Asheville is a thriving mountain city featuring a funky and eclectic downtown, 30-plus art galleries downtown alone, a burgeoning culinary scene, a thriving live music scene and, of course, the awe-inspiring scenery of the Appalachian Mountains. The largest private residence in North America, Biltmore Estate, is located in Asheville. Mount Mitchell is the highest point east of the Mississippi River at 6,684 feet, located about 20 miles northwest of Asheville. 88 miles of the Blue Ridge Parkway are nearby.
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22 College Place
Asheville, NC 28801, US
Downtown After 5, one of this month's Festivals & Cultural Events Support Fund recipients, kicks off its summer series tonight. This month's theme is psychedelic funk with music by Empire Strikes Brass and Magenta Sunshine. Don't miss out!
The lineup for Downtown After 5 has been announced! https://lnkd.in/eNEziTqV
Buncombe County-based non-profit and government organizations are invited to apply for the 2024 Tourism Product Development Fund (TPDF) cycle. #TPDF was created to provide financial assistance through grants, loan guarantees, or pledges of debt service to major tourism capital projects that will increase patronage of lodging properties and further economic development in Buncombe County. Since the fund’s inception in 2001, the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority (#BCTDA) has provided more than $86 million through 64 investments in 41 community projects. Funded projects have included support for greenways, parks, public art, sports and recreation facilities, cultural heritage institutions, and other family attractions The Tourism Product Development Fund is derived from one-third of the lodging tax paid by visitors who stay overnight in Buncombe County in commercial lodging facilities, including hotels, vacation rentals, and bed-and-breakfast inns. The BCTDA estimates that $9 million will be available for TPDF investments this year. Learn more about TPDF and apply for the first phase here: https://lnkd.in/eWjGYsUa
With National Volunteer Week just around the corner, Explore Asheville is reflecting on the volunteering our team members have done this year for organizations like United Way of Asheville & Buncombe County, Babies Need Bottoms Diaper Bank, Habitat for Humanity, and more! We've appreciated the opportunities to support and give back to this wonderful community. If you're looking for a way to give back this National Volunteer Week, join Explore Asheville as we partner with Asheville GreenWorks and RiverLink for our the Explore Asheville Travel & Hospitality Earth Day Cleanup! Register at the link below. https://lnkd.in/e28z7QvS
Southern Living Magazine's annual South’s Best awards awarded Asheville a spot on The South's Best Cities 2024 list. Winners were chosen by an online survey asking readers to rate their favorite places across the South, receiving over 20,000 respondents. Standing out higher than the Blue Ridge Mountains was the close-knit community of artists in all genres and styles, including talented visual arts, craft beer and culinary scenes. https://lnkd.in/eP7sRgcu
U.S. News & World Report announced its inaugural best bed & breakfasts rankings including the top 15 B&Bs in Asheville. These and many other award-winning bed & breakfasts can be found in beautifully maintained Victorian homes, pre-Civil War mansions, and country retreats throughout Asheville’s tree-lined neighborhoods and beyond. Consider a stay with a storied past, local expert innkeeper and favorite amenities for your next visit or group event.
Many couples and solo travelers these days are looking for a more relaxed experience or an authentic place to stay, so U.S. News & World Report set out to identify some of the #BestBedandBreakfasts on the market. https://lnkd.in/etN3NZ_k
Nominations for the Explore Asheville Heroes of Hospitality Awards are open until April 12. Nominations will be accepted for non-managerial service employees or volunteers. Organizations eligible to apply include: ✨ Tours/Attractions ✨ Arts/Cultural Institutions ✨ Lodging ✨ Food and Beverage ✨ Retail ✨ Entertainment/Nightlife Nominated employees must have direct contact or provide direct support or entertainment to visitors and customers, and they must be an outstanding ambassador of Asheville and Buncombe County. The travel and hospitality community will be invited to celebrate nominees and winners at a luncheon hosted in their honor at the Omni Grove Park Inn, May 20, 12–2pm. Nominate your hero here: https://lnkd.in/dxwBMg5z
Setting the table for a stable economic year, the #BCTDA recently approved a relatively flat net lodging tax revenue forecast of $34.3 million for FY25. This forecast guides how we invest in activities that inspire visitors to walk through the front doors of local businesses and fuel our economy with net new dollars. Takeaways from the March board meeting include: 📊Feb. lodging occupancy and demand; 📈Adoption of the FY25 Lodging Forecast at $34.3 million following a finance committee recommendation informed by Tourism Economics data; 🙋♂️Appointment of one new lodging appointment and one new finance appointment to serve on the Tourism Product Development Fund (TPDF) Committee; 🥅Business development update on incoming sporting events. A recap of the board meeting can be found here: https://lnkd.in/dDmWx9Fe
We are honored to have our President and CEO, Victoria Isley, join the U.S. Travel Association's Executive Board. Please join us in congratulating her for this well-deserved achievement.
U.S. Travel Association is delighted to welcome new appointees to its executive board and governance committee: Diane Shober, executive director, Wyoming Office of Tourism and Victoria Isley, president and CEO, Explore Asheville, join U.S. Travel’s executive board. Daniel C. Surette, chief sales officer, Omni Hotels & Resorts, Kevin Thibault, P.E., CEO, Greater Orlando Aviation Authority: Orlando International (MCO) and Executive (ORL) Airports and Timothy Wolfe, director, Colorado Tourism Office join the association’s governance committee. "Each of the U.S. Travel members stepping up to these roles bring unique and important perspectives to our association’s leadership,” said U.S. Travel CEO Geoff Freeman. “Their insights will be of tremendous value as we continue to build a best-in-class trade association and advance our strategic priorities for future success.” Read more: https://lnkd.in/eVA_Nrc3
Do you know someone who has gone above and beyond in their service to visitors and guests? In celebration of National Travel and Tourism Week (May 19–25), Explore Asheville and the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority will accept nominations for the inaugural Explore Asheville Heroes of Hospitality Awards beginning March 15. Nominated employees must have direct contact or provide direct support or entertainment to visitors and customers, and they must be an outstanding ambassador of Asheville and Buncombe County. Nominations will be accepted for non-managerial service employees or volunteers. Organizations eligible to apply include Tours/Attractions, Arts/Cultural Institutions, Lodging, Food & Beverage, Retail, and Entertainment/Nightlife. Winners will receive a $500 gift card, gift bag, and locally crafted award. The travel and hospitality community will be invited to celebrate nominees and winners at a luncheon hosted in their honor at The Omni Grove Park Inn, May 20, 12–2 p.m. Click the link below to nominate your hero!
Today at the #BCTDA Board of Directors meeting, Explore Asheville staff provided an annual update on recently completed and forthcoming projects that received investment through the Tourism Product Development Fund (#TPDF). Since the TPDF’s inception, the authority has committed $86 million through 64 investments in 41 community projects across Buncombe County. These projects have a compounding impact on our community, driving additional investment and increasing spending and visitation throughout the county. Eight projects are pre-construction, seven are under construction, and six are completed and in the reporting phase. Forty percent of projects in development are anticipated to reach completion this year, with eighty percent of projects anticipated to be completed before the end of 2025! Read other takeaways from today's BCTDA board meeting here: https://lnkd.in/dTe3DjCp