MEET SAFELY IN ASHEVILLE

Explore Asheville is privileged to be an essential part of the recovery and to help our community rebound and thrive again. In support of the meetings industry, our community came together quickly to develop the Asheville Cares: Meet Safe Pledge and the team at Explore Asheville created a robust toolkit to support meeting planners which you'll find below.

Face Coverings: (Updated: 9/22/21) - Masks are required indoors at all public places in Buncombe County - including Asheville - regardless of vaccination status. This order remains in effect through October 31, 2021, and may be extended based on data trends. 

Effective May 14, 2021, all capacity restrictions and social distancing requirements are lifted for North Carolina restaurants, bars, and meeting spaces in hotels. Some venues may continue to implement stronger restrictions on a case-by-case basis and unvaccinated people should continue to maintain social distance from others and wear face coverings. Click here for the latest North Carolina executive orders.

Click here for the latest travel information and tips for your attendees visiting Asheville businesses and restaurants.

ABOUT ASHEVILLE: FACTS FOR THE NEW NEEDS OF PLANNERS

Asheville's population size of 94,000, regional airport and convention hotel options make it a second-tier meeting destination by definition. And now, with meeting planners' new needs focused on drive destinations, resort and boutique-style properties, smaller meetings in smaller cities, AND destinations known for outdoor activities and open spaces, Asheville is well-positioned to welcome meetings back safely.

SAFE MEETING CASE STUDIES

Get a close look at how meeting planners held safe meetings in Asheville. These case studies offer planner-to-planner advice with firsthand experience planning and hosting a successful meeting during this challenging time.

EXPLORE ASHEVILLE SERVICES

The fully-staffed Explore Asheville team provides time-saving services and Asheville expertise for meeting planners. We can generate prompt responses from area hotels tailored to your meeting's needs and coordinate a safe in-person site visit. Plus, your meeting could qualify for incentives from Explore Asheville.

VIRTUAL PLANNING RESOURCES

From the highest quality 3D tours of our top meeting properties to a mini-webinar series featuring live conversations with area Directors of Sales to an informative virtual FAM (that includes self-care for you!), Explore Asheville has developed resources to support your planning in the current landscape.