When Helene first hit, Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority (TDA) President Vic Isley announced a “Love Asheville From Afar” campaign to encourage tourists to donate to various Asheville relief campaigns and shop online from local businesses as the region got back on its feet.
A month after Helene devastated popular tourist areas, including Biltmore Village and the River Arts District, the Authority started inviting tourists back.
On Sunday, in a fall foliage-themed Instagram post, the Authority’s front-facing brand, Visit Asheville, shared information on how prospective tourists can plan their visit to the area. The post asked tourists to comment “plan” to receive a direct message about how to plan a trip to the region.
More than 60 Instagram users had already commented “plan” in the comments section, before the post was edited to remove the “plan” part. TDA representatives declined to respond to BPR’s questions about how or why the post was edited.
The travel advisory sheet sent to those who commented “plan” lists restaurants, parks and retail shops that have reopened. Biltmore Estate, one of Asheville’s most famous tourism destinations, will reopen on Saturday, Nov. 2. The North Carolina Arboretum, another tourist attraction, reopened its gardens on Monday, but trails and most outdoor areas remain closed.
Although the city has largely been reconnected to power and internet, there is no drinkable water in City of Asheville taps. The city remains under a boil water notice with no timeline for when clean running water will return. Roads damaged by the storm remain inaccessible – and the city is working on cleaning up millions of cubic yards of debris.
Candler resident Sarah Happel worked in the hospitality industry for years, in catering and at Biltmore Estate. She called the TDA’s decision to invite tourists back to Asheville “tone deaf.”
“I understand the need to have tourism in your area and the money that it brings and I totally respect that it’s something that makes our community thrive, but when I saw that post, I thought it was a little bit tone deaf,” she told BPR.
“Our community is grieving. We can't ignore what's here. And we need to take care of our people first before they can be able to serve the other people that come here.”
Happel added that the Asheville area is “fragile” and still lacks basic necessities. “Our infrastructure for water is fragile. There's debris everywhere. It doesn't seem like this is a safe environment to bring people to.”
TDA representatives declined to answer whether the organization has concerns about inviting visitors to the area given the scale of debris remaining to be cleaned up.
BPR asked the TDA if staff members had concerns about Asheville's ability to provide limited resources like clean water and lodging to outside visitors at a time where many residents are struggling to get basic needs met.
Dodie Stephens, the TDA’s VP of Marketing, did not directly answer the question.
“Our comeback is coming in stages and pockets, when and where it’s safe to do so,” she wrote in an email.
Stephens added that the organization has “heard the call from local restaurants and art galleries to tour outfitters and breweries in their need for customers to help them reopen and sustain their workforce.”
Stephens also declined to answer the specific question about the organization’s pivot from the "Love Asheville From Afar" campaign to the current strategy.
Read Stephens’ full response below.
The TDA Board meets tomorrow, Oct. 30 at 9 a.m. All board meetings are open to the public at 27 College Place. Attendees can also register in advance to attend virtually.
“The North Carolina state travel advisory map color codes counties based on several factors including NCDOT road data, electricity, running water and merchants open. Based on these factors, Buncombe County’s status moved from red to yellow on October 19. Our comeback is coming in stages and pockets, when and where it’s safe to do so. Explore Asheville has heard the call from local restaurants and art galleries to tour outfitters and breweries in their need for customers to help them reopen and sustain their workforce. Many restaurants and lodging partners are going to great lengths and expense to source their own water options to operate, employ area residents and continue to service first responders, emergency workers and displaced residents. Progress is being made slowly but surely, and safely. We are encouraging customers to support local businesses by visiting respectfully, with heart and patience.”