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Published on : Saturday, November 7, 2020
It’s almost been a year that this virus outbreak has plagued Asheville’s tourism industry with pandemic-restricted capacity and very few visitors. Even though the sector is slowly trending toward revival, impacts are still being felt with uncertainty.
“October was a better month for us, probably the best month that we have had relative to last year since the pandemic began,” said Chris Cavanaugh, interim director of Explore Asheville.
Cavanaugh explained that in October there were positive signs of recovery even though tourism was still down in general. The boost in October, he said was due to the visitors who were interested to see fall colors.
However, as the winter months slowly came by, obvious questions remain about what’s next. One reason is sure the loss of outdoor activities during colder months. However, there are additional concerns in a year with an ongoing pandemic
“Outdoor dining will be significantly curtailed, and we know that some of our indoor attractions, which are typically very appealing this time of the year, are going to be operating at a much-reduced capacity,” Cavanaugh said.
For the hotel industry, it’s not the greatest news but what happens next is uncertain.
“A lot depends on how we manage the pandemic in this country, and locally, as we head into the true winter months of say January and February. So that’s a big question mark right now,” Cavanaugh said.
With the financial effects felt on the lodging industry due to the lessened capacity and lower visitation numbers, the TDA is advising Buncombe County Commissioners to sanction a bulk waiver for fees on lodging properties, particularly fees from late penalties on taxes. The waiver would apply to more than $100,000 on 200 properties.
“Not the taxes, they are still liable for the taxes. But this would just be a bulk waiver on approving a waiver of the tax penalties that go along with the payment of taxes if they are late or haven’t been paid,” Cavanaugh said.
The Board of Commissioners is talking about the fate of the request in their Thursday evening meeting.