Cooper said he only wants people who are dedicated to response efforts coming to the region.

“Whenever you come to Western North Carolina you get emergency notifications that we don’t want you here unless you are directly helping with the response,” Cooper told the Citizen Times on Oct. 3.

“So we’re continuing to ask people not to come. And that’s tough for an area that was about to enter its peak season for tourism economy. But I’ve talked with people in the Chamber of Commerce, they understand that meeting people’s immediate needs, saving lives, is first,” he continued.

Visit North Carolina, the state’s official destination marketing organization, has continued to issue a travel advisory warning to all who intend to visit the region typically known for its strong tourism industry as the leaves turn in the fall. Currently, the message is: Do not travel to the region as cities and towns continue to battle power and water outages.

“State and local officials strongly advise all motorists avoid travel in Western North Carolina due to the continued challenges and risks from riverine flooding, landslides, slope failures, road closures and downed trees,” the Visit North Carolina advisory, updated Oct. 3, read. “Power and cell phone service outages are also widespread as are shortages of water, food and gas.”

Cooper said the goal is to continue to expand rescue and recovery efforts, which would be hindered and strained by the additional resources and road space required to maintain tourists.

“We want to keep those roads open for utility trucks, for rescue personnel, for medical people, for supplies, for fuel – all of this transportation that is 10 times more than you would normally need roads just to bring in basic necessities for people who don’t have them now,” Cooper said.

Explore Asheville and the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority have also put out information regarding resources being provided by the industry at this time. The authority issued an update on the status of the local tourism industry.

“People have always been drawn to Asheville and the mountains of Western North Carolina. We know many people around the country care deeply and want to support our community. It’s not just about what’s happening now, but about planning for the months and years ahead,” the BCTDA and Explore Asheville said in a statement to the Citizen Times on Oct. 3.

“Right now, the focus is on taking care of area residents and workers and servicing the many first responders who have answered the call from all over the country — helping those impacted and addressing the economic and emotional toll at hand,” the statement said.

The city of Asheville, along with a swath of other cities and towns across WNC, are facing crises after the floods caused by Tropical Storm Helene. Water is out for most of the city, and is not expected to return for weeks. Cell service continues to be spotty, if not unreliable. Whole districts of the town, like the River Arts District — a beloved tourism district near the French Broad — remain in ruins.

Through the storm, VisitNC has been working to address visitor displacement throughout the region, fielding 7,300 calls about the topic, according to the advisory. Many regional attractions are currently closed. The entire Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina is closed. The Biltmore is closed. The WