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Blowing Rock Roadwork to Close Intersection for 30 Days

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Study shows Vance, Warren raise tourism spending

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Parts of the Tri-County saw a boost in tourism dollars last year.

Earlier this month, the state released the latest visitor spending figures in a study called “The Economic Impact of Travel on North Carolina Counties.”

Vance and Warren counties experienced an increase in visitor spending from 2013, while Granville County had a slight decrease from the previous year.

The annual study is commissioned by Visit North Carolina and conducted by the U.S. Travel Association.

The study calculates tourism spending using sales and tax revenue data, employment figures, and other industry and economic data, according the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina.

Visitor spending in Vance County increased 2.97 percent from 2013, and it grew 1.38 percent in Warren County.

In Granville County, visitor spending fell about 0.4 percent.

Nancy Wilson, Vance County tourism director, said she attributed the increase last year to good weather, special events and an improving economy.

“We saw a slight decrease in gas prices,” she said in an email. “People traveled closer to home but took more leisure-time vacations.”

Wilson said she is pleased that vacationers and travelers selected Vance County and Kerr Lake as a destination site.

“Tourism fuels the local economy and broadens the tax base,” she said.

Peggy Richardson, Warren County economic development coordinator, said the county has seen slow and steady growth in visitor spending over the past several years.

“I think it is because of the pleasant experiences offered by our local businesses, and there are a lot things here people enjoy doing,” Richardson said.

She said festivals, state parks and the rural beauty of the county and the lakes are a few reasons visitors come to Warren County.

“Looking at the data, it’s absolutely going in the right direction,” she said of visitor spending trends in Warren County.

Granville Economic Development Director Harry Mills said he could not explain the decrease in tourism spending but added that the tourism director position was vacant for several months until recently.

“We will be working very closely together to make sure we are successful, and we expect to see great things,” he said of collaborating with Angela Allen, who is the new tourism director for Granville County.

Mills said he anticipates large crowds of out-of-town visitors for upcoming events, such as the Creedmoor Music Festival on Sept. 19 and Oxford Hot Sauce Festival on Sept. 12.

“Right now, we are really working hard,” he said. “And I think next year we will see a difference.”

 

Contact the writer at smansur@hendersondispatch.com.

 

 

Visitor spending data for 2014

 

County         Total visitor expenditures         Percent change from 2013

Vance:          $44.1 million                                    2.97 percent

Granville:   $44.3 million                                    -0.38 percent

Warren:         $26.01 million                                  1.38 percent

 

Source: The Economic Impact of Travel on North Carolina Counties 2014, U.S. Travel Association

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Convoy Of Motorcyclists Roars Into Town

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Motorcycle rally

Laura Humphreys

Motorcycle rally

Motorcycle Rally

Laura Humphreys

Motorcycle Rally

Motorcycle Rally

Laura Humphreys

Motorcycle Rally



Posted: Wednesday, August 19, 2015 11:01 am

Convoy Of Motorcyclists Roars Into Town

Laura Humphreys

GreenevilleSun.com

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If you thought you saw and heard a convoy of over 200 motorcycles making their way through town this past weekend, you were right.

There were a total of four American Legion posts represented in this year’s American Legion Post 2 Charles “Ken” Gray Memorial Ride, which stopped in Greeneville Saturday afternoon.

The fundraiser event began in Sevierville, with the riders making their way in to Greeneville from Highway 349. From there, they rode through Main Street onto Forest Street and then onto the Asheville Highway, at which point the convoy took a rest and fuel break at Food City.

D.J. Hunley, vice commander and riders director for Post 2 of the American Legion in Knoxville, worked directly with the Greene County Partnership Department of Tourism to prepare for the slew of riders.

“Greeneville has gone out of their way to make us feel welcome and taken care of our immediate needs,” Hunley said. “We will definitely have to plan to spend more time here in the future.”

A large percentage of the money raised from the ride will go to support American Legion programs, such as the Legacy Fund and the School Award Medal program, which teaches character and leadership education to students nationwide.

Another portion of the funds raised will go to funding a new building for the American Legion Post 2 in Knoxville.

Many Greeneville businesses along the ride’s route displayed signs on their marquees welcoming the group, and the Greeneville Fire Department hoisted an American flag on a ladder truck for the riders to pass under.

