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Hello Tourism Partners,
Who can believe another month is almost in the books? We've had a busy June and hope you have too. For us, June has been filled with closing out the books and planning for the new fiscal year, expanding our partner offerings in the Partner Portal, and zeroing in on the end of construction at the Welcome Center (stay tuned, we hope to announce a grand opening date soon! We are so excited!)
Speaking of excited, we know we announced it in the last newsletter, but did you see the cover of the July Issue of Our State Magazine yet? We are still on cloud 9! We admit, this one was in the works for a while, and boy was it HARD to keep it under wraps! Being featured on the cover of Our State (and the 25 pages inside that pictured or mentioned Henderson County), well, that is simply something you cannot buy. Our State is all about authenticity, and when they find something special, like Hendersonville and our Ice Cream Trail, they just HAVE to share it with their readers. Don't forget that Our State is hosting a Celebration of the Hendersonville Ice Cream Trail this Saturday, June 29th at McConnell Farms in Hendersonville, be sure to stop by for a scoop of some seriously tasty ice cream.
More info on this and so much more is below, so keep reading to see what all is going on in the world of tourism in and outside of Henderson County.
Sending positive vibes, as always,
Your TDA
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A local look at numbers in Henderson County. | |
Capitalize on Hendersonville Summer Trends | |
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Greensboro-High Point-Winston Salem, NC, and Orlando-Daytona Beach-Melbourne, FL, were the top markets that drove summer visitation in 2023. Other top feeder markets included Raleigh-Durham (26.2%), Charlotte (24.8%), and Columbia (23.7%). We anticipate continued visitation from these same markets this summer. and with the Southeastern U.S. showing strong travel interest, there are great opportunities for focused marketing efforts.
To make the most of these trends, we strongly encourage you to focus on these high-demand areas. Collaborate and partner up with other local businesses to create comprehensive summer packages that include special deals, promotions, and local events. The more your package offers, the more enticing it will be for visitors. Partnering with each other to work with influencers and media in these regions can further boost visibility and engagement, setting the stage for a successful summer tourism season.
And of course, if you have any specials, packages or deals, please let us know!
Email the information to Amy Boswell, Manager of Partner Programs.
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Grow your marketing skills. | | |
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Essential Marketing Strategies for 2024
By Constant Contact
| Dive into the future of marketing with these top ten insights for 2024. Learn how to leverage emerging trends and technologies to transform your strategy and captivate your audience. | | |
TDA Partner Program Feature | |
Learn more about this great partner offering from the TDA! | | |
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Updates to the Partner Portal & TDA Resource Page | |
If it has been a while since you have logged in to your Partner Portal Dashboard, go check it out, there are some great new tools for you in there!
Free Partner Portal accounts are available to any Henderson County-based business with an existing listing on the Visit Hendersonville website.
If you don't have a Portal account and want one, contact Melanie Black. If you don't want one or aren't eligible, check out the TDA Resource page for more TDA info.
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Volunteer to model for the TDA's Photography Program | |
In working to grow and improve the HCTDA Partner Photography Program, we are now asking that any partner interested in volunteering to model for photoshoots to sign up today! All you would be committing to is to receive additional emails letting you know when we are looking for models for upcoming shoots, and if you fit the criteria, are available and willing, you can choose to sign yourself up to model for that particular shoot.
We may need couples, families, individuals with their dog, etc. and locations will span the county.
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Don’t forget about these upcoming programs. | | |
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August Partner FAM Tour
August 7, 2024
| Interested in joining us at the next FAM Tour? Sign up today! FAMs are a great opportunity to experience Hendersonville like a visitor while meeting and connecting with other small, local business owners and staff -- an essential part of growing your own business. | | | |
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Appalachian Leadership Institute Looking For Event Venue & Lodging
Event planned Tuesday, May 6 - Friday, May 9, 2025
| The Appalachian Leadership Institute is a leadership and economic development training opportunity for people living and working in Appalachia. 40 of their Fellows (plus staff & speakers) will participate in an extensive 4-day training event in May 2025 and are looking for both a venue to host the event and a block of 60 rooms. Learn more & submit a proposal at the link below. | | |
What is going on in the world of Henderson County Tourism. | | |
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Vote For The Horse Shoe Farm!
Voting Closes July 1
| The Horse Shoe Farm is nominated for the USA Today 10Best "Best Wellness Retreat Center" Vote once per day until voting ends on Monday, July 1. | | | |
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Vote For The Crest of the Blue Ridge Wine Region!
