Explore Asheville - Buncombe County Travel & Hospitality Industry

08/22/2025

Artists—help shape the future of the River Arts District!

We're sharing this important survey on behalf of our partners at River Arts District Artists, Asheville (RADA). RADA has partnered with Sasaki, an internationally recognized planning and design firm, through a grant with Unified RAD and RiverLink to develop a comprehensive vision for the River Arts District's future.

This planning project focuses on supporting artists, local businesses, and building owners while creating greater flood resilience and connectivity throughout the district. To ensure artists remain at the center of this vision, RADA needs at least 300+ artists from our community to participate in the survey.

Please take the survey and share it with artists in your network. This 10–15 minute anonymous survey closes September 1 and will directly inform future land uses, public amenities, and user experiences throughout the RAD.

Take the survey here: https://sasakistrategies.typeform.com/to/Xeggq3nk?typeform-source=statics.teams.cdn.office.net

08/20/2025

Did you know that Asheville launched America's country music story?

A century ago, at the George Vanderbilt Hotel, the groundbreaking 1925 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 W**d 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 Nov. 6–9 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 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

08/12/2025

08/11/2025

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

08/07/2025

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 Spags

07/29/2025

🎵 The streets were ALIVE last week thanks to Widespread Panic'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 economic impact here: https://marketing.exploreasheville.com/acton/fs/blocks/showLandingPage/a/43256/p/p-0112/t/page/fm/1

07/24/2025

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 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 , so we can continue to inspire leisure visitors who are essential to our community's .

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://marketing.exploreasheville.com/acton/media/43256/july25thcu

07/17/2025

Earlier this summer, Explore Asheville brought together federal and municipal partners, tour guides, outfitters, environmentalists, and outdoor advocates to discuss the 's recovery progress and current conditions. The collaborative meeting resulted in our comprehensive Summer 2025 Guide to the French Broad River—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 [email protected]. 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://www.exploreasheville.com/article/your-summer-2025-guide-french-broad-river

07/15/2025

Cheers to The Fresh Market for spotlighting local businesses Poppy Hand-Crafted Popcorn, Devil's Foot Beverage Co., French Broad Chocolates, Spicewalla, Roots & Branches, and 18 Chestnuts in their stores this month!

Join our pledge, by moving just 10% of what you’d normally spend at national chains to local shops, you help fuel creativity, community, and connection right here in Asheville.

Learn more about the pledge and the toolkit here: https://www.exploreasheville.com/partners/article/independent-retailer-month-partner-toolkit

07/01/2025

Join us as we celebrate the summer season with area partners at The Radical Hotel, with sneak preview tours of the soon-to-open RAD Rendezvous artist studios and retail space.

We’re shining a light on our creative spirit with live sets by DJ Lil Meow Meow in Golden Hour and keeping it going with a happy hour set on The Roof from 5-6pm. Don’t miss out on an afternoon of community and connection, craft beverages, local bites, and good times.

Let’s toast to the renewal of the River Arts District and the summer season! RSVP here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/summer-social-tickets-1416951332579

06/26/2025

Thomas Dambo’s work appears in destinations across the globe, drawing fans of both his work and his environmental mission. Explore Asheville powered by the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority are proud to be the presenting sponsor of the North American premiere of the new Thomas Dambo Trolls: A Field Study right here in Asheville at The North Carolina Arboretum. This particular exhibition takes on deeper meaning for our area as we approach the one-year milestone of Hurricane Helene.

In our annual leadership planning session back in March, we prioritized three types of projects for our community: a large entertainment and arts facility, indoor and outdoor sports facilities and family friendly experiences. This partnership certainly fulfills --- and it brings focus to one of our strategic pillars of encouraging safe and and .

We hope regional residents as well as visitors from near and far are delighted by the whimsy and storytelling aspects of each troll. We look forward to the economic, emotional and environmental benefits for our community over the winter season.

Something extraordinary is coming to Asheville this winter! 🧌 The North Carolina Arboretum and Explore Asheville are elated to announce the arrival of TROLLS: A Field Study.

Visiting on their first North American excursion, twelve oversized troll sculptures will explore the Arboretum, embarking on a curious journey to learn about humankind.

These unique and delightful explorers can be found in the Arboretum’s formal gardens and along its trails November 15 through February 17, 2026.

Learn more at https://www.ncarboretum.org/trolls-a-field-study/ - we're excited to bring you more information soon!

TROLLS: A Field Study is presented by Explore Asheville - Buncombe County Travel & Hospitality Industry

05/29/2025

This week, we recognize the passing of local legend and leader Oscar Wong, a pioneer of the craft beer industry whose vision helped transform our city into the craft beer destination it is today. Oscar's influence lives on through his daughter, Leah Wong Ashburn, who leads Highland Brewing Company, as well as through the vibrant craft beer community he helped nurture and the collaborative, generous spirit he championed throughout his life.

With deep respect and gratitude, we remember Oscar P. Wong—engineer, entrepreneur, community-builder, and founder of Highland Brewing Company —who passed away on May 25.

Known as the “Godfather of Asheville Craft Beer,” Oscar helped spark a movement that forever shaped our city. But more than that, he built connection. He believed that relationships were the true currency of life—and he lived that belief every day.

In 2011, Oscar received the William A.V. Cecil Tourism Leadership Award—an honor recognizing those whose vision, creativity, and leadership have helped shape Asheville into a special place to live and visit. His legacy lives on in the vibrant spirit of Asheville’s craft community, in the lives he touched, and in every Highland pour raised in his honor. 🖤🍺