PR is helping Asheville rebuild after Hurricane Helene

A coordinated communication effort is supporting local businesses while welcoming visitors back.

When Hurricane Helene devastated western North Carolina in late September, the bustling mountain town of Asheville was thrust into chaos.

Downtown remained largely unscathed, but heavy rain washed out roads and left homes and businesses partially submerged in neighborhoods along the French Broad River. Wind gusts destroyed communication lines across much of the region and parts of the area were without clean water for nearly two months.

 

 

Initially, the focus was on ensuring safety. Soon, however, efforts shifted to stabilizing the region’s economy. In 2023, visitors spent $3 billion, 20% of the economy.

Media relations became critical to Asheville businesses’ recovery.

“Top of mind was preventing an economic disaster after an environmental one,” said Cass Santander, PR manager for Explore Asheville, a quasi-governmental organization promoting the region as a tourist and convention destination.

Creating a resource for reporters

Explore Asheville’s early efforts focused on supporting those on the ground, creating a real-time map featuring road closures and travel routes, and repurposing its offices into an aid distribution hub.

As the immediate crisis subsided, attention turned to the perception that Asheville was totally destroyed – a misconception that poses long-term economic consequences. Explore Asheville anticipates lodging tax income – a barometer of the health of local tourism – will decline nearly 30% in fiscal year 2025, the lowest levels since the pandemic.

“Part of the damage in these situations is the perception that destinations are wiped off the map,” Santander said.

Within two weeks of the hurricane, Explore Asheville launched the Always Asheville website, which includes a “Love Asheville from Afar” page allowing people worldwide to purchase from Asheville’s small businesses, many of which lacked e-commerce.

There’s a link to the site displayed atop the website homepages of partners including the Visit NC, the state’s tourism department.

These online platforms have driven Explore Asheville’s tourism-centric social media messaging and media pitches over the past four months. Santander called them a “digital directory” of “inspiring and often heartbreaking stories” they could pitch to out-of-town reporters.

One such example was a story Santander pitched to a writer from Southern Living about the “miracle” surrounding Olde World Christmas Shoppe, a year-round Christmas store in the River Arts District. The store was unable to operate out of its longtime location during its busiest season.

Molly and Meherwan Irani, owners of a then not-yet-opened restaurant, Botiwalla, allowed the store to use its storage area to sell out of. Santander pitched the story as “creative, had heart, and carried the overarching narrative well.”

“So, I said I’ve got a great story – ‘Botiwalla saves Christmas,’ and she ran with it,” Santander said.

Love Asheville from Afar has raised $1.3 million for local businesses and counting.

Giving a face and voice to the recovery

Explore Asheville requested videos and photos from local businesses to amplify their stories on news and social media. For example, the organization has maintained a “Doors Open” section on its Instagram featuring updates from local businesses.

“Being able to put them on Instagram saying, ‘Here I am in my shop, we’re open and waiting for you,’ is so much more powerful than words alone,” Santander said, adding that first-person perspectives add credibility to storytelling.

Seeing Explore Asheville’s content, writer DeMarco Williams contacted Santander for a business owner to profile for Forbes Travel Guide about the hospitality industry’s role in the region’s recovery. Thanks to her legwork, Santander could direct Williams to Jennifer Seifert, owner of Juno Pottery, a studio in an artsy shopping area greatly affected by flooding.

“These voices lend credibility,” Santander said.  “They live and work in this community and so to travelers, their words really resonate with them.”

A nuanced recovery message

Transitioning from disaster response to long-term recovery, Explore Asheville adopted a “comeback” strategy.

While heavily impacted areas like the River Arts District and Biltmore Village still faced challenges, much of the city – West Asheville, South Slope, Black Mountain, Weaverville and downtown – are welcoming visitors again.

“What we’re hearing from our community is, ‘We are open, and we’re eager to see visitors return,’” Santander said. “That led to our key message: ‘Asheville is calling you back – plan your trip now.’”

Photo courtesy of ExploreAsheville.com

With media requests increasing four-fold after the hurricane, Explore Asheville paused all paid media for several months.

“It was about ensuring we were in a position to answer those requests,” Santander said, stressing the importance of speaking directly with reporters.

Explore Asheville worked closely with each of them during the pre-interview period to make sure they understood the current state of the city, what was open and what wasn’t, and generally grasped the big picture aspects about the recovery effort.

“You have to know the writer coming into your community is sensitive and takes the time and care to get the story accurate,” she said.

Fostering these relationships paid off in even bigger ways. For example, freelance writer Shayla Martin’s work on Asheville’s Black Cultural Heritage Trail and other projects helped secure a spot on the New York Times’ 52 destinations to visit in 2025.

“We had our notes together, and we had fostered that relationship with an excellent writer, and when the ask came, we were able to angle that into a place on the list,” Santander said.

Don’t go it alone

Santander praised the role of partnerships in Asheville’s recovery. Support came from agencies, business owners and volunteers. For example, the “Concert for Carolina” benefit concert by Luke Combs and Eric Church raised $24.5 million. Collaborations with the North Carolina Department of Transportation also produced vital tools like the road closures map.

Explore Asheville’s upcoming initiatives include the Stars Servin’ Up Love tennis charity event in February and messaging partnerships with the historic Biltmore Estate and Visit NC. Allegiant Airlines, the region’s largest carrier, is also promoting new direct flights and the expanded Asheville Regional Airport.

The “Concert for Carolina” in Charlotte. (Photo by David Jensen)

Explore Asheville has a media strategy, including direct outreach, social media and press releases for each campaign.

“It’s really an all-hands-on-deck experience,” Santander said.

While Asheville is just starting to emerge from crisis mode, recent wildfires in Los Angeles County reminded Santander of the “heartache and uncertainty” of the hurricane.

“All of a sudden, I was reliving that moment,” she said.

Her advice to other communicators: prioritize self-care.

“This is emotional work. You’re telling human stories, and it’s important to take moments to pause, breathe, and lean on your team,” Santander said. “That’s how we rise – together.”

Casey Weldon is a reporter for PR Daily. Follow him on LinkedIn.

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