Voting Closes July 22
| The Crest of the Blue Ridge Wine Region, which sits squarely and entirely in Henderson County, is nominated for the USA Today 10Best "Best Wine Region" (up against notable regions like Sonoma, Napa, Paso Robles, Willamette Valley, the Finger Lakes and more). Vote once per day until voting ends on Monday, July 22. | | | |
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The Ice cream Trail Brochure is now at the Welcome Center just in time for the Ice Cream Trail Celebration at McConnell Farms! Be sure to join us on June 29th and grab your guide to the good stuff before they're gone. | | |
National Tourism Trends & Info | |
Information about the wide world of tourism topics and trends. | | |
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How Microsoft is Deploying OpenAI's Tech in Travel
June 2, 2024
| Microsoft is leveraging OpenAI's technology in the travel industry, partnering with companies like Amadeus and Marriott Bonvoy. Microsoft showcased a GPT-4 virtual agent offering personalized travel advice and product recommendations. | | | |
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Solo Travel, Pet Travel and "Pay-cations" Are Among the Trends Identified by new Allianz Survey
June 19, 2024
| Research by Allianz Partners USA reveals that more seniors are embracing solo and pet travel. The 2024 Annual Vacation Confidence Index shows a six-point increase in solo travel among seniors, now at 23%. For 35- to 54-year-olds, it's up four points to 35%, while 42% of younger travelers still prefer solo trips. | | |
Highlight of a Henderson County Business or Individual. | | |
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Meet Scott Treadway
Performer/Producer at the Flat Rock Playhouse, the State Theatre of NC
| Scott Treadway has spent decades of his life dedicated to the Flat Rock Playhouse, serving as an actor, director, photographer -- and really anywhere needed. Read Scott's story of how be came to be a comedian and actor, and what some of his favorite memories of the Playhouse are. | | |
Check out these interesting stories. | | |
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Pekingese Named Wild Thang Crowned World's Ugliest Dog
Article by Ehren Wynder for UPI.com
| After three near-wins, Wild Thang, a resilient Pekingese from Oregon marked by his battle with distemper, finally clinched the title at California's World's Ugliest Dog Contest, celebrating the beauty in imperfections. | | |
Upcoming TDA & Tourism Events | |
Hendersonville Ice Cream Trail Celebration
6/29 -- 11:00am -- McConnell Farms, 177 Old Dana Road, Hendersonville
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July 4th -- South Main Street, Hendersonville
**TDA Offices closed / Welcome Center open limited hours
10:00am-1:00pm -- July 4th Party at the Heritage Museum
10:30am -- Parade
5:00pm -- Inflatables, kids games & food trucks
5:00-9:00pm -- Live music at the Welcome Center Stage & Historic Courthouse Stairs
9:00pm -- Fireworks, viewable from Main Street
**Please note, parts of Main Street will be closed to car traffic starting on July 3rd
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Chalk It Up
7/13 -- 9:00am -- Main Street, Hendersonville
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HCTDA Board Meeting | July
7/23 -- 1:00pm -- King Street Meeting Room, 100 North King Street, Hendersonville
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USA Cycling Downhill Gravity National Championship
7/31 - 8/4 -- Ride Rock Creek, Zirconia
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August Partner FAM Tour
8/7 -- 8:30pm -- Hendersonville Welcome Center & TDA Offices, 201 South Main Street, Hendersonville
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HCTDA Board Meeting | August
8/27 -- 1:00pm -- Location TBD
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North Carolina Apple Festival
8/30 - 9/2 -- Main Street, Hendersonville
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End of Summer Jam with Catalyst Sports
8/31 - 9/2 -- Ride Kanuga, Hendersonville
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Tour D'Apple
9/2 -- 8:00am -- Blue Ridge Community College, 180 W Campus Drive, Flat Rock
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Our State Ice Cream Celebration | Read Article in Our State Magazine or OutState.com | |
A Taste of WNC - Summer 2024 | Read Article on WNCMagazine.com | |
Destination Vacation: Hendersonville, NC a Hot Spot for Wineries | |
Blue Ridge Mountain Life Reel Series of Henderson County | View all reels on Blue Ridge Mountian Life's Instagram | |
Our State Devotes 7-page Spread to Hendersonville Ice Cream Trail | Read Article on HendersonvilleLightning.com | |
McConnell Farms Grows the Cream of the Crop | Read Article on OurState.com | |
The Scoop of Ice Creamville | Read Article on OurState.com | |
The Hendersonville Ice Cream Trail | Read Article on OurState.com | |
Explore Hendersonville's Ice Cream Trail for a Delectable Summer Adventure | Read Article on BiltmoreBeacon.com | |
Hendersonville Ice Cream Trail Featured on Cover of Our State Magazine | Read Article on BiltmoreBeacon.com | |
Read E-Newsletter from Our State Magazine | |
Kanuga featured in Our State "Tarheel Reels" | |
North Carolina's Bicentennials Farms (featuring Souther Williams Vineyard) | Read Article on OurState.com | |
NC Weekend Features Highland Lake Inn & Resort | Watch live on your local PBS station Thursday at 9pm or anytime after it airs online | |
5 Hendersonville Restaurants With A View | |
Want S'More? A Guide to Camp-Inspired Delights (featuring Campfire Grill) | Read Article on OurState.com | |
The Star of Campfire Grill | Read Article on OurState.com | |
Where to see July 4th fireworks and events in and around Hendersonville | |
Openings/Closings/Changes | |
Openings
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NEW! Root & Bone, Located at 4165 Brevard Road, Horse Shoe, Southern-inspired cuisine with a modern twist! Open Wednesday-Monday
- Opening Soon! Justus Orchard, Opens for the season July 6th with U-Pick Blueberries, plus many new additions to the farm coming soon! Located at 187 Garren Rd, Hendersonville
- Opening Soon! Jeter Mountain Farm, Opens for the season July 13, offering U-pick berries and flowers, cider donuts, coffee, hard cider, and all the fun the farm ahs to offer. Located 1126 Jeter Mountain Road, Hendersonville
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Variety of positions open| Justus Orchard
https://justusorchard.com/whats-happening-now/justus-orchard-is-hiring-apply-now/
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