Haywood County Tourism Development Authority

06/11/2025

NEW EPISODE
Five Towns, One Vision: Inside Visit Haywood’s 10-Year Destination Master Plan

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/exploration-local/id1511625208?i=1000712420673

As outdoor tourism grows, how can mountain communities protect what makes them special—for locals and visitors alike?

In this episode, I talk with Corrina Ruffieux, Executive Director of Visit Haywood, about their bold 10-year destination master plan — a values-driven blueprint rooted in stewardship, sustainability, and community care.

We dig into how Haywood County is planning for growth on its own terms, attracting visitors who align with local values and preserving the natural and cultural assets that make this place truly unique.

🎧 Tune in to hear how intentional tourism planning can benefit everyone — residents, businesses, and the land we all love.

06/10/2025

We’re thrilled to share that our Social Media & Content Manager, Amie Newsome, just returned from her third year at Southeast Tourism Society's Marketing College in Macon, Georgia!

Amie has officially completed her coursework and is on track to graduate this September and earn her Travel Marketing Professional (TMP) and Festivals & Events Professional (FEP) certifications. These are significant milestones that reflect her passion and expertise in destination marketing.

Help us congratulate Amie on this major accomplishment — we’re so proud of her and can’t wait to see how she brings even more inspiration to our team and our community! 💼🎉

06/05/2025

Reminder: Sign Up for Elk Bucks – Deadline is Tomorrow! 🚨

Don't forget to sign up for Elk Bucks — our FREE promotional incentive program aimed at driving visitors to YOUR business this summer! 🦌☀️ 💸

👍 Sign-Up Form: https://form.jotform.com/251345591124150
🗓 Deadline: Thursday, June 6

This is a fantastic opportunity to get involved in our broader summer campaign, which includes our brand-new video spotlighting the beauty and adventure of Haywood County. 🎥✨Learn more about it in the recent Mountaineer article: https://www.themountaineer.com/news/open-roads-open-skies-open-haywood-film-aims-to-lure-summer-visitors/article_48a3dfca-694c-4c6d-9049-327d0fc3a2d7.html?

06/03/2025

📢 Proposed HCTDA Budget & Public Hearing

The Haywood County Tourism Development Authority has submitted its proposed FY 2025–2026 budget in accordance with NC General Statute § 159-12. You can view the proposed budget and budget narrative here: https://haywoodtda.com/budget

Public Hearing
📍 June 25, 2025 | 🕘 9:00 AM
📌 Gaines Auditorium, Bethea Welcome Center
91 N Lakeshore Dr., Lake Junaluska

🎤 Want to speak at the hearing?
Contact Hayley Printz to be added to the agenda:
✉️ [email protected]

In accordance with North Carolina General Statute § 159-12, the proposed budget for the 2025-2026 fiscal year for the Haywood County Tourism Development Authority has been submitted to the governin…

06/02/2025

Was your business impacted by Hurricane Helene? We want to hear from you!

Take this quick survey to tell the Haywood County leaders about your progress, support needs, and pain points.

🗳️🔗: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/QFDG9QF

Haywood County Chamber of Commerce
Haywood County NC Government

05/30/2025

On May 28, 2025, the Haywood County Tourism Development Authority Board of Directors awarded $237,615 in funding to 16 projects as part of the Tourism Promotion and Legacy Event Sponsorship Grant Program!

👏 Congratulations to all the recipients! Your efforts continue to make Haywood County a vibrant place to live and visit.

📋 Want to see the full list of awarded grants? Visit: haywoodtda.com/fy-25-26-awarded-grants
📩 Have questions about our grant program? Please reach out to Hayley at [email protected]
⏰ Reminder: The deadline for Capital Grants is coming up on July 18! To learn more and apply, visit: haywoodtda.com/tourism-capital-grant

05/28/2025

Haywood County-based artists have submitted some amazing designs for the Visit Haywood T-Shirt Design Contest, and it’s up to YOU to choose the winner!

The winning artist will take home $500, have their shirt sold at the Visit Haywood Welcome Center, and earn some serious bragging rights!

🕐 Voting closes June 6, so don’t wait!

👉 Cast your vote here: https://visithaywood.com/tshirt-contest/?fbclid=IwY2xjawKj_7hleHRuA2FlbQIxMABicmlkETF1UmxGSklLcUx5REZycEhSAR4RHkRJW1C0SWhEUbUvAAAPVPMhdHSQrr-VlirzSIvSsxxI-c4-4rd_vS7eBg_aem_Xtyi1EMfTWhWmlfCtgDBzA

05/22/2025

Thanks to everyone who joined us for Mountain Mornings today!
We had a blast watching teams take on the spaghetti-marshmallow tower challenge—a true test of strategy, time management, and creative risk-taking.

🏆 Major congrats to the winning team: Paulina (Lake Junaluska), Sam (Roll-Up Herbal Bar), Tonya (Haywood Arts Council), and Sean (Maggie Valley Rock Shop)!

☕ Huge shout-out to Lake Junaluska for hosting us in such a beautiful space and to Gifts & Grounds for fueling our creativity and networking with delicious coffee!

📅 Stay tuned for the next Mountain Mornings—date and location coming soon! If you’re a local tourism-related business interested in hosting a future Mountain Mornings meetup or want to provide coffee, we’d love to hear from you! Shoot an email to [email protected] to get involved.

05/19/2025

This summer, Visit Haywood is launching a major campaign to bring more overnight visitors to our beautiful mountain towns—and your business can be part of it!

Introducing Elk Bucks 💳 — digital gift cards (worth $50–$200) that travelers can spend only at participating Haywood County businesses when they book qualifying stays between July 1–Sept 30.

✅ Free to join
✅ Simple setup
✅ Featured in our campaign directory
✅ Window decals to attract visitors
✅ Great way to boost midweek summer sales!

📣 Lodging partners: Promote the campaign to help convert more bookings!
🛍️ Shops, restaurants, attractions: Sign up by June 6 to accept Elk Bucks.

Let’s bring more visitors—and more business—to Haywood County this summer!

👉 Sign up now: https://form.jotform.com/251345591124150
📩 Questions? Reach out at [email protected]

05/12/2025

05/09/2025

🗳️ Voting is now OPEN for the Visit Haywood T-Shirt Design Contest! Help us choose which design best captures the heart of Haywood 💙

Which one is your favorite? Click here to cast your vote, now through June 6 👉 https://www.visithaywood.com/tshirt-contest