"Asheville, Buncombe County, and Western North Carolina are making progress every day," said Vic Isley, executive director of Explore Asheville. “We're hearing on the ground that things are coming back. Business is coming back with customers, both near and far.”

Revenue Numbers Show Steep Drop

Explore Asheville’s latest data paints a sobering picture. For the fiscal year to date (July 2024 through March 2025), total lodging sales are down 26% compared to the previous year. Hotel revenue has declined by 15%, while vacation rental revenue has seen an even steeper drop—down 32% year-over-year.

Additional performance metrics reinforce the scale of the challenge. Hotel occupancy for the period stands at 66.5%, down from 73.4% the prior year. Hotel demand has dropped by 9%, and revenue per available room (RevPAR) fell 19% to $115. Vacation rental occupancy declined by 5%, demand fell by 7%, and RevPAR is down 1% to $149.

Asheville Regional Airport passenger traffic also took a hit, dropping 6% in March 2025 compared to March 2024, while monthly lodging sales for March were down 19% year-over-year.

Isley noted that, unlike coastal areas that may recover within a year after a natural disaster, “there are more complicated issues in the mountains of Western North Carolina from a topography standpoint.”

Conference and Business Travel Growth

Not all segments of the tourism economy are underperforming. “[In the past], we've seen the lion's share of visitors to our community are leisure, coming for vacation,” said Isley. “Since Helene, it's a different business mix. We have more business travel coming in.”

Explore Asheville has booked more conferences and events in the past year than at any other time in its history. “Groups like Home Depot, Southern States, and national associations really understand that bringing a conference, meeting, or event can be part of our comeback,” she said. 

Still, recovery remains uneven. “Our tour providers or experiences that business travelers don't partake in as much... they're not faring as well,” said Isley. “So, we really are rebounding in fits and starts.” 

Messaging and Momentum

Public perception remains a major hurdle. “That’s why we say ‘seeing is believing,’” said Isley. “The visuals from early hours and days... just continue to be on replay. It's really important to note how beautiful things are and the amount of trails that are open and the businesses that have opened, like Funkatorium, even expanding, like Bull and Beggar, which is expanding their kitchen and adding an oyster bar.” 

She emphasized that the region’s core cultural offerings are intact. “Asheville has always had a great art scene and a live music scene that punches above its weight,” said Isley. “And all of those things are here to welcome customers back.”

Eyes on the Fall

With new infrastructure, an uptick in meetings and conferences, and major events scheduled for later in the year, tourism leaders are looking ahead. “We need our in-state folks to come to Western North Carolina,” said Isley. “As our Governor has said, it'll be the most fun public service you'll do as a North Carolinian.”