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NEW EXPERIENCES
Storm response and modern approaches are reshaping tourism and travel in North Carolina. More than efforts to bring visitors, they are commitments to support and protect the state’s unique communities
and regions.
Hurricane Helene left a lasting mark. The September 2024 storm made landfall in Florida then headed north, directly hitting
western North Carolina, killing at least 105 people and destroying or damaging more than 70,000 homes. It caused nearly $60 billion in damage, according to an estimate revised in mid-December.
While Helene disrupted many businesses, those working in travel and tourism were impacted most. Fall, with its cool days and bright leaves, is the most popular season with visitors to North Carolina’s mountains, and the storm wiped it almost entirely off their calendars. While recovery has begun, there’s still a long way to go. “There are areas that need more time and support,” says Cass Santander, public relations manager at Explore Asheville, Buncombe County’s destination management organization. “Parts of the River Arts District, Biltmore Village and Swannanoa have a longer road ahead, but we’re starting to see more significant progress in those areas.”
Growth is a tenet of the state’s travel and tourism industry. It posted a record $35.6 billion in visitor spending in 2023, which was 6.9% more than the year prior, and a large rebound from the $20 billion spent in 2020, when COVID-inspired restrictions upended the industry. While 2024’s figures won’t be available until this summer, the industry is already plotting its next moves, from recovering and reopening in the mountains to leveraging data to maximize the industry’s economic impact in the Piedmont to promoting sustainable tourism on the coast, says Wit Tuttell, Visit North Carolina executive director.
THE MOUNTAINS
Months before Hurricane Helene formed, the U.S. Travel Association scheduled its National Council of State Tourism Directors meeting in Asheville for earlier this year. It kept its commitment, emphasizing what western North Carolina tourism officials want others to know: The state’s mountain communities are still recovering, but they’re open for business. “We are deeply grateful that the U.S. Travel Association decided to keep its meeting in Asheville,” says Vic Isley, Explore Asheville president and CEO. “This was more than a meeting. It was a vote of confidence for our travel and hospitality community at a critical moment.”
Explore Asheville has a statement outlining recovery, neighborhoods, routes to the region and outdoor activities. It reads: “Asheville’s revival is a model of resilience, with 2025 marking a chapter of new openings, collaborative art and numerous opportunities for personal growth. Asheville invites travelers to reconnect — both with themselves and with the community’s ongoing recovery.”
Roads are open, except for those near the Pigeon River Gorge toward Tennessee and some sections of the Blue Ridge Parkway. Asheville Regional Airport, the state’s third busiest by enplanements, is expanding to 12 gates from seven, adding a north concourse with six boarding bridges and concessions. That work is expected to be complete this summer. Its new lobby, permanent TSA checkpoint and expanded baggage claim should be open in 2027. “Travel and hospitality are at the heart of our local economy, and despite an expected $11.5 million revenue shortfall due to Helene, Explore Asheville is in a strong position to invest in marketing that inspires visitors, groups and events to choose Asheville,” Santander says. “Our focus is on getting the word out. Asheville is open, thriving and ready to welcome guests who want to be part of its comeback story.”
That story is already being written. “December’s hotel demand showed promising signs due to a mix of holiday interest and hurricane recovery housing needs,” Santander says. “While vacation rentals are still suffering, overall travelers are starting to return. We’re hopeful that the momentum will pick up as we move into spring – with the live music scene, restaurants reopening patios for al fresco season and the Blue Ridge Mountain wildflowers coming into bloom.”
Santander says visitors should check exploreasheville.com before their arrival, confirming the places they wish to visit are open. “Iconic landmarks, like Biltmore Estate, the N.C. Arboretum, the Blue Ridge Parkway (in Buncombe County) and the Omni Grove Park Inn & Spa are fully open and stunning,” she says. “Trails are reopening in phases; we were encouraged by the news [in January] that the National Parks (Service) reopened more than 60 trails.”
The goals for 2025 include driving strong and sustainable interest in travel and hospitality that supports recovery. Generating that interest is already underway. Forbes Travel Guide ranked Asheville No. 5 in its top 12 worldwide destinations for 2025, joining New Orleans; Longboat Key, Florida; and Santa Monica, California, on the list. And it’s No. 16 on The New York Times’ international 52 Places to Go in 2025 list.
The James Beard Foundation picked Asheville for its Chef Action Summit in April, when more than 200 chefs and industry leaders will convene for a three-day convention on restaurant industry issues and food-system topics. “In the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, Asheville’s independent restaurants show us what resilience, tenacity and resourcefulness truly mean,” James Beard CEO Clare Reichenbach said in a news release. “And that’s precisely the spirit we need to transform our food system.”
While much of the road to recovery remains ahead for communities impacted by Hurricane Helene, there are plenty of ways for locals and visitors to help. “We’ve supported small businesses rebounding, artists coming together to create new spaces and visitors choosing Asheville not just for its beauty but to be part of its recovery,” Isley says. “The generosity of Eric Church providing us the siren song of “Carolina” as the music bed to our new TV commercials is just one example of gracious support for our region. The essence of Asheville — the breathtaking mountains, world-class dining, rich arts and crafts traditions, and soul-nourishing wellness experiences — is as vibrant as ever. My hope for this year is that visitors continue to show up, not just to experience the magic of Asheville but to help sustain and strengthen the community that makes it a desirable destination.”
