Open for business: Tourists needed in western NC as rebuilding moves forward

ASHEVILLE, N.C. (WNCN) – Western North Carolina is open for business.

That’s the message from those communities, lawmakers, and Governor Josh Stein as that side of the state continues to recover almost one year after Hurricane Helene.

“Even with this work ahead of us, today, almost one year later, Asheville is open for business,” Asheville Mayor Esther Manheimer said.

The region continues to rebuild nearly one year after the storm caused approximately $60 billion in damage, wiping out homes and destroying businesses.

“Many of our businesses, especially those near the French Broad Rivers and the Swannanoa Rivers, were significantly damaged or destroyed, and they’re still working to reopen,” Manheimer said. “Some have managed to reopen, some still have not.”

On Monday, Governor Stein asked the federal government for an additional $13.5 billion in funding for recovery efforts. But outside of that, small businesses need customers to come shop for another season.

“We don’t have really a lot of the big box stores like a lot of other places have, and so our economy relies on small businesses and small businesses rely on tourists,” Representative Lindsey Prather said. “Whether it’s farmers, whether it’s outdoor recreation, whether it’s hair salons, you know, car repair, all of these businesses rely on some level of tourists in addition to the locals.”

In 2024, North Carolina saw $36.7 billion flow through the state from tourism alone. In western North Carolina, the next few months will be make-or-break for some small businesses.

“We’ve made a lot of progress in terms of getting debris removed, so many businesses are back open and really, really want people to come visit,” Representative Prather said.

Another section of the Blue Ridge Parkway also recently reopened, which makes the surrounding areas more accessible. Meanwhile, the road alone draws tourists in for the views.