There are currently 18 summer camps in Henderson County, which has been a destination for campers since the early 1900s.

On the county’s Tourism Development Authority website, there is a page that claims the county to be the “camp capital of the South.”

“(Summer camps) are foundational to our economy,” said Michell Owens, Executive Director of Henderson County Tourism Development Authority. “They are foundational to our sense of who we are and how we see the world and who lives here and who chooses to be here. I think they generate a lot of knockoff benefits, but very tangible benefits at the same time.”

Summer camps have an impact on tourism, as parents and grandparents drive kids to camp and then spend nights in hotels or eat in restaurants or shops downtown.

Camps also have the potential to bring residents to the area, as campers or counselors might choose to move to the area after their weeks of summer residency end. Owens knows this first hand, as she was a camper and counselor at Camp Tekoa and then moved to Henderson County.

“I think a lot of our outdoor industry here,” Owens said, “is an offshoot of people who were either campers or counselors or both​​.”

The outdoor recreation industry is a big part of Western North Carolina’s economy. There’s fishing, camping, hiking, mountain biking, and much more that bring people to the area throughout the year. There’s space to get away from the masses and there are ways to enjoy nature with a large group of friends.

“One of the things that makes Henderson County, specifically, a very different sort of destination,” Owens said, “is you have a lot of outdoor and rural experiences, but drive 10 minutes and you're in a walkable area that offers shops and dining. It's rather unusual to have both. Either you're away from everything, an hour from anything, or in the center of everything, like in New York City. We have a really nice complimentary balance of both.”

Outdoor recreation and summer camps feed into the tourism economy and help many small businesses survive and thrive. 

Helene damped a lot of the positive momentum that these small businesses had regained after the Covid-19 pandemic. Our outdoor spaces were tragically and heartbreakingly broken by the storm’s rage.

Work has been completed (or is still ongoing) to improve the damaged areas and potential visitors have been told that our area is open and ready for outdoor fun.

“Our outdoor trails and lakes are so important, not only to our quality of life as residents here, but also to attracting visitors to our community,” said Vic Isley, President and CEO of ExploreAsheville.com. “It's been really important over the last year to work with our outdoor outfitters, with the Army Corps of Engineers, with the city and the county and with nonprofits like Mountain True and River Lake to really ensure that the right information is shared across our partners. Those meetings have generally left people more relieved that they have the information that they need to make decisions, and I think we're really excited about getting to April and beyond. In 2026 there's a lot of bright spots and promise for all of the challenges that our community and region have been through.” 

Businesses have struggled, though, because of current situations. The Outdoor Business Alliance of Western North Carolina has monitored what has happened with its nearly 150 members. This alliance, which was founded in 2013 by a small group of gear manufacturers, has members who are gear builders, experienced providers, skills instructors, outfitters, outdoor retail, bike shops, supporting businesses, and nonprofits.

Dorene O’Malley, the Executive Director of the Outdoor Business Alliance, said that there are local outdoor recreation manufacturers struggling due to a rise in costs because of tariffs, guide services that are rebounding as tourists come back to the area, and businesses who’ve had to relocate due to Helene’s damage.

“Well, due to a couple of different factors, I'd say everyone would say we're on the low,” O’Malley said. “Things are not super high right now and that's a combination of still being post-COVID, because we saw such a big boon and then during COVID the outdoor industry really crashed, and then we had the hurricane, and now we have tariffs. A lot of us are fighting to keep our heads above water.”

The hope is that 2026 provides answers for those businesses that are struggling and a chance for locals (and tourists) to enjoy more time outside.