If your business supports groups and events coming to Asheville, we have a new way to get you in front of the planners who need your services. Our new Meeting Suppliers & Services page on ExploreAsheville.com is now live, designed to connect meeting planners with local businesses that can help their events run smoothly. 

Get listed under the meetings category that best fits your offerings:

• NEW! Meeting Suppliers and Services: Transportation, AV, event photography, production, and other essential services for visiting groups and events
• Group Dining: Private and semi-private dining options for special events and group meals
• Meeting Venues: Unique spaces for conferences, off-sites, corporate retreats, and more
• Group Activities: Tours, team building, and outdoor, cultural, or historic experiences for groups of ten or more

Need assistance with getting a meetings listing? Contact Partnership Coordinator Shelby Pearsall.

If you missed our Partner Lunch & Learn earlier this month, here's what you need to know: three major sporting events coming to Asheville this year will reinforce the city's standing as a premier sports destination, driving shoulder season visitation, economic activity, media exposure, and community impact. Each event offers engagement opportunities at multiple levels, from small-business sponsorships and vendor booths to hospitality packages, pro-am spots, and nonprofit partnerships.

Upcoming events at a glance:

NAIA Men's & Women's Outdoor Track and Field Championship | May 20–22 | UNCA Karl Straus Track | 1,300 student athletes; 3,000+ visitors | Estimated $1.3M in direct spending and 2,600 room nights | Vendor, sponsorship & volunteer inquiries: info@airstreamventures.com

Big South Baseball Championship | May 20–23 | McCormick Field | 750+ attendees | Estimated $750,000 in direct spending and 1,300+ room nights | Vendor, sponsorship & volunteer inquiries: jcurwen@exploreasheville.com

Our 2026 Partner Survey is closing soon, and we’d still love to hear from more partners, neighborhoods, and business types before we close it out. Please take the survey by Tuesday, March 31, for the opportunity to receive one of ten $50 gift cards to a local travel and hospitality business of your choice.

We're asking for at least one response per organization. Additional responses from your team are welcome and encouraged, and will help us hear from a range of roles and perspectives across the partner community. Your feedback will help shape our direction and how we engage with you throughout the year, including partner resources, event programming, training opportunities, and communications.

Please take a few minutes today to ensure at least one person from your organization has submitted a response. We are grateful for your partnership!

Explore Asheville’s Business Development team has booked 83 meetings and events through mid-May, bringing thousands of visitors to the Asheville area and Buncombe County, and more than $13.1 million in estimated direct spending to our community. Attendees of these events will be exploring the area and looking to experience everything our region has to offer—start thinking about how your business might capture these audiences!

Upcoming events include:

• 2026 Visit NC Tourism Conference | March 16–18 | 575 attendees
• 2026 Miles Avery Challenge | March 20–22 | 500 attendees
• Asheville Marathon & Half | March 21 | 2000 attendees
• 2026 Nurse Practitioner Spring Symposium | March 22–24 | 400 attendees
• Open Call Dance Competition | April 3–4 | 500 attendees
• Mountain-to-Sea Trail's 2026 Gathering of Friends | April 10–12 | 300 attendees
• Ville to Ville Craft Beer Relay | April 11 | 2000 attendees
• Blue Ridge Spring Dinger | April 15–May 8 | 600 attendees
• Living Proof Live - Asheville | April 24–25 | 500 attendees
• NCAMPO Annual Conference | May 6–8 | 500 attenees
• LeadingAge North Carolina 2026 Annual Conference | May 5–8 | 400 attendees

Keep these dates on your radar for opportunities and consider whether a special offer, unique experience, or targeted promotion could help you connect with these visitors. Have questions or want to run an idea by us? Message us at partnersupport@exploreasheville.com.

In celebration of National Travel & Tourism Week (May 3–9), Explore Asheville and the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority are now accepting nominations for the 3rd annual Explore Asheville Heroes of Hospitality Awards. The awards recognize frontline employees and volunteers who deliver outstanding service in Buncombe County’s travel and hospitality industry. From restaurant servers and baristas to attraction staff, housekeepers, tour guides, and volunteers, these team members help create positive visitor experiences and represent Asheville and Buncombe County to guests from around the world.

Nominations will be accepted for non-managerial service employees or volunteers until March 31. We look forward to celebrating the 2026 Heroes of Hospitality and recognizing those who exemplify the spirit of hospitality in our community. 

The application cycle for the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority’s Legacy Investment From Tourism (LIFT) Fund opens on April 1. The LIFT Fund provides strategic investment in tourism-related capital projects that increase patronage of lodging, meeting, and convention facilities in Buncombe County while benefiting the community at large.

The LIFT Fund is supported by occupancy tax paid by visitors who stay overnight in Buncombe County’s lodging properties, including hotels, vacation rentals, and bed-and-breakfast inns. The authority estimates that approximately $11 million will be available for investment in this year’s funding cycle.

More information on the LIFT Fund grant process and evaluation criteria can be found in the LIFT Fund Guidelines. Explore Asheville will also host an information session on March 25, 1–2:30 p.m., at Explore Asheville’s offices, 27 College Place.