Autumn tourism after Hurricane Helene

Hurricane Helene devastated many counties in Western North Carolina, but the six westernmost counties were largely spared. They declared the counties “open for business” soon after the storm in the hope that visitors who had to cancel trips to other parts of the region will still spend their vacations in far western NC.

One draw for visitors is Franklin’s Pumpkin Fest, one of the biggest of the Macon County town’s festivals. The town announced fall with the Pumpkin Roll in mid-October, soon after Helene.

Franklin Town Manager Aime Owens estimated around 13,000 people attended Pumpkin Fest with 113 vendors selling handmade goods, treats and offering information such as the Macon County Health Department. She said it was the biggest event of the year.

“October is definitely our big month here. We have not only the beautiful mountains and the leaves changing colors but people start doing their pre-Christmas shopping and in a tourism economy like we have October is Pretty much make or break months to help people get through,” Owens said.

This was the largest turnout for Pumpkin Fest in the last five years.

“Post hurricane, That’s phenomenal. Our numbers have been going up each year,” Owens said.

October is traditionally most important month for the region’s economy, Owens said.

“The rest of the year and into the winter months, when the population tends to wane a little bit here in Franklin, people return back to their other homes. There aren’t as many people traveling, you see, good turnout on the weekends, but through the week sometimes it gets to be a little difficult. So, definitely having the fall economy here is crucial to Franklin,” Owens said. 

Much of the messaging in the region to return to “open” counties started with a viral billboard from Visit Smokies, a regional marketing organization for the seven westernmost counties and the Qualla Boundary.
Communications and member services coordinator Mici Canales said these counties have been very involved in recovery efforts.

“These businesses, they’re volunteering their donating, their giving of their own resources as much as possible. But what’s happening is you can’t pour from an empty cup,” Canales said.

She said the organization’s visitors center usually sees more than 6,000 visitors at the beginning of October, but this year less than 1,000 visitors came to the center.

“These businesses are owned by Mom and Pops, and they don’t have a corporate backing. And so, what will end up, inevitably happening, is businesses are going to have to close doors,” Canales said. 

Employees still recovering after Helene

 
Much of the region’s hospitality and tourism relies on service industry employees.

In hard-hit Buncombe County, the lack of basic necessities hinders business and labor. Non-potable water returned to some of Asheville in some homes on Oct. 13, but the city’s tap water remains undrinkable.

The Buncombe County Tourism and Development Association welcomed tourists back to town this week. The TDA says that they need to invite tourists back now to avoid a “vicious cycle” of economic deficit.

There is the potential for a “mass exodus” of service industry workers in Asheville after the storm due to lack of employment, housing and other necessities, according to Asheville Food and Beverage United, a service worker union.

The exodus has not yet happened, according to Tim Mathis, Regional Operations Director for the North Carolina Department of Commerce’s Division of Workforce Solutions – commonly known as NC Works – for the 13 westernmost counties of the region.

“Given that the NCWorks offices have reopened in Western NC in the last few weeks, we have not seen this as yet, but we will continue to try and support all business customers and jobseeker customers alike however possible,” Mathis said on Oct. 22.

“At this time, it would be impossible to predict or anticipate how many individuals might/might not leave the region, and I would not venture to do so.”  

However, the office has been inundated with double the amount of normal calls, Mathis said, most about Disaster Unemployment Assistance. Workers are concerned about when – and if – their places of employment will be back in business.

As of Oct. 22, Mathis said that there had been more than 21,000 claims filed for Disaster Unemployment Assistance throughout the 27 impacted counties identified. He anticipates that number will go up significantly in the next several weeks.

The Mountain Area Workforce Development Board estimated that half of those claims are from Buncombe County, with 70% in the Asheville metro area, BPR reported.

NC Works has had mobile clinics in Asheville, Old Fort, Marion and Bakersville, and other communities, Mathis said in an email.

“Since many individuals were impacted so devastatingly by Hurricane Helene, we are seeing many of them still working on trying to gain some level of stability. Many are still working on addressing basic needs, which they must prioritize,” Mathis said in an email.

NCWorks Career Centers, Mountain Area Workforce Development Board and the NC Division of Workforce Solutions will continue to try and help all job seekers and employers, Mathis said.

The NCWorks Mobile Unit is scheduled at the following locations:

• The Mobile Unit is currently located at the Henderson County Disaster Recovery Center at 2111 Asheville Highway, Hendersonville. 
• The Mobile Unit is scheduled to support a hiring event/resource fair at the Harrah’s Event Center in Asheville on Nov. 8.  
• The Mobile Unit is scheduled to be at the Blue Ridge Mall in Hendersonville on Nov. 19.  

The NC Commerce Department released unemployment statistics for September, when the storm hit. There were no changes in the unemployment rate from August.

Fall events continue across the mountains. Jackson County will host its annual WNC Pottery Festival on Saturday, Nov. 2.

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