Long before the pandemic, local hotel leaders as well as Buncombe County Commissioners and our local delegation advocated for a change in the allocation of the occupancy tax, increasing funding for investment in community capital projects and decreasing funding for promoting Asheville and Buncombe County to visitors.
A proposed bill filed June 1, 2022, by Senators Chuck Edwards, Warren Daniel, and Julie Mayfield passed and became law on July 1, changing the occupancy tax split from three-quarters to be used for tourism promotion and one-quarter for community capital projects, to a split of two-thirds/one-third, increasing funding for community capital projects.
Statement from Explore Asheville and Buncombe County TDA President & CEO Vic Isley:
Explore Asheville and the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority is grateful for the steadfast leadership of Senator Chuck Edwards in shepherding the Buncombe County occupancy tax changes through Raleigh. The teamwork demonstrated by filing the initial bill with Senators Daniel and Mayfield, as well as the support of the entire local delegation was heartening. Local hotel leaders have advocated for this change since long before the pandemic. The team at Explore Asheville and the TDA stands ready to implement these important changes on behalf of Asheville and Buncombe County for years to come.
Examples of past community capital projects funded through the occupancy tax >>