THE PIEDMONT
Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority’s five-year strategic plan plainly lays out its priorities: growing the visitor economy, enhancing perception, maximizing sales and marketing impact, positioning for long-term competitiveness and strengthening stakeholder relationships. “A data-driven approach ensures long-term sustainability, while targeted advertising and industry collaboration reinforce tourism’s role as an economic powerhouse,” says Shawn Flynn, CRVA’s director of corporate communications. “As Charlotte’s reputation grows so does its influence on business, culture and community pride.”
It will be a busy year across central North Carolina, especially in its most-populous city. “With major events, strategic investments and a thriving hospitality sector, Charlotte is poised for another record-setting year in tourism,” Flynn says. “Charlotte continues to elevate its reputation as a premier event destination. This year, our city will take center stage, not just locally but on a national and international scale.”
Live events planned in the Queen City include the ACC men’s basketball championship, PGA Championship at Quail Hollow and a Savannah Bananas 2025 World Tour stop, when baseball hilarity will ensue at Bank of America Stadium. That venue, along with Spectrum Center, will host major performances, including Billy Joel and Jerry Seinfeld, respectively. And Leluia Hall, one of the city’s most anticipated new restaurants, is expected to open. “Mecklenburg County remains North Carolina’s top destination for travelers,” says Steve Bagwell, CEO of the CRVA. “In Charlotte, hospitality isn’t just an industry. It’s a way of life that profoundly shapes how we live, work and play.”
CRVA says tourism is a main economic driver, supporting one-in-nine jobs and generating $8 billion in direct visitor spending. Domestic and international visitors spent $5.8 billion in Mecklenburg County in 2023, a 9.6% increase from the year prior. Through an integrated media approach, CRVA targets key drive-in markets within a 400-mile radius. “By focusing on four key brand themes — culinary, outdoor recreation, diversity and inclusion, and arts and culture — the CRVA enhances Charlotte’s appeal, improving visitor perceptions by 67% and increasing the likelihood of overnight stays by 64%,” Flynn says.
THE COAST
With the words, “Where there’s hardly any land, your farm is the sea,” the first video of Outer Banks Visitors Bureau’s six-part series, The Outer Edge, begins. It includes footage of boats and harvests, interviews with restaurant owners, and discussions about what it’s like to work in the surf, gathering shrimp, fish and oysters.
Other episodes in the series examine commercial fishing and aquaculture, local crafts, the music scene, boat building, photography and the coast’s unique weather patterns. “[It] shows what it really means to be a part of the Outer Banks community, interviewing 23 locals and sharing their passion for and connections to the barrier islands,” says Lee Nettles, Outer Banks Visitors Bureau executive director. “We’ve released half of the videos so far. As you’ll see, the episodes are completely different from typical destination marketing — nine-minute average lengths and no calls to action.”
Nettles says the videos show visitors a more nuanced and deeper appreciation for the Outer Banks. “And for the [more than 90 local] nonprofits, much-needed volunteers and potential donors to assist in their ongoing efforts,” he says. “To my knowledge, we’re the first destination in the country to connect visitors directly with community NPOs in such a way. We have fundamentally changed the way in which we promote the destination, considering how we can use the power of tourism to do more immediate good in
the community.”
Dare County visitor spending was $2.1 billion in 2023, up 8.8% from the previous year. It ranked fourth in the state, behind Mecklenburg, Wake and Buncombe counties. Visitors will have a choice of new and updated accommodations this year. Pearl Hotel, overlooking Roanoke Sound, will open, along with Mia’s Boutique in Nags Head. And Sanderling Resort in Duck, which offers oceanfront suites, a spa, restaurants, and wedding and meeting space, will unveil its recent renovations this spring.
The Visitors Bureau’s Long-Range Tourism Management Plan, started in 2023, is intended to strengthen resident and visitor engagement, adopt an integrated approach to improving environmental stewardship, support infrastructure development for residents and visitors, and collaborate to advocate for an increase in residential housing diversity. “We actually have quite a bit of new initiatives and commercial projects to share,” Nettles says. “Perhaps none more important than the Visitors Bureau’s work with responsible travel — mapping a future for sustainable tourism, managing both its positive and negative impacts and working with the community it serves.”
The Outer Banks Promise was unveiled last summer. Developed by a special committee of the Dare County Tourism Board, it’s part of the long-range tourism management plan. Its seven points highlight how community members and visitors can work together to support and protect the Outer Banks, including: “Discover this land of history and inspiration with a spirit of kindness and appreciation,” and “Support local; small acts have big impacts.”
The Promise is just one more way members of the state’s travel and tourism industry are evolving in order to move forward. “It’s really been an incredible journey getting to this point,” Nettles says. “But we believe it’s the face of what tourism marketing needs to become – happening with the community instead of to it.” ■
— Kathy Blake is a writer from eastern North Carolina.