NEWS | EVENTS | OPPORTUNITIES | & MORE

In This Issue | May 12, 2022
RSVP NOW for Tourism Summit 2022 | Workforce Development :Showcasing Careers & People | Deadline Upcoming for Tourism Product Development Fund | More COVID Relief Available | Partner Tools for How to Recreate Responsibly | Get Ready for Summer Visitors | Upcoming Events

The annual Explore Asheville Tourism Summit is filling up fast. Taking place Wednesday, May 18, from 12 noon to 5 p.m. at the Omni Grove Park Inn, this event is free to community partners with advance registration. The deadline to register is Monday, May 16 at 12 noon.

Doors open at 12; the lunchtime program starts promptly at 12:30 with keynote speaker Stewart Colovin, Executive VP of MMGY Global Brand Strategy, presenting an engaging session on the Foundations of Storytelling.

Then, Evita Robinson, the globally recognized founder of NOMADNESS Travel Tribe, an online social community primarily for travelers of color, will lead a diversity training workshop focused on Black travelers. Joining her will be professors Alana Dillette and Stefanie Benjamin, co-directors of Tourism RESET, a research collaborative focusing on issues around race, ethnicity and social equity in tourism. Learn more about event presenters here >>.

A networking reception on the patio follows. Sign up now to ensure your seat at this event!

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

The Explore Asheville Tourism Summit is part of the National Travel & Tourism commemoration that takes place annually in May. This year, we also launched a series of videos celebrating people like Erin Oldread, animal curator at the WNC Nature Center, who shares what it's like to work in the travel and tourism industry. See more of these stories at the Tourism Summit or watch here >>

One potential solution to the labor shortage challenging our community is finding opportunities to introduce high school students to the wide variety of career choices in travel and hospitality. To that end, Explore Asheville and about 20 partner organizations participated in the recent Buncombe County Schools high school career fair. See a video of the event here>>

The Mountain Area Workforce Development Board and the Economic Development Coalition for Asheville-Buncombe with other regional partners are seeking input from employers on the skills and training most needed in workers. The State of Our Workforce: Western NC survey is designed to help improve the region's workforce pipeline and ensure that area employers have the workforce they need to succeed. Take the survey by the deadline of May 31. Survey participants are eligible for a prize drawing from organizers.

GRANT OPPORTUNITIES

Greenways, sidewalks, public art, parking, bike lanes and landscaping in the River Arts District are among community projects supported by TPDF.

The Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority, through the Tourism Product Development Fund (TPDF), has invested more than $44 million in support of 39 community projects since 2001.The 2022 grant cycle for the fund is officially underway and Buncombe County nonprofits and municipal partners are invited to apply. The deadline for Phase 1 applications is June 1. A virtual info session took place on May 4. Click below to find a link of the session recording.

Businesses that suffered economic loss of at least 20% during the pandemic may be eligible for a one-time payment of up to $500,000 from Phase 2 of the Business Recovery Grant program administered by the NC Dept. of Revenue. Service providers such as tour guides, massage therapists, and farmers can now apply, in addition to businesses in hospitality, arts, entertainment, retail, and recreation. Also, businesses not eligible in Phase 1 because they previously received other COVID-19 relief may be eligible and even those who received a grant in Phase 1 may be eligible for an additional grant in Phase 2. Apply online by June 1.

PARTNER RESOURCES

Help encourage your guests and visitors to recreate responsibly by promoting the Seven Principles of Leave No Trace. Find a toolkit created especially for partners that includes Leave No Trace logos, icons and more, including instructions for embedding the "Exploring Asheville: Recreate Responsibly" video on your own site.

Summer visitors are coming! It's time to check the photos on your ExploreAsheville.com listing. High-quality, high-resolution images can lead to more click-throughs. Photos should be at least 640 pixels wide and 480 pixels tall. Need help? Find instructions here >>

IN THE COMMUNITY

In alignment with Explore Asheville's strategic imperatives, Buncombe County TDA is a supporter of the following upcoming events. Note: The next deadline to apply for sponsorship support is May 15. Learn more here >>

- Downtown After 5 | May 20*
- GRINDFest | May 27-30
- AVL Beer Week | May 27-June 5
- Hola Asheville | June 11
- Asheville Ideas Fest | June 14-19

* Continues monthly through September

EXPLORE ASHEVILLE'S STRATEGIC IMPERATIVES
Deliver Balanced Recovery & Sustainable Growth | Encourage Safe & Responsible Travel |
Engage & Invite More Diverse Audiences | Promote & Support Asheville's Creative Spirit