At the Explore Asheville and Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority board meeting, we welcomed a special guest—the PGA TOUR’s Biltmore Championship Asheville Trophy—unveiled at last week’s Media Day at The Cliffs at Walnut Cove.

The Asheville area is set to take center stage in September with several high-profile conferences and events that will shine a spotlight on the beauty and resilience of our people and region. Among them is the G20 Finance Track, which is expected to draw around 500 attendees from around the globe and generate $1.5 to $2 million in direct visitor spending at area businesses. These types of business-focused conferences are generally self-contained at the meeting venue. 

Explore Asheville is also excited to work with area partners to bring wide-ranging events like the PGA TOUR’s inaugural Biltmore Championship Asheville, the US Senior Pickleball Asheville Paddle Battle, and the Outdoor Media Summit to town in the same month. Attracting these types of events to our community allows our creative economy to shine and lets visitors contribute to the vitality of our area that so many have worked so hard to preserve and propel forward. 

Other takeaways from the August board meeting include:

If today's mid-year lodging performance update sparked your interest in the trajectory of our travel and hospitality community, you'll want to join us for Explore Asheville and the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority's 2026 Annual Meeting as we recognize and celebrate the continued efforts made together in rebounding and propelling our region forward. Keynote speaker Adam Sacks, the president of Tourism Economics, will discuss the economic impact of the local visitor economy and how it compares to the broader national economic outlook.

August 26, 2026

June hotel occupancy was 73%, down one point from 2025 and nine points from 2019. Hotel demand was up 2% from last year.

June vacation rental occupancy was 63%, up three points from 2025 and two points from 2019. Vacation rental demand was up 6% compared to last year.

July hotel occupancy was 70%, down one point from 2025 and 11 points from 2019. Hotel demand was up 2% from last year.

July vacation rental occupancy was 67%, up three points from 2025 and one point from 2019. Vacation rental demand was up 5% compared to last year.

Through the first seven months of 2026, hotel occupancy fell to 62%, four points below 2025 and nine points below 2019. Vacation rental occupancy was flat to 2025 at 55% and up one point from 2019.

Hotel demand decreased 2% from the first half of 2025, as the FEMA TSA voucher program propped up some hotel performance in the first quarter of 2025. Vacation rental demand increased 5% from 2025.

Through July 2026, Asheville's lodging performance continues to closely track its regional competitors at 62% occupancy, $164 average daily rate (ADR), and $102 revenue per available room (RevPAR), up 5% year over year. Asheville’s ADR and RevPAR are outpacing all comparative markets except Charleston, which has historically set the pace for ADR across the Southeast.

The Asheville area remains competitive, but demand is bifurcated between luxury upscale and lower segments, consistent with national K-shaped economy trends.

Asheville typically narrows the gap with its eastern and southern counterparts during the peak fall and holiday season, so October to December is vital for inspiring and influencing visitors to our community who can support our local businesses and economy.

Last night, Explore Asheville received U.S. Travel Association's ESTO All Ways Welcome Award for its initiative, "Supporting Resilience Always, Through Authenticity: Explore Asheville x Pattie Gonia." This campaign highlights our collective progress at the one-year milestone of Helene and the reopening of the Blue Ridge Parkway in Buncombe County.

ESTO honors destination marketing organizations (DMOs) that push the limits of marketing and promotion. This particular award in the Impact and Community category recognizes a marketing campaign or destination-led initiative that fosters inclusivity and accessibility, making travel more welcoming.

Two player commitments announced: J.T. Poston, a Western Carolina University graduate, and Jacob Bridgeman, a South Carolina native and Clemson alumni. Both earned victories on the PGA TOUR this season.

Hospitality demand has outpaced the original plan: Hospitality offerings grew from 20 venues to 48. More than 1,130 volunteers from 27 states have registered, ranging in age from 13 to 87.

Championship trophy unveiled: More than five pounds of silver with gold accents, mounted on a black walnut base crafted from a Biltmore Estate tree that fell during Helene. Designed by Avermore founder and Vanderbilt descendant Aubrey Cecil Baliles and Marthaler Jewelers in partnership with Biltmore and Explore Asheville.

PGA TOUR's Birdies for Charities Platform: Raised more than $500,000 for area nonprofits to date.

Last quarter, Explore Asheville's Strategic Imperatives continued to guide a program of work that stretched from national media placements to hands-on community stewardship.

Highlights include:

Explore Asheville’s Business Development booked 489 events that occurred in Buncombe County last fiscal year, generating more than $77 million in direct visitor spending. Additionally, the department secured 492 more groups and meetings for the future, expected to generate $142 million in direct visitor spending. Compared to FY25, the number of booked groups and events increased by 3%, leading to a 22% rise in roomnights. Additionally, more than 1,200 leads were generated for potential groups and meetings, a 23% increase from last fiscal year.

Explore Asheville’s strategic imperatives guide business development and meeting recruitment, focusing on creating new business, improving the quality of the visit, pursuing off-peak business, and attracting business aligned with our economic development sectors and community assets.

May 20—22, 2026
UNCA's Karl Strauss Track
$1,338,257 Economic Impact
1,600 Roomnights

May 20—23, 2026
HomeTrust Park
$751,989 Economic Impact
1,200 Roomnights

Explore Asheville recruited a significant number of collegiate sporting events, ensuring a substantial impact in our community for years to come. The NAIA Track & Field Championships, Big South Baseball Championships, and College Club Softball debuted this year, while Explore Asheville and partners confirmed the Southern Conference Basketball Championships will remain in Asheville and expand its event portfolio for the next decade.

Focused on recruiting high-impact events, groups and conferences include ten strategic events coming in the first half of this fiscal year, positioning Asheville as a gateway for economic development. These events alone are expected to bring a combined estimated economic impact of nearly $5 million from August through November.

Meetings Database Institute (MDI), a strategic data management and solutions firm specializing in hospitality and meetings, presented group arrivals booked through Explore Asheville from September 2026 to August 2027. Analysis of our customer relationship management (CRM) data, found the following key points and trends:

Join us for Explore Asheville and the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority's Annual Meeting as we recognize and celebrate the continued efforts made together in rebounding and propelling our region forward.

What's in store for the 2026 BCTDA Annual Meeting on Thursday, October 1, 3–6 p.m. at Renaissance Hotel Asheville Downtown:

Stick around after the program to enjoy live music, seasonal bites, craft beverages, and valuable networking with industry colleagues and friends. 

Find documents from the August 26 board meeting

THE NEXT BCTDA BOARD MEETING
Wednesday, September 30 | 9–11 a.m.
Explore Asheville | 27 College Place