Asheville, North Carolina, bore the brunt of Hurricane Helene and the region is still in dire straits more than two weeks after the storm hit.
On the business side, groups hoping to hold events in Asheville are postponing rather than canceling their plans.
“We just had a record September and were on track to have a good October. It was all so unexpected,” said Michael Rouse, director of sales for Accents on Asheville, a local destination management company.
The conference can return to the area once water returns and roads are repaired. “My only hope is that we get compassion tourism,” Rouse said.
Tourism is important to Asheville
“This storm couldn’t have come at a worse time for our community,” said Vic Isley, CEO of Explore Asheville, the region’s destination marketing and management organization. “The October revenue peak keeps many of our businesses, and our residents, going into the spring. The tourism and hospitality industry generates $3 billion in local revenue and accounts for 20 percent of our county’s annual economy.
In parts of south Asheville, businesses and residents have power and running water, Eisley said. Additionally, the Asheville Regional Airport is operational. In addition, the city center’s infrastructure is performing well. As a result, some hotels are open and able to host small meetings.
Explore Asheville has created a website to support the area. Love Asheville from Away is a centralized online space where you can shop local products, buy gift cards and donate directly to the Asheville area.
Additionally, Explore Asheville created the Forever Asheville Fund to provide emergency grants to local businesses.
Explore Asheville has also committed $1 million as a sponsor of the Carolina concert, which will be held on October 16 at U.S. Bank Stadium in Charlotte.
SEARCH Foundation helps event professionals in need
At IMEX, an educational session called Eventprofs Unplugged shifted the focus of its program from innovations that will shape the future of events to how to support those affected by Hurricanes Helen and Milton.
Kate Patay, vice president of global affairs for DMC Networks’ Terramar, and Zena Phillips, senior director of dining and events for Hilton, moderated the meeting.
“We focused on how the industry can help event professionals affected by hurricanes,” said Phillips, who owns a home in the Asheville area.
“My husband is a meteorologist in Miami, and we bought this place to get away from that,” she said.
The SEARCH Foundation is one of the organizations helping. It provides financial assistance to special event, meeting and catering professionals facing the crisis.
SEARCH President Patty said her relief group has compiled a list of resources to help with insurance claims, housing, food, medical supplies and more.
“We’ve helped dozens of people affected by the hurricane,” Patai said. “We provided assistance to campaign specialists after Hurricanes Katrina and Ian and the Maui fires. This was different because it affected a large area of the Southeast.
To date, SEARCH has distributed more than $1.3 million to event professionals in crisis.
Property updates
The Biltmore, a popular special event and meeting venue, remains closed. The hotel has donated $2 million and created the Biltmore Relief Fund for WNC to aid relief efforts.
“Unfortunately, we are not welcoming guests to the estate at this time, but we are committed to maintaining the community and helping with the cleanup,” said Marissa Jamison, Biltmore senior communications manager.
Other convention hotels closing include the Omni Grove Park Inn and the Grand Bohemian Asheville.
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