“I would like to thank all of the businesses on the Asheville Highway and on West Main for displaying their welcome to our guests,” Greene County Partnership Tourism Director Tammy Kinser said about the event. “Even those who had strict guidelines on what they can and cannot put on the scrolling marquee made special concessions for our visitors and for that, I am very thankful.”

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Lance® Fuels Up Partnership as Official Sandwich Cracker of Little League®

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For more than 100 years, Lance has been fueling America with its sandwich crackers – two awesomes and an incredible in the middle.
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    For more than 100 years, Lance has been fueling America with its sandwich crackers – two awesomes and an incredible in the middle.
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    For more than 100 years, Lance has been fueling America with its sandwich crackers - two awesomes and an incredible in the middle.









CHARLOTTE, N.C., Aug. 19, 2015 /PRNewswire/ — Lance®, which has been fueling America with its wholesome and delicious snacks for more than 100 years, teams up with Little League® Baseball and Softball for another year as the organization’s “Official Sandwich Cracker.” This successful partnership seeks to energize and inspire young athletes to reach their potential.

“The partnership of our two American classics is a natural fit, building on a rich heritage of promoting wholesome fun, activity and snacks the whole family can enjoy,” said Rod Troni, Chief Marketing Officer at Snyder’s-Lance. “Little League uses the ball field as a classroom to instill core values, and Lance uses our two awesome crackers with an incredible filling in the middle as a wholesome snack to give on-the-go families the energy they need to stay active. This is how we sandwich.” 

As part of this year’s partnership, Lance will host gameday experiences, including a snack patrol tent with fun games and special promotions, at the Little League Baseball World Series in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania, Aug. 20-30. More than 100,000 sandwich crackers will be given out during the tournament to fuel hungry players and fans. Crackers and other Lance products will also be on sale in the concession stand.

“We’re thrilled to continue our partnership with Lance,” said Liz DiLullo Brown, Little League Vice President of Marketing and Strategic Partnerships. “Lance has been satisfying Little Leaguers® and their families with great snacks for decades, and it’s wonderful to see them continue to step up to the plate and encourage our young athletes to succeed on and off the field.” 

For more information about Lance sandwich crackers and the Little League partnership, plus fun baseball snacktivities, visit www.Lance.com/LittleLeague.

About Lance Snacks  
For more than 100 years, Lance® has been fueling America with its sandwich crackers – two awesomes and an incredible in the middle. Wholesome and delicious, Lance® sandwich crackers are available in more than 20 varieties, including ToastChee®, Whole Grain, BOLDS®, Gluten Free and Quick Starts™. Lance® sandwich crackers are made with baked, crispy crackers and real ingredients like freshly ground peanut butter. For more information about Lance® sandwich crackers, please visit www.lance.com.

About Snyder’s-Lance, Inc. 
Snyder’s-Lance Inc., headquartered in Charlotte, N.C., manufactures and markets snack foods throughout the United States and internationally. Snyder’s-Lance’s products include pretzels, sandwich crackers, pretzel crackers, potato chips, cookies, tortilla chips, restaurant style crackers, nuts and other snacks. Snyder’s-Lance has manufacturing facilities in North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Indiana, Georgia, Arizona, Massachusetts, Florida, Wisconsin and Ohio. Products are sold under the Snyder’s of Hanover®, Lance®, Cape Cod®, Snack Factory® Pretzel Crisps®, Late July®, Krunchers!®, Tom’s®, Archway®, Jays®, Stella D’oro®, Eatsmart Snacks™, O-Ke-Doke® and other brand names. Products are distributed nationally through grocery and mass merchandisers, convenience stores, club stores, food service outlets and other channels. LNCE-G

About Little League®
Little League® Baseball and Softball is the world’s largest organized youth sports program, with 2.4 million players and one million adult volunteers in every U.S. state and more than 80 other countries. In 2014, Little League celebrated its 75th Anniversary of developing major league people. For more information, visit LittleLeague.org, or follow the Little League on Facebook (facebook.com/LittleLeagueBaseballAndSoftball) or Twitter (twitter.com/LittleLeague).

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Tourism spending up 5.6% in county

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Tourism spending up 5.6% in county

By Bill Moss, Published: August 19, 2015

Visitors in Henderson County spent $246.41 million in 2014, an increase of 5.64 percent from 2013.

