ASHEVILLE, N.C. —

With the holiday season quickly approaching, western North Carolina businesses are prepping for the start of their busy season.

Now, a full year after Hurricane Helene, Asheville officials are saying the tourist scene is open.

"This time last year, we once again had beautiful fall color, but there was basically no one to see it because the area was closed due to Hurricane Helene. I'm so proud of my community. We've shown such resilience," said Mickey Poandl with Explore Asheville.

He said western North Carolina has come a long way since the devastating flooding and winds after Hurricane Helene.

"Asheville is back. We are seeing crowds and visitors at the same numbers, or even higher than we saw in 2023 before the hurricane, which is really exciting," Poandl said.

Ov

See Full Page