Change is a’comin for Buncombe’s booming tourism industry. Under the leadership of its new CEO Vic Isley, the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority (BCTDA) has announced its plans to chart a new course for the future of tourism that is more aligned with broader community goals.

The plans come in the form of 4 strategic pillars that aim to center:

Balanced and sustainable growth
Safe and responsible travel
More diverse marketing efforts
Promotion and support of Asheville’s creative spirit.

In order to delve more into each pillar, the BCTDA is hosting a 4-part webinar series of conversations among community leaders about the challenges + opportunities facing the local tourism industry.

The series, which is free and open to the public, kicked off with events on May 10 and May 12, and will have 2 more webinars on Mon., May 17 and Wed., May 19 from 12-1:15 p.m. Check out the deets below to learn more about the 4 pillars, the event panelists + what’s been discussed thus far.

Talk #1 - May 10: Deliver Balanced Recovery & Sustainable Growth

The focus: Help the economy recover from COVID-19 with sustainable growth strategies, while also working to reduce congestion + more evenly disperse the number of tourists per season. For more, check out this recording.
Panelists: Nancy J. Cable, Debra D. Campbell, Avril Pinder, Kit Cramer

Talk #2 - May 12: Encourage Safe & Responsible Travel

The focus: Reduce the environmental impact of tourism on our community + make eco-friendly practices easy for visitors. For more, check out this **recording.**
Panelists: Amy Allison, Dawn Chavez, Terri Wells, Peyton O’Connor

Talk #3 - May 17: Engage & Invite More Diverse Audiences

The focus: Extend a genuine invitation to a more diverse audience of travelers, especially from the Black, Latino and LGBTQ+ communities. To attend, register here.
Panelists: Aisha Adams, Adriana Chavela, Himanshu Karvir, Catherine P. Mitchell, Anthony Thomas, Tina White

Talk #4 - May 19: Promote & Support Asheville’s Creative Spirit

The focus: How to gather community input on Asheville’s brand + support the local creative spirit. To attend, register here.
Panelists: Franzi Charen, Katie Cornell, Cleaster Cotton, Jessica Tomasin, Lucious Wilson