Tourism impact highlights for 2014:

  • The travel and tourism industry directly employees more than 2120 workers in Henderson County.
  • Total payroll generated by the tourism industry in Henderson County was $43.27 million.
  • State tax revenue generated in Henderson County totaled $10.79 million through state sales and excise taxes, and taxes on personal and corporate income. Approximately $10.41 million in local taxes were generated from sales and property tax revenue from travel-­‐generated and travel-­‐ supported businesses.
  • State and local revenue generated by the tourism industry in Henderson County resulted in a tax saving of $191.16 per county resident.

Gov. Pat McCrory announced in May that visitors to North Carolina spent a record $21.3 billion in 2014, an increase of 5.5 percent from 2013. The statistics are from the “2014 Economic Impact of Travel on North Carolina Counties.” The study was prepared for Visit North Carolina by the U.S. Travel Association.
“All eight regions of the state had spending growth of 4 percent or more and 90 percent of the state’s counties saw direct tourism employment growth from 2013 to 2014,” said Wit Tuttell, executive director of Visit North Carolina. “As the sixth most visited state in the country, tourism continues to be major driver of economic development across North Carolina.”
Statewide highlights include:

  • State tax receipts as a result of visitor spending neared the $1.1 billion mark in 2014. The figure represents 4 percent in growth over 2013’s $1.0 billion.
  • Visitors spend more than $58 million per day in North Carolina. That spending adds more than $4.6 million per day to state and local tax revenues (about $2.9 million in state taxes and $1.7 million in local taxes).
  • The travel and tourism industry directly employees more than 200,000 North Carolinians.
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City Council candidates talk taxes, experience, affordability – Asheville Citizen

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ASHEVILLE – Fifteen candidates running for City Council traded barbs and touted experience at a Wednesday forum, sponsored by the Citizen-Times at A-B Tech. Here are the highlights:

Keith Young: One of two African-American candidates preached economic opportunity and political access. “The doors of opportunity in this city need to swing open for every single citizen,” the deputy clerk of court and black youth empowerment organizer said. He named issues from green space to social justice, asking people to stand if they supported them. Young said there are residents “who look like me who aren’t completely sold on the credibility of the police.”

Lavonda Nicole Payne: The 23-year-old acknowledged her inexperience and nervousness but said she had energy and the “passion” to serve and find answers. “I feel as a young person native to Asheville, I have a lot to offer Asheville,” the truck driver said. Payne said she’s knows a range of people and has had a range of experiences in the city, including “highs and lows.”

Richard Liston: The former computer science teacher and professional trombonist apologized for not standing during Young’s issues list, saying he was tired but supported “all that good stuff.” Liston said he wouldn’t promise to lower taxes, but as a former Research Triangle Park software engineer was familiar with processes and not wasting money. He said he would pursue tens of millions in dollars national science foundation grants to do the “transportation system of the future.”

Corey Atkins: The defense attorney said his campaign was about building coalitions with people from police to health care workers to union employees. His top issue is “sustainable economic development and small business growth” because it will fix other local problems ranging from childhood poverty to low wages. Small businesses here create products such as art and clothes unavailable anywhere else, he said. “That is the fabric of who we are and why people come here to visit.”

Rich Lee: The West Asheville neighborhood activist and financial adviser said “unequal access to jobs, housing and public amenities like parks and sidewalks really threatens the fabric of our community.” He blamed city policies that Lee said give too much help to large corporations and big developers. Asheville’s affordable housing policy “is not producing truly affordable housing.” To change that, small landlords providing affordable rents should get the same help as large-scale builders.

Ken Michalove: A 20-year veteran of the council and top appointed government positions, Michalove promised a large cut to the tax rate of “at least 3.5 cents,” while focusing on what he called core services. He directly attacked incumbent Vice Mayor Marc Hunt for fiscal policies and the city’s dealings with the Asheville Art Museum. “I am opposed to wasted money and back-room politics,” Michalove said. He blamed Hunt and other leaders for the “demise” of Pack Place, saying it may cause a $5 million lawsuit against the city.

John Miall: a retired longtime city employee who worked in fields such as health benefits, Miall said he was “born and raised in West Asheville long before it was a cool thing to admit to.” He said the city has been irresponsible with finances, criticized the recent tax increase and praised past leaders such as Michalove. He promised no money would go for “wish lists” until “we police our streets, put out the fires, pick up the trash and pave the streets and sidewalks.”

