Tourism Partner Newsletter

The Tourism Partner Newsletter, called “So, Here’s The Thing,” is a regular e-newsletter that is sent out to those working in the industry. In this twice-monthly correspondence, find information that we think will be beneficial to anyone working in the tourism industry, including changes in the industry, networking opportunities, tips for managing social media, updates on things going on around the Henderson County Tourism Development Authority, interesting tourism stories and articles, podcasts we’re listening to and so much more. Sign up below to receive the newsletter in your inbox on approximately the 2nd & 4th Wednesday of each month. We also occasionally send 1-off emails specific to your business type or upcoming programs we are offering, but this is less common. (**Please note, in the wake of Hurricane Helene, emails are being sent weekly to inform partners about new initiatives, relief and recovery efforts, and to keep partners aware of how we are trying our hardest to get visitors to Hendersonville.**) 

Accommodation partners will also automatically be signed up to receive our weekly calendar in their inbox every Monday morning — ready to be printed out and shared with your accommodation guests each week!

See recent copies of the newsletter below.

Past Editions

family shopping at christmas

January 8, 2025

This week’s newsletter, the first of the new year, went back to our pre-hurricane format, and began to incorporate sections we had left out since August. The newsletter included an particle about predicted travel trends for 2025, an article about the importance of Branding Consistency (a way for you to start the year off fresh), an invitation to submit events for Cider, Wine & Dine Weekend, local news, a spotlight of Stone Ashe Vineyard’s Heath Little, upcoming events, media coverage, and local business updates.

family shopping at christmas

December 13, 2024

This week’s newsletter included local updates, including the lineup at the Flat Rock Playhouse’s 2025 season, shared info on the ground breaking at Mills River Park’s new playground, invited you to takt the “Above The Mud Grant Input Survey,” shared the event submission deadline for Cider, Wine & Dine Weekend Events; a roundtable discussion with tourism leaders across the state and a webinar with Visit NC were shared; and business resources, media coverage, and business updates were included.

family shopping at christmas

December 6, 2024

This week’s newsletter included local updates, a report on the impact of one of our newer TDA programs, a report on the impact of outdoor recreation on the state of North Carolina, offered some things partners can nominate someone for or vote in,  included registration info for multiple upcoming webinars/trainings, shared the newest blog on the VisitHendersonville website, shared the most recent business resources, featured a local business, included media coverage, and offered a few business updates.

Holiday and Christmas events in Hendersonville Blue Ridge Mountains NC

November 27, 2024

This week’s edition was very short. It included a short letter wishing all partners a happy Thanksgiving, reminding us just how much we have to be grateful for this year, offered a few local updates, highlighted out newest blog on the VisitHendersonville website, shared the most recent business resources, featured one of our wonderful, Hendersonville businesses, and included media coverage.

bell-park-water-fall

November 22, 2024

This week’s edition included local news, shared about a new park open in our county, offered a list of available grants and business resources, spotlighted one tourism partner, had a list of recent business changes, and included media coverage.

Holiday and Christmas events in Hendersonville Blue Ridge Mountains NC

November 15, 2024

This week’s edition reminded tourism partners that while we may all want to put the hurricane behind us and forget about it, it is probably better for us to keep talking about it a little longer so that we can set expectations for visitors who have either not seen the region since the storm or who have never seen it. The newsletter also included some local news, a few new grants, featured one of our partners’ newest assets, and included media coverage.

Holiday and Christmas events in Hendersonville Blue Ridge Mountains NC

November 6, 2024

This week’s edition included updated information on our Home For The Holidays webpage and marketing plan, shared our newest holiday itineraries, and that we have the holidays brochures available; shared a survey from the Great Trails State Coalition; solicited Cider, Wine & Dine Weekend events; provided an update on the 7th Avenue Construction Project; celebrated some recent accomplishments, as we work hard to fight the false narrative that Western NC was completely destroyed by the hurricane; shared resources; and highlighted a partner who gave back to the community after the storm. As always, the newsletter also included upcoming event info, recent news and a job opening. 

October 29, 2024

This week’s edition was very brief and solely highlighted our new initiative, the Gifts From Hendersonville page, which encourages people from outside the area to give gifts from Hendersonville this holiday season.

October 23, 2024

This week’s edition included a Message From The Mountains, a love letter to our visitors, asking them to once again heed the call of the Mountains. This heartfelt video reminds visitors that we are here and need their business to survive, while also serving as an emotional affirmation to us mountainfolk that we will recover, and be stronger than ever.

