Asheville got the international spotlight this month as 300 travel leaders from 40 countries gathered for the inaugural Southeast-hosting of the Adventure Travel Trade Association’s (ATTA) AdventureELEVATE.
Presented in partnership with Explore Asheville, the annual conference brings together sustainability-oriented adventure travel community members to learn about responsible outdoor travel industries.
Here are three ways this benefited Asheville:
🏔️ Local pride
We have a lot of pride in where we live — and now travel thought leaders know why. Asheville glowed as it did what it does best: Showed off its unparalleled outdoor offerings as attendees experienced waterfall hikes, whitewater rafting, zip-lining, forest bathing + more.
🛶 Local industries
The conference highlighted Asheville’s outdoor gear industry, which employs 10,000+ local residents and generates $750 million annually. Oh yeah — the local food + culture scene shined, too.
🌇 Local spending
The three-day event generated $500,000 in visitor spending, showing the economic benefits to local businesses in hosting events in our city + Buncombe County.