Brian Haynes: The longtime Habitat for Humanity supporter and employee talked of he and his wife’s ownership of a downtown music store and their role in the city center’s early revitalization. “The town began to blossom into the unique place it is today,” he said, adding that he wanted to shift back to that kind of “organic” growth. Haynes said he was passionate about affordable housing and wanted locals to receive living wages. “While tourism is important, looking out for the best interest of the people who live and work here is more important.”

Lindsey Simerly: The activist for same-sex marriage and affordable housing said she came to Asheville as a “homeless, gay, 18-year-old.” And despite working hard at many types of jobs, “more than once, I was not able to put a roof over my head or food on my table. That is the spark that got me interested in politics,” she said. To lower housing costs, the city should give more money to the housing trust fund and mandate new developments include “truly affordable” places to live. A former local campaign manger for Congressman Heath Shuler, Simerly noted key endorsements from elected officials.

Grant Millin: A consultant in energy and sustainability issues, Millin said he believes innovation is the key to reducing reliance on inefficient systems such as old coal-fired power plants. The proposed change at Duke Energy’s coal plant to natural gas could be improved using “micro grids,” he said, “not just one centralized power plant.” Millin said local leaders should challenge Duke about its plans. “We should know rather clearly what the Duke Energy approach is to powering our communities.”

Julie Mayfield: The co-director of the west’s oldest and biggest environmental organization, Mayfield said she and her husband moved to Asheville to “live in a place that better reflected our values.” The city should target key areas, she said: Supporting new innovation districts, updating development rules to protect neighborhoods and addressing affordability in housing but also in food, child care and other areas. Transit policies must also shift focus, she said and “stop obsessing about cars and start obsessing about people.”

Carl Mumpower: The former vice mayor said he is running as a conservative Republican to bring political balance in a “city that prides itself on diversity” but lacks diversity politically. He said he would be honest that fellow officials would not “pander” but also wouldn’t make political attacks. Mumpower said he would serve as as watchdog for public money and could be that person on the council “that has a courage button, who would say, ‘This might not be right.'”

Dee Williams: The longtime business owner and social activist is the other African-American candidate running. She criticized current leaders for making Asheville a tougher place for “most working folks” to live. “How can one tout affordable housing yet vote with impunity to raise taxes and fees?” she said. Economic development should be their focus. Williams criticized other candidates who listed endorsements, calling it “dropping names of insiders” and said she wasn’t beholden to any faction or party.

Marc Hunt: The one incumbent and current vice mayor defended the city’s tax increase but didn’t respond directly to other charges. He listed successes, including reducing the city’s carbon emissions, enacting rules to protect the city’s watershed and making improvements to a bus service. The tax increase he characterized as modest and said was necessary to support basic city infrastructure and buy equipment for core services. Hunt said working together is the only way to accomplish such things. “Getting things done is more about listening and understanding … Effective leadership is not about polarizing and dividing people.”

Joe Grady: The former city elected official from Ohio and retail manager for Best Buy International spent his time presenting his resume. That included work at several levels of politics, business and philanthropy. “Ladies and gentlemen, I have the business and the government experience to represent every one of you,” he said. Grady said he understood running a business and did so for 25 years as a real estate broker. He also worked as a high-ranking staff member in the Ohio legislature, meaning he understood state-level politics. “I will not hesitate to get in the car and go to Raleigh and lobby on behalf of every one of you.”

CITIZEN TIMES

3 Asheville candidates rake in early money

CITIZEN TIMES

City Council 2015: Links to all candidate profiles

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Registration deadline looms for recreation league sports

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Conway Parks, Recreation Tourism is accepting registration for the following fall youth sports Leagues: Cheerleading (ages 5-12); Flag Football (ages 5-8); Soccer (ages 5-15); Tackle Football (ages 9-12); and Volleyball (ages 7-15).

The child’s age as of Sept. 1 will determine the league of participation. Deadline to register for fall sports is Aug. 28. Registration fees are $26 for City of Conway residents and $51 for nonresidents. A copy of the child’s birth certificate is required for all new participants.

Tiny Tots Soccer will also be offered for kids ages 3-5, who are not old enough to participate in league play. The program meets for one hour each Saturday for six weeks. This is an introductory clinic that concentrates on skill development and having fun! Parents are encouraged to participate with their children. Cost is $26 per person.

