Tourism in western North Carolina reaches peak levels since Helene
By Rian Stockett
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ASHEVILLE, North Carolina (WLOS) — It’s peak tourism season here in western North Carolina, and Explore Asheville says tourism over the last few weeks is the highest it’s been since Helene.
“I think I can speak for everyone in this area that we’re lucky and blessed to have a fantastic October,” said Bruce O’Connell, the Owner of Pisgah Inn.
A great year, that’s how O’Connell is describing the current season, despite sections of the Blue Ridge Parkway being closed for most of the year.
“I think just getting the roads clear, and government doing its part, and the parks service. I think the Blue Ridge being open and being a beautiful fall season, I think it’s brought everybody here,” said Susan Jowers, a Brevard resident visiting the Pisgah Inn.
The last time News 13 spoke with O’Connell was a month ago, when stretches of the parkway were reopened, and he said that he anticipated this year being an off-season.
O’Connell said this year, being an off-season has changed, as two weeks ago, the Pisgah Inn surpassed the amount of guests it saw in 2024.
“Not back so to what it was before Helene, but it’s trending in the right direction, and I think that’s just more businesses coming back and then more people outside the area knowing that they’re back,” said Sean Trickett, an Asheville resident.
O’Connell attributes the success of this season to the weather, saying that while October is their most important month, the weather in October can change quickly.
“There could be rock slides, there could be snowfall, there could be ice, they could close the parkway at a moment’s notice, close the tunnels, this year that hasn’t happened. We’ve been open straight through,” O’Connell said.
Explore Asheville says indicators from the last three weeks have been the strongest for out-of-town guests to our area since the storm.
“The signs are really positive this fall, we’re hearing from local businesses that sales are up about 20% the past few weeks,” said Dodie Stephens, the Vice President of Marketing at Explore Asheville.
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