CHARLOTTE, N.C. — One year after Hurricane Helene devastated western North Carolina, the Biltmore Estate is welcoming visitors back with renewed optimism and new attractions as the region's tourism industry continues its recovery.

The historic estate, owned by the Vanderbilt family for six generations, reopened just five weeks after the storm hit in September 2024. Chase Pickering, vice president of guest experience at Biltmore, said the quick reopening served as a symbol of hope for the broader community.

"We felt it was important to get Biltmore open as soon as we could safely," Pickering said. "The feedback that we've received is that we really were that beacon of hope, that it was a signal that it was OK to come back to this region."

Tourism represents a vital economic driver for we

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