Visit www.ConwayParksandRecreation.com to register online or stop by the Conway Recreation Center at 1515 Mill Pond Road. All registration forms received after Aug. 28 will incur a $10 late fee. Registration is available on a first come, first serve basis. Registration for certain leagues may close early if available spaces fill up. Call (843) 488-1950.

Salem Methodist sponsoring tournament

Salem United Methodist Church will hold its 12th annual Golf Tournament and Walk Sept. 12 at River Oaks Golf Club, 831 River Oaks Drive, Myrtle Beach. The tournament features a four-person captain’s choice format and the entry fee is $60 per person or $240 per foursome. Non-golfers can walk the course for $20 per person. Hole sponsorships are available for $100. Proceeds will benefit Salem United Methodist Church and Epworth Children’s Home. The entry fee includes beverages, lunch and door prizes.

Prizes will be awarded to the top three teams. Registration begins at 8 a.m., and the tournament starts at 8:30 a.m. with a shotgun start.

Contact Aubrey Watts at (843) 251-8409, Tami Burns at (843) 796-9496 or Pastor Stan Weber at (843) 865-9381.

Tickets available for Carolinas Kickoff Clash

Discounted tickets are on sale for Conway’s appearance in the Derrick Law Firm Carolinas Kickoff Clash Aug. 27 in Myrtle Beach.

Tickets are available in the athletic departments at each of the 10 participating schools, and fans can save $2 by purchasing their tickets early. Although Conway hosted Hoggard at The Backyard as part of the 2014 event, all of the games will be held at Myrtle Beach’s Doug Shaw Memorial Stadium this year.

Conway and South Brunswick (N.C.) will kick off the action with a Thursday night special Aug. 27 at 7:30 p.m.

Socastee will test New Hanover the following night at 8 p.m. A trio of games is slated for Saturday with North Brunswick and Marlboro County opening the action at noon. Southeast Raleigh and South Florence will get underway at 5:15 p.m., and Charlotte Christian and Myrtle Beach will battle in the finale at 8:15 p.m.

Pre-sale tickets are $10, and a portion of the money will go to the participating schools. Tickets will be $12 at the gate.

One ticket will be good for all five of the games.

South Carolina schools won last year’s border battle by winning three of the five contests.

Visit www.derricklawfirmkickoff.com

Kickball League set for September

Conway Parks, Recreation Tourism is accepting teams for the 2015 Fall Adult Co-Ed Kickball League.

The league will begin in mid-September. A minimum of four teams and a maximum of 16 teams will be accepted. The league will have an eight-game season followed by a championship tournament. All games will be held at the Conway Recreation Complex on week nights. An information meeting will be held Sept. 8 at 6 p.m. at the Conway Recreation Center.

To register a team, visit www.ConwayParksandRecreation.com or stop by the Conway Recreation Center. Call (843) 488-1950.

Staley to speak in Myrtle Beach

University of South Carolina Women’s Basketball Head Coach Dawn Staley will be speaking at the Horry County Chapter of the Gamecock Club today at 7 p.m. at Boathouse Waterway Bar Grill.

Also attending will be Andy Demetra, director of broadcasting and the voice of Gamecock baseball and men’s basketball.

The Boathouse is located at 201 Fantasy Harbour Blvd., Myrtle Beach. Admission is free and open to everyone. There will be a raffle for prizes.

The Horry County Gamecock Club is the local chapter of the University of South Carolina Gamecock Club, which provides financial support to more than 500 student-athletes that represent the University of South Carolina. There are 46 in-state chapters, and 16 chapters from Texas to New York. Membership is open to alumni and friends of the University. Contact (803) 777-4276.

Student anglers registering for fall season

The Student Angler League Tournament Trail is now open for registration for the next school year fishing tourney trail in the fall and spring. SALTT will also host a flounder fundraiser fishing tourney for all ages on Sept. 12 in Murrells Inlet.

Go to www.salttfishing.com or contact the director at rayburnposton@gmail.com

Golf tournament to benefit SOS Health Care

SOS Health Care will be hosting its 2015 Memorial Golf Tournament Saturday at Possum Trot Golf Course in North Myrtle Beach beginning with a shotgun start at 8:30 a.m. The tournament raises funds for SOS Health Care’s 16 programs for individuals with Autism. Call (843) 449-0554 or email sosed@sc.rr.com.

