Despite spending drop after Helene, WNC has state’s 3rd-largest visitor economy: Visit NC
Fri, August 14, 2026 at 11:28 AM
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FILE – A car drives through downtown Asheville. (Photo credit: WLOS staff)
BUNCOMBE COUNTY, N.C. (WLOS) —Nearly two years after Helene, visitor spending in Asheville and Buncombe County remains strong
Despite spending drop after Helene, WNC has state’s 3rd-largest visitor economy: Visit NC. (WLOS)
According to a new report from Visit NC, the area remains the third-largest visitor economy in the state. Data shows that domestic and international visitors spent nearly $2.6 billion in 2025
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But the report also showed that spending saw a major drop after Helene, dropping almost $3 billion. Before that, spending levels had seen a yearly increase since 2020
Buncombe County is heavily impacted by the travel and tourism sector, employing eight out of 10 people in the industry. Meanwhile, 10 of the state’s 11 regions saw growth in visitor spending, the report said
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The Smoky Mountains and Cherokee region saw the largest boost at 4.3%, which was largely driven by a 14% increase in Cherokee County and an 11% increase in Macon County
Yancey County also saw a rebound with a 6% increase. Asheville and the Foothills region saw a 0.7% decline overall, Visit NC said in its report
