At today's Explore Asheville and Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority board meeting, the latest data showed travel intent remains strong, despite gradual softening and sharper cost concerns. According to the latest Longwoods International tracking study of American travelers, 81% of respondents called travel their most anticipated annual activity, and 55% said they were willing to cut spending elsewhere to make it happen. Good news, especially for our community, is that interest in fall foliage and outdoor trips has jumped 10 points, receiving the largest gain of any travel activity.
That demand matters because the travel and hospitality industry drives 20% of our economic vitality and continues to power our community’s recovery. To propel our visitor economy, the authority committed $11.2 million to Legacy Investment from Tourism (LIFT) Fund investments for the City of Asheville, the Town of Black Mountain, and local nonprofit tourism-related community capital projects. Today’s investments are further strengthened by our FY27 destination promotion strategies that focus on dialing up demand and amplifying influence to invite high value visits.
Together, these capital and destination promotion investments have a major impact on our community. The board saw that impact firsthand in preliminary findings from two recent, significant events sponsored by Explore Asheville, demonstrating the power of travel to strengthen local businesses and our economy.
Other takeaways from the September board meeting include:
We look forward to welcoming nearly 500 partners to tomorrow's sold-out 2026 Annual Meeting as we celebrate our continued efforts to rebound and propel our region forward.
September 30, 2026
AUGUST LODGING PERFORMANCE
August hotel occupancy was 65%, down three points from 2025 and 13 points from 2019. Hotel demand was down 6% from last year. Overall hotel occupancy was on par with national trends.
August vacation rental occupancy was 56%, up one point from 2025 and on par with 2019. Vacation rental demand was down 5% compared to last year.
EARLY FINDINGS FROM
BILTMORE CHAMPIONSHIP ASHEVILLE
The inaugural Biltmore Championship Asheville exceeded expectations, drawing strong support from the community and visitors alike. Early highlights include:
- Tens of thousands of fans welcomed
- Sold-out weekend tickets
- More than 1,100 volunteers played a critical role in the event's success
- 171,000 average Golf Channel viewers across four days
- 24.3 billion in preliminary total media reach
- More than $615,000 raised for area nonprofits in year one: $575,000+ through the PGA TOUR Birdies for Charity program + $40,000 in additional grants
We are working with our partners to evaluate direct spending and economic impact data in the weeks ahead.
THOMAS DAMBO TROLLS: A FIELD STUDY IMPACT
According to a report commissioned for Explore Asheville by Tourism Economics with assistance from the North Carolina Arboretum:
- 152,427 guests generated $6.35 million in direct spending, distributed across the following local travel and hospitality sectors:
- Food & beverage outlets - $2.6 million
- Lodging establishments - $1.1 million
- Retail shops - nearly $1 million
- Entertainment venues - $905,000
- Local transportation - $670,000
- Visitors traveled from 49 states, D.C., Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and abroad — filling traditionally slower winter months.
- The period saw the highest recorded attendance in the Arboretum's 40-year history.
$11.2 MILLION APPROVED FOR 2026 LIFT FUND GRANT CYCLE TOURISM-RELATED PROJECT INVESTMENTS
The Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority approved $11.2 million of new investments in 10 tourism-related capital projects to benefit visitors and residents. The Legacy Investment from Tourism (LIFT) Fund provides financial investment through grants, loan guarantees, or pledges of debt service to tourism-related capital projects that will increase patronage of lodging facilities and benefit the community at large in Buncombe County.
Since 2001, the authority has stewarded the occupancy tax as a significant community investment partner, committing $119 million to 59 community capital projects through the Tourism Product Development Fund and LIFT Fund. Approximately 70% of all capital investment, more than $83 million, has gone toward improving municipally owned facilities and infrastructure. Six projects are first-time investments for the authority.
| Applicant | Project | Investment |
|---|---|---|
| The North Carolina Arboretum Society |
The North Carolina Arboretum Education & Events Plaza | $2,400,000 |
| RADA Foundation, Inc. | RAD Creative Campus | $2,124,540 |
| Center for Craft | Center for Craft Community Library & Archives | $1,752,846 |
| Wortham Center for the Performing Arts | Infrastructure Capital Project | $1,739,146 |
| Town of Black Mountain | Black Mountain Golf Course Restoration & Enhancement Project | $1,229,982 |
| City of Asheville | Eagle and Market Street Enhancements: Implementing the Vision for The Block | $721,120 |
| Greater Asheville Regional Airport Authority | Guest Services and Welcome Center | $500,000 |
| Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce | Asheville Visitor Center Upgrades | $400,000 |
| City of Asheville | Biltmore Village Public Realm (Infrastructure) Restoration | $296,179 |
| North Carolina Stage Company | NC Stage Company Facility Modernization: HVAC, Lighting, and Security Upgrades | $22,700 |
| TOTAL | | $11,186,513 |
Eight of the ten projects are expected to be underway by the end of this year, with most expected to be complete by the end of 2028.
TRAVEL TRENDS, PACING INDICATORS, AND STRATEGIES FOR FY27
Explore Asheville’s FY27 marketing strategy responds to changing travel patterns and has three focal points: dial up demand generation, amplify influence, and invite high-value visits.
Traveler Insights
Currently, data from Trip Advisor and AirDNA show that the Asheville area’s travel demand is shifting from recovery to normalization. Travel sentiment has rebounded, and vacation rental bookings are pacing ahead of last year for fall and the holidays. New openings and repair progress, such as the Blue Ridge Parkway reopening the 75-mile stretch north of Grandfather Mountain, are expected to continue propelling positive sentiment.
North Carolina visitors have returned, now making up 42% of visitors, up from 25% in 2025, with Charlotte remaining the largest and fastest-growing drive market.
Influencing High Value Behavior
Explore Asheville’s mantra to rebound and propel is made actionable by activating audiences across their planning journey using personalized storytelling that centers outcomes. The strategy optimizes four audience profiles that support a healthy visitor economy by providing value and community impact in their own ways; it also recognizes that there is no single “high-value visitor.” Examples of high value visit behaviors include spending at local businesses, loyalty and repeat visitation, traveling off peak, extending length of stay, dispersal around Buncombe County, and influence on other travelers. This work personalizes our messaging, balances visitor profiles, and maximizes community benefits.
To reach these audiences, the marketing department is:
- Developing landing pages tailored by audience and season, along with more personalized newsletters covering arts and culture, food and beverage, outdoor experiences, spa and wellness, and fall color;
- Launching a new nurture campaign to support meeting and group sales outreach aligned with diversifying our economy that introduces planners to the destination, shares case studies, and invites them to apply for a familiarization trip;
- Investing in AI search and discoverability to make sure the Asheville area shows up when and where travelers are looking, while expanding authority through our owned channels;
- Amplifying influencer frequency and affinity by scheduling four creators visiting throughout the year, with the aim of generating posts about Asheville each month;
- Partnering with trusted media that speaks to specific interests, including arts and culture through The Atlantic, culinary experiences and exploration beyond the core through From Scratch, and value-oriented travel through TravelZoo.
MORE INFORMATION & NEXT BCTDA MEETING
Find documents from the September 30 board meeting
THE NEXT BCTDA BOARD MEETING
Wednesday, October 28 | 9–11 a.m.
HomeTrust Park Clubhouse | 30 Buchanan Place
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