Golf tournament planned

The Myrtle Beach Junior Golf Foundation will sponsor a Community Support Tournament and Celebration Sept. 19 at 3:30 p.m. on the beautiful Otter Course at River Oaks Golf Plantation.

The celebration begins at 7 p.m. at the Pavilion at River Oaks. The minimum donation is $40 for adults and $30 for juniors age 16 and under. Playing golf is optional. Contact Joe Carbonell at (843) 467-7191 or visit www.mbjgf.org

HJGT to visit Myrtle Beach

The Hurricane Junior Golf Tour (HJGT) will host the Myrtle Beach Junior Open Sept. 26 and 27 at Myrtle Beach National.

The tour offers players between the ages of 11 and 18 opportunities to earn national exposure while playing at premier venues. Carolina juniors will have the opportunity to compete on the national stage against players from all over the country. Players can register as a member or nonmember for the event. Members can play the event for $189 while nonmembers may enter for $234. Visit www.hjgt.org

Beach Ball Classic planned

The 35th annual Beach Ball Classic will be held Dec. 26-31 at the Myrtle Beach Convention Center. Visit www.beachballclassic.com.

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Dare County broke its tourism record in 2014 – The Virginian

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By Jeff Hampton
The Virginian-Pilot
© August 20, 2015

NAGS HEAD, N.C.

The Luellens didn’t skimp on spending during their vacation to the Outer Banks. They shelled out $20 for a two-hour fishing class and $184 for sunglasses.

“We blew the budget,” said Mike Luellen.

They likely weren’t the only ones.

For the first time, tourism spending last year topped $1 billion in Dare County, according to a report from Visit North Carolina, a marketing agency affiliated with the state Department of Commerce. The $1.2 billion was a 7 percent increase from 2013 and double what was spent 15 years ago.

As for this year, occupancy taxes were $29.6 million in May, $2 million more than the same month a year ago. It is unknown what impact, if any, the seven shark attacks off North Carolina this summer will have on tourism figures. Several of the attacks, all nonfatal, were off the Outer Banks.

Spending statewide grew to a record $21.3 billion in 2014, a 5.5 percent increase over the previous year.

Dare consistently ranks fourth in tourism spending behind Mecklenburg, Wake and Guilford counties.

Others in the region also saw higher spending than in 2013. Currituck, including Corolla, ranked 33rd in the state at $144.2 million. Pasquotank, with Elizabeth City, is 53rd at $57 million. Hyde, including Ocracoke, ranked 73rd at $33.2 million. Chowan, with historic Edenton, came in 85th with $19.5 million.

Camden, with a budding ecotourism reputation but lacking retail shops, finished last in the state at nearly $2 million.

The estimates are done annually for North Carolina by the U.S. Travel Association, which uses statistics from travel-related businesses such as

restaurants, lodgings and retail shops to estimate expenditures.

“To some extent, traveling and vacations are a little immune to the economy,” said Lee Nettles, director of the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau.

The Outer Banks offers a relatively inexpensive vacation compared to a cruise or a week at Disney World, said Tim Cafferty, president of Outer Banks Blue real estate and chairman of the Dare County Tourism Board steering committee.

“Not as much commercial,” Cafferty said. “No boardwalks and not a lot of neon.”

Dare County beach house rentals add to visitor spending, said Aaron Tuell, spokesman for the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau.

Dare has 8,600 vacation rentals that generate 80 percent of lodging receipts compared with 2,900 total hotel rooms, he said. The county has 269 restaurants. May through September produces 90 percent of the year’s business, Tuell said.

This year is also going well, he said.

Niki Johnson, assistant manager of Awful Arthur’s Beach Shop, was steadily selling merchandise Tuesday. Hanging on the wall behind her were this year’sT-shirt designs. People return annually, some for 30 years, to buy the year’s new shirt, she said.

One of the most popular, selling for $19.95, is the peddler, an oyster riding a bicycle with a basket on its back, a bag in one hand and the other tipping a ball cap. A drink cup is attached to handle bars.

“T-shirts are flying out of here,” she said. “Oh yeah – we’ve been busy pretty much every day.”

