April 6, 2021

NEWS | EVENTS
OPPORTUNITIES
& more

Media on deadline: Holiday Hotels (Respond by today 5 p.m.) 

Southern Living is seeking ideas for a “holiday hotels” story in 2021 and the publication’s editorial planning process for the holiday issue starts now. The Explore Asheville PR team would love to share your experiences and news for consideration. 

If you have capacity to share, ideas and insights are due via email to the Explore Asheville PR team by TODAY, April 6 at 5 p.m. The journalist understands that many properties won’t have all of their holiday plans outlined just yet, but could use a brief round-up of compelling, newsy details about your holiday guest experiences and any high-level news items.

Useful info includes holiday special events, décor plans, experiences or packages (in general and special for 2021). **Please note: If you have a tentative, not-yet-confirmed holiday experience coming together, the PR team is glad to soft pitch your tentative plans and ensure the writer follows-up directly for confirmation if the property is selected.

SUBMISSION INFO (please respond in bullet form using the format below): Due Tuesday, April 6 by 5 p.m.

• Property name:
• Website link:
• Media contact:
• Brief summary/notes re: holiday experiences or festive, newsworthy details at your property:
• Brief summary/notes re: 2021 holiday news or new experiences:
• Any fun facts, interesting history or uniquely Asheville elements that infuse your holiday experience:

Email your submission to the Explore Asheville PR Team here!

Place your order now for free delivery April 15 - 16

The time is now to stock up on the Official Asheville Visitor Guide for the spring season! Explore Asheville is offering free deliveries of the guides to your business, facilitated by Mountain Xpress.

If you'd like to receive an April delivery, please complete this form by close of business on Monday, April 12. Deliveries will be made by the case (44 guides per case) April 15 - 16. 

Important note! Due to COVID-19, we temporarily suspended recurring deliveries, so even if you previously signed up to receive monthly deliveries, we still need a completed form for this April delivery.

Local panel discusses 'Equity in Creative Placemaking'

The final in a series of discussions on Equity in Creative Placemaking, hosted by Leadership Asheville and Asheville Area Arts Council and sponsored by Explore Asheville, takes place on April 15. The event is free and open to the public.

Webinar series to feature members of local tourism community

National Travel & Tourism Week is a springtime tradition that recognizes the value of tourism to communities and local businesses while celebrating the personal enrichment travel offers to visitors. In recent years, Explore Asheville and our tourism community have celebrated this tradition with a daylong Tourism Summit.

This year, we “deconstruct” the Tourism Summit concept to host a series of Zoom webinars during the month of May featuring panel discussions with members of the local tourism community. Each event will focus on one of the CVB’s four strategic pillars: Deliver Balanced Recovery & Sustainable Growth, Encourage Safe & Responsible Travel, Engage & Invite More Diverse Audiences, and Promote & Support Asheville’s Creative Spirit.

These strategic pillars align with broader community priorities and were developed by Explore Asheville following a listening tour President & CEO Vic Isley conducted with nearly 150 partners, municipal and business leaders, and other community stakeholders.

All webinars are free and open to the public. Watch for details on dates and speakers, coming soon!

HOW TO GET MORE ATTENDANCE AT YOUR EVENTS (in-person and virtual):  The events calendar is one of the most visited pages on ExploreAsheville.com. Take advantage of this free resource by adding your events – both in-person and virtual events are accepted! When possible, add them at least a couple of weeks in advance to increase visibility. FIND A HOW-TO GUIDE for adding your events to the ExploreAsheville.com Events Calendar HERE >>