It also continued to outline our plans to “Save Fall” and market the holidays, shared business resources, asked for your help, offered a sign up for a new program, highlighted a local tourism business who helped to build community after Helene, shared news coverage, and featured some upcoming post-Helene benefit events.

October 16, 2024

This edition included a video from Michelle Owens, HCTDA Director, to you, our Tourism Partners, outlined how we are working to reopen and “Save Fall,” offered many business resources, highlighted a great story about a local tourism business who has had to pivot since the storm, shared news coverage, and offered a new set of talking points for people interested in visiting.

October 8, 2024

This week’s e-newsletter was a simple letter from Michelle Owens and your Henderson County TDA, checking in on you, our Tourism Partners, and letting you know the first steps we were taking in returning to a place where we could accommodate tourists again, including a list of business resources and a list of Travel FAQs.

September 12, 2024

This edition shared a report of actual visitation in late spring/early summer, included info on a number of marketing opportunities for partners, a few local updates, shared some recent Hendersonville Media coverage, and included a short list of recent business changes.

August 28, 2024

This edition primarily focused on the Grand Re-Opening of the Hendersonville Welcome Center. It also included a few local updates, shared some recent Hendersonville Media coverage, and included a short list of recent business changes.

August 14, 2024

This edition announced the release of the state Economic Impact Numbers, released by Visit NC and the NC Economic Department, offered content creation strategy tips, shared info on a few different contests Hendersonville and local businesses are in the running for, included updates on local events and construction projects, offered some training tools, shared some recent Hendersonville Media coverage, and more.

July 24, 2024

This edition shared a list of Summer 2024 Travel Trends, included a complete guide to using TikTok for Business, listed updates on local events and construction projects, offered some training tools, shared some recent Hendersonville Media coverage, and more.

July 11, 2024

This edition included an article that discussed what travel planning looks like for the different generations, included updates on local events and construction projects, offered some training tools, shared some recent Hendersonville Media coverage, and more.

June 27, 2024

This edition goes into what visitation looked like last summer in order to help partners in planning for the rest of this summer, informed about updates and new partner programs, included an upcoming event looking for venue and lodging RFPs, included some great things to vote for and attend in person, included some national tourism trends that are emerging, included TONs of sweet ice cream-related media coverage, and more.

June 12, 2024

This edition proudly announces Hendersonville’s Ice Cream Trail making the COVER of Our State Magazine, and Our State’s Hendersonville Ice Cream Trail Celebration Event, which takes place on 6/29 at McConnell Farms. It also takes a closer look at where actual spending is coming from and how much those folks are spending, shares local news and accomplishments of some Henderson County tourism businesses, invites you to join in the next FAM tour, includes details on multiple training events, provides updates on business changes, and much more.

May 23, 2024

This edition dove into where last year’s fall visitors came from in order to determine where to market for visitation this fall, invited you to join a Partner FAM Tour, shared about new brochures in the Welcome Center, offered an RFP for hotels for an upcoming event, announced some local news and national trends, and much more.

May 8, 2024

This edition included a closer look at visitor spending on food and what that means, provided an update on the status of TikTok, highlighted some great grant funding and conference opportunities for partners, looked at some other local news, and much more.

Hendersonville Waterfalls

April 25, 2024

This edition included a closer look at where Hendersonville’s actual visitorship came from in Q1, discussed “Lifestyle Marketing” content, announced that the annual Debi Smith Heart For Hospitality Award is accepting nominations for 2025, shared info on Blue Ghost Firefly Tours, promoted DuPont’s Master Plan reveal, investigated the idea of travel subscriptions, and much more.

cider-wine-dine-credit-jared-kay

April 10, 2024

This edition included a closer look at where Hendersonville visitors came from during Spring Break (spoiler alert: Charlotte was our top market), discussed the power of storytelling for your business, highlighted Partner FAM Tours and the TDA Partner Photography Program, promoted Cider, Wine & Dine Weekend, shared about other local events, and much more.

cider-wine-dine-credit-jared-kay

March 28, 2024

This edition included an article that suggests 2024 will be a big year for travel, examined SEO and PPC strategies, shared info on a number of upcoming events and programs for partners, listed upcoming prescribed burns at DuPont, featured the Curb Market, and much more.

cider-wine-dine-credit-jared-kay

March 13, 2024

This edition featured the Aquarium & Shark Lab by Team ECCO and its superstar round ray, Charlotte, offered a guide for email marketing newbies, shared some great grant opportunities, provided info about the Veteran’s Healing Farm, announced that Barbara Hughes of Narnia Studios was the recipient of the annual Debi Smith Heart For Hospitality Award, named some great online training tools, and much more.

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