city priorities, according to a newly released City of Asheville public dashboard.
June tourism stays steady compared with June 2023
As more hotels get built, more people rent them, report shows. Vacation rentals were also up from June 2023.
Green Roundup: Landowners along Ecusta Trail win $5M claim against federal government
After several years of litigation, a recent court ruling has required the federal government to pay over $5 million to 164 landowners along the proposed 19.4-mile Ecusta Trail. Compensation to individual property owners ranges from $223 to $191,061. The multiuse greenway, scheduled to be completed in 2028, will run along an unused railway corridor connecting […]
BCTDA gets overview of AVL airport’s growth, construction
Forward, the airport’s construction and design initiative, is expanding the airport from seven gates to 12 with a new baggage claim, two concourses, a concession plaza, and windows throughout the terminal to make the airport brighter
BCTDA anticipates flat occupancy earnings for fiscal year 2025
The Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority unveiled its proposed $34.3 million budget budget for fiscal year 2025 during its May 29 board meeting.
Big changes on the way at DuPont State Recreational Forest
DuPont State Recreational Forest attracted more than a million visitors in 2023, something nobody expected when the site opened nearly 30 years ago. To keep up with the growth, forest officials are about to enact some major changes.
Hospitality workers reveal health care struggles in new survey
Less than one-fourth of Asheville hospitality workers in a recent survey have paid sick leave, and 85% have gone to work sick.
A story of how the TDA decides what to fund
Last month, the BCTDA awarded its first slate of 12 grants from the fund, helping finance projects for organizations from the Swannanoa Valley Art League and Black Wall Street AVL to the Asheville Museum of Science and the City of Asheville.
TDA approves about $10 million for community projects but not affordable housing
The big question heading into the April 24 meeting of the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority was whether affordable housing projects would qualify for financing from the agency’s new $10 million grant fund. The answer was “not really.”
BID public hearing draws crowd despite scheduling kerfuffle
The BID proposal requires two votes from Council, The first is slated for Tuesday, May 14, and the second on Tuesday, June 11. If approved, the governance structure of the BID will be established at a later date.
Planning board defers voting on county’s short-term rental ordinance
“Based on what we have heard from the community … I firmly believe that the best path forward will be to broaden the scope of our discussions to include those issues surrounding STRs,” board Chair Nancy Waldrop said during the April 22 meeting.
Planning Board updates proposed STR rules ahead of public hearing
The proposed changes will be considered at a public hearing Monday, April 22, at A-B Tech’s Ferguson Auditorium starting at 5:30 p.m. in which planning board members will vote on whether to approve the recommendations.
TDA President Vic Isley plans to go full speed ahead in promoting tourism
BCTDA President and CEO of Explore Asheville Vic Isley says that in 2024, the TDA will stick to its four strategic imperatives that guide the organization’s decisions and planning: Delivering balanced and sustainable growth; encouraging safe and responsible travel; engaging and inviting more diverse audiences; and promoting and supporting Asheville’s creative spirit.
Second STR listening session planned for March 18
The proposed regulations would ban new whole-house short-term rentals in the unincorporated parts of Buncombe County unless they were located within five commercial zones or in the county’s residential open-use zone. Existing short-term rentals would not be affected by the changes but would require a county permit.
Look Homeward: Tourism and gentrification in the time of Thomas Wolfe, 1900-38
Local historian and archivist Katherine Cutshall discusses the parallels between Thomas Wolfe’s 1923 play, Welcome to Our City, and modern-day Asheville.
TDA board hears update on quarterly goals and initiatives
The Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority board heard a quarterly progress report from Explore Asheville, the TDA’s marketing agency, regarding the authority’s strategic goals and initiatives at its Jan. 24 meeting. Highlights included the launch of a new Asheville-focused destination app, the upcoming redesign of the Explore Asheville website and the unveiling of the Asheville Black Cultural Heritage Trail, which was funded by a $500,000 Tourism Product Development Fund investment in 2018.
Short-term rental listening session yields conflicting views
The proposed regulations would ban future short-term rentals, both whole-house and rentals within the owner’s primary residence, in unincorporated parts of Buncombe County unless they were located within commercial zones or in an open-use district, among other changes. Existing short-term rentals would not be impacted by the changes.
TDA approves $100K in funding for 2024 festivals and events
The Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority unanimously approved a total of $100,000 in funding for 25 local events and festivals at its Nov. 29 board meeting. According to Tiffany Thacker, director of grants for Explore Asheville, the investment in the projects will “enhance local experiences for both residents and visitors.”
Local leaders: Reduce Buncombe’s tourism marketing budget
“I did not realize that we were so far ahead of everybody else in North Carolina,” said state Sen. Julie Mayfield, D-Buncombe. “All of these other cities do a great job of marketing themselves, and they don’t spend as much money as we do.”
TDA’s promotion machine contributes to influx of transplants, rising housing costs
Figures show visitor spending on second homes doubled from 2009 to 2017, from $44.6 million to $90.4 million.