Explore Asheville and Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority 2024 Annual Meeting Recap
Celebrating Recent Achievements and Powerful Partnerships

Thank you to the nearly 300 local partners who joined us at Crest Mountain’s Crest Center Pavilion for Explore Asheville's 2024 Annual Meeting, celebrating more than 40 years of the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority (BCTDA) driving economic development in Asheville and Buncombe County. The annual gathering spotlighted transformative projects resulting from more than 20 years of strategic investment through the Tourism Product Development Fund (TPDF) and the inaugural year of the Legacy Investment from Tourism (LIFT) Fund, underscoring the authority's significant impact on the region's growth and vitality.

“Here in North Carolina, the lodging tax is designed to grow the local economy. The authority was created to generate economic development through travel and hospitality—which is a vital role in our community,” BCTDA and Explore Asheville President & CEO Vic Isley said during her presentation. “With $3 billion in visitor contributions to local businesses, visitor spending is our strongest export. We all have a role to play in delivering sustainable success for our community. Our role is to inspire visitors to bring net new dollars through the front door of a wide variety of local businesses to sustain the livelihoods of our residents.”

Keynote speaker Rohit Bhargava, a three-time Wall Street Journal bestselling author, delivered innovative strategies for shaping the future of travel and hospitality. He emphasized a people-centered approach to sifting through the noise of complex marketing and media landscapes. In a special offer to attendees, Bhargava provided limited advance copies of his upcoming book, Non-Obvious Thinking.

BCTDA Board Chair Brenda Durden recognized outgoing board members Kathleen Mosher and Scott Patel, and presented them with custom Always Asheville artwork by local artist Jenny Fares of Sound Mind Design. Durden also welcomed Tim Rosebrock of Biltmore to the board, recently appointed by the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce.

McKibbon Hospitality received the prestigious William A.V. Cecil Leadership Award for its service-first spirit and exceptional contributions to the local hospitality sector, including its commitment to a living wage and millions of dollars in investments in local non-profits such as Homeward Bound and the Irene Wortham Early Learning Center. A video by Paul Bonesteel highlighted the McKibbon team's community leadership through footage captured during the development of the Hotel Arras and the Moxy Hotel, which opened last week.

This annual gathering reaffirmed the crucial role of industry collaboration in driving Asheville and Buncombe County's economic growth. By bringing together key stakeholders, the event fostered partnerships essential for the continued success and sustainability of the region's thriving travel and hospitality industry.

The meeting opened and closed with performances by local artist Trevor Darden, also known as Street Sinatra, further highlighting the area's rich cultural offerings.

Explore Asheville and the authority’s recent accomplishments are reflected in the FY24 Annual Report. Visit our industry Facebook page to view the photos from the 2024 Annual Meeting.