Jeff Hampton, 252-338-0159, jeff.hampton@pilotonline.com

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Letter writer: Short-term rentals provide meaningful tourism

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Asheville has been a popular tourist town for many decades. Over the years, Asheville tourism has taken a turn for the worse — accommodating only the entitled to visit. With hotel prices skyrocketing, oftentimes well over $200 per night, it affords only a certain type of visitor to come, thereby eliminating the very diversity that makes Asheville unique in its visitors. Asheville should be welcoming those very same sort of people that make up our population — artisans, young people and world wanderers.

Often they cannot, and will not, spend that sort of money on accommodations and may choose to bypass Asheville altogether as a vacation option if they are priced out of the market. These tourists look to experience the community during their stay.  Giving tourists another option other than hotels is a wonderful way to share our community.

Websites that act as liaisons to these tourists, and locals who wish to host them, like Airbnb, VRBO, HomeAway, etc., offer accommodations to those who are wishing for a more home-felt experience, rather than a sterile hotel. Hotels cater to a different crowd in general [who] want a more disconnected experience.

Vacation-rental tourism supports the local mom-and-pop or out-of-the-way business locations that make Asheville truly unique. Supporting these businesses helps our community thrive. Furthermore, the money hotels earn from visitors doesn’t stay in Asheville or get spent in Asheville. Large hotels are nationwide chains, and that money leaves town. What happened to “keeping it local”?

Tourists paying less for their accommodations often have more spending money to spend at our local restaurants, cafes, breweries, etc. According to Wolfstreet.com (a business and financial website), a recent study showed Airbnb guests spent 2.3 times more money than those of hotel guests. Vacation-rental tourists ask specifically for “where the locals go.” They will likely be going to places like Waking Life café, High Five Coffee Bar or Nine Mile. Since their lodging can cost considerably less, it makes sense they can spend more. It also opens up vacations to those who could normally not afford a nice vacation out of town. Hosts of these short-term rentals love to help facilitate this.

Creating meaningful tourism creates closeness with the visitors and a connection to the community visitors would otherwise miss out on. Hotel customers often aren’t looking for this experience, and luckily, Asheville is home to a lot of hotels — with more coming! The short-term rental market caters to an entirely different clientele. Economically, a major upside is the income gained from these tourists seeking a more meaningful vacation is [that] their visits directly impact the hosts of these homes. Their dollars are spent locally. It doesn’t get any more local than that.

— Cat Smith
Asheville

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Sports And Money: Another MLB Team For Montreal?

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Share this!Share on FacebookTweet about this on TwitterShare on LinkedInShare on TumblrEmail this to someoneThe old Montreal Expos jersey logo, courtesy of SportsLogos.net.

The old Montreal Expos jersey logo, courtesy of SportsLogos.net.

The Montreal Expos left town in 2004 to become the Washington Nationals. But loyal fans have never given up hope that they might get another Major League Baseball franchise.

Now, according to the New York Times, they may have reason for optimism. The paper says Montreal seems to have the best shot of the cities under consideration, including San Antonio, Charlotte, N.C., and Las Vegas.

Says the Times,

“With a population of over four million people in the metropolitan area, Montreal is the largest city in North America without a baseball team, and it now has two French-language sports television networks thirsting for content, unlike in the days when the Expos left.”

Also helping Montreal’s cause is the city’s surging status as a global destination. Its tourism has boomed with the help of its dynamic restaurant industry. Montreal repeatedly ranks as one of the easiest cities to get around in without a car, thanks to its Metro, bus and bicycle sharing systems.

Sports and money logoThere is a vocal group called the Montreal Baseball Project pushing for baseball’s return. The Times says it helped produce a $400,000 study that concluded a team could thrive in Montreal.

The study included a handful of sites for a possible stadium, too.

MLB will make its decision largely on the economics, not just because fans want a team. Attendance plummeted before the Expos left, so the league will want to know there can be consistent support should baseball return.

There’s some proof of that: the past two years, the Toronto Blue Jays played sets of two-game series at the Olympic Stadium, once used by the Expos. It drew 96,000 fans for each series.

If the league doesn’t expand, one option could be to re-locate the Tampa Bay Rays to Montreal, the Times said. The Rays had the worst attendance in baseball in each year since 2012, and sell only about 16,000 tickets per game.

For story ideas, is your city one of the ones that would like an MLB franchise? How does your MLB team draw? Has there been any talk of incentives to help or keep your team?

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