Haywood County TDA presents 10-year master plan to manage visitor growth and support local businesses

Haywood County commissioners on Feb. 3 heard a presentation from Corina Eyre, director of the Haywood County Tourism Development Authority, on a 10-year master plan designed to manage incoming visitor growth while protecting the county’s natural and cultural resources.

Eyre told the board the plan is intended to help the county “manage that change so that Haywood County keeps what makes Haywood County so special.” She added, “Change is coming whether we’re ready for it or not,” and described the document as a living plan that the TDA drafted after a year of community engagement.

The plan, which the TDA has published online at HaywoodTDA.com, draws on nearly 1,300 responses from past or potential visitors and about 330 responses from county residents, Eyre said. It is organized around four pillars: marketing, product development, outdoor recreation stewardship and strengthening the TDA as an organization so it can lead implementation.

Key aims in the marketing pillar include targeting higher-value visitors and shifting visitation away from the current summer–fall concentration toward spring, winter and midweek stays to support year-round employment for local businesses. On product development, the plan highlights gaps identified by residents and visitors: family-friendly attractions, indoor experiences for bad-weather days, and modernization of some aging lodging stock. Eyre suggested the mill site in Canton could play a role in future visitor offerings if new owners consider preserving historic elements or opening a museum component: “I could see something possibly like that being along the Pigeon River there where the old mill site was,” Commissioner Brandon said during discussion.

Eyre proposed a destination stewardship committee and an asset-management system to protect public lands and other visitor assets. She also recommended co-developing an emergency communications plan with Haywood County Emergency Services.

The TDA director reported a recent occupancy-tax trend chart showing the county’s seasonal pattern and the impact of the recent storm (referred to in the presentation as Helene). Eyre said collections fell in September–November but that November’s occupancy-tax receipts were “only down 4%” compared with a prior year, a sign the authority expects recovery as promotions and events resume.

Eyre also previewed a grant program funded by visitor-paid occupancy taxes. The TDA plans three grant categories this year — legacy event sponsorship, advertising and marketing, and a new capital grants program — with draft guidelines expected for board adoption at the TDA’s February meeting and follow-up workshops for applicants.

Commissioners and attendees praised the outreach and the focus on preserving local character. One commissioner said the county should “continue to be Haywood County and nobody else,” emphasizing community-supported, mindful growth as the objective.

The TDA director said the plan is a working document and indicated priorities and timelines were adjusted after the storm to reflect recovery needs. The TDA will return with implementation details and grant guidelines as the authority and its partners begin to operationalize the plan.