Explore Asheville - Buncombe County Travel & Hospitality Industry

10/13/2026

More than $6.3 million in new LIFT Fund investments will support arts and cultural infrastructure across Buncombe County.

On Sept. 30, the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority approved $11.2 million for 10 tourism-related capital projects. Five of those investments support places where our creative community works, performs, creates, and gathers:

Wortham Center for the Performing Arts — $1.74M: HVAC and security upgrades

North Carolina Stage Company — $22.7K: Facility, lighting, and accessibility improvements

River Arts District Artists, Asheville Foundation, RAD Creative Campus — $2.12M: A planned flood-safe campus with affordable artist studios and shared creative spaces

Center for Craft — $1.75M: A new home for the American Craft Council Library & Archives

Asheville City Government — $721K: Cultural and commemorative enhancements to Eagle and Market Streets

These investments reflect several priorities in the Asheville-Buncombe Arts Recovery Framework, including creative workspace, cultural facilities, and art integrated into public space.

Congratulations to the recipients, and thank you to Explore Asheville - Buncombe County Travel & Hospitality Industry for investing in the cultural infrastructure that is an important part of our region’s recovery and future.

🔗 Full LIFT Fund announcement: https://bit.ly/4ze7y6r
🔗 Arts Recovery Framework: artsavl.org/framework

10/13/2026

Thank you to the local partners and community leaders who joined us at the 2026 BCTDA Annual Meeting! The event debuted the 2025 Economic Impact of Visitors to Asheville and Buncombe County, celebrated the 2026 Legacy Investment from Tourism (LIFT) Fund projects, the William A.V. Cecil Leadership Award recipients, Governor Josh Stein and Anna Stein, First Lady of North Carolina, and featured a keynote from Adam Sacks, founder and president of Tourism Economics.

Special thanks to our partners Chai Pani for tasty pani puri, Jay Sanders and Will Boyd Music Quartet for lovely tunes on the patio, and the Renaissance Asheville Downtown Hotel staff for making the event a success. See the photos captured by local photographer Rachael McIntosh Photography.

08/25/2026

A big thank you to all those who came out to our annual Summer Social at the historic SWAsheville earlier this month! We love celebrating (and snacking!) with you all. Don't miss out on the next partner event, the 2026 Explore Asheville Annual Meeting, taking place Thursday, October 1st, 3-6 pm at the Renaissance Hotel. Reserve your spot here!

https://www.eventleaf.com/e/bctda2026annualmeeting

***Special thanks to all of the S&W vendors, as well as pop-ups from Carolina Flowers, Asheville Food Tours, snacks from New Stock, artist Andi Lowman, & tunes from Pauly Juhl & JP Furnas of Empire Strikes Brass. 📸 cred: Molly Milroy Photography

08/13/2026

Something special is coming to Memorial Stadium.

On August 28–29, The Legacy Neighborhood Coalition Festival will bring Asheville’s legacy neighborhoods together for a free, two-day celebration of culture, history, music, food, storytelling, and community.

For generations, Burton Street, East End/Valley Street, Emma, Shiloh, and Southside have shaped Asheville. Now, we gather to honor the past and celebrate the future.

Five Neighborhoods. One community. Many legacies.

07/29/2026

You know why Asheville feels different than anywhere else — you live it. Now the rest of the world is hearing it, too. As part of our ongoing partnership with AFAR, podcast just wrapped a five-episode series digging into what makes this region tick, from the ancient mountains under our feet to the farms and kitchens that built our food scene.

It's a good reminder of the stories our community carries every day: the Blue Ridge's geology, older than the Alps; a wellness tradition 150 years in the making; the creative legacy that runs through Black Mountain; and the history that shaped this place into a mountain city.

It's worth a listen whether you've lived here five years or fifty — and a great one to share with visiting friends and family, or point customers to if you run a local business.

🎧 Asheville Hiking, Waterfalls, and the Oldest Mountains on Earth https://open.spotify.com/episode/3u90N2X1I3qlBRetFxIof1?si=ciDZUFfaRqWDoe0SRkKjaw

🎧 Asheville Food and the Growth of a Farm-to-Table Town https://open.spotify.com/episode/3WQOCeb4Mf3E2lwr3fYlK7?si=4R-_ijZmSlGW_p-WkgTFSA

🎧 Asheville Wellness and 150 Years of the Mountain Cure https://open.spotify.com/episode/3zBInZxaGMDcpAkv8RqqdI?si=U5pSipIMScusiDNQf4Iz5g

🎧 Black Mountain and the Region's Creative Soul https://open.spotify.com/episode/6JoN9J1FCXMk13hMWLefOK?si=vnvWA8TRS8uUKG2tPEncpA

🎧 Asheville History and the Making of a Mountain City https://open.spotify.com/episode/41r122RNIl1YUZqs1d327O?si=UzegQy_vQYSk9og6z2Ir8Q

Give it a listen, and thanks for being part of the story!

Unpacked by Afar · Episode

06/26/2026

Please join us in congratulating Carli Adams on 20 years with Explore Asheville!

Carli joined Explore Asheville in 2006 as Convention & Motorcoach Services Manager and has since evolved into the role of Group Marketing Manager, leading marketing strategy for our meetings and conventions business. Her many contributions to the organization include helping create our convention services program, growing support to 400+ groups a year; establishing the first dedicated marketing support for group sales; and building Asheville and Buncombe County’s reputation as a meeting destination. In addition to her incredible work, Carli is a kind a thoughtful colleague, a connector across teams at Explore Asheville, and an avid supporter of our mission and community. We’re lucky to have her on our team!

Cheers to you, Carli!

05/29/2026

📣NOW ANNOUNCING: Asheville Recovers Together Small Business Grants! To support continued recovery from Tropical Storm Helene, Asheville Recovers Together is launching a $14 million small business grant program to help local businesses stabilize, rebuild, and move forward.

💰 Grants from $5,000 - $75,000 will be available to eligible businesses located within Asheville city limits that experienced financial losses due to the storm.

📣 Applications open June 15 at noon!

💫This program is funded by Asheville City and administered by Mountain BizWorks Arts AVL and Eagle Market Streets.

Follow along for updates, eligibility information, and resources to help you prepare your application. 🔗 Learn more and get updates at: www.ashevillerecoverstogether.org

05/11/2026

05/08/2026

To round out this year's and , we'd like to introduce an industry veteran who's been one of the first faces greeting guests in our community for more than a decade.

Marie-Louise Ramsey, Volunteer Manager at the Asheville Visitor Center at the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce, has led a team of over 40 volunteers for more than a decade, creating a culture that boosts retention. Under her guidance, the center has become a welcoming space where visitors feel valued, and volunteers discover a meaningful purpose.

Please join us in recognizing Marie-Louise Ramsey as well of all of our this Year's Heroes of Hospitality Honorees and the 41 professionals nominated.

05/07/2026

Hospitality in Asheville and Buncombe County is defined by people who lead with heart, show up for their community, and create real human connections in every interaction. Our next shows up with heart every shift.

Willie Meadows, Bartender at 's Neighborhood Italian, has been the welcoming heart behind the bar since 2017, turning every visit into a genuine neighborhood experience where guests come not just for a drink but to feel they truly belong.

Please join us in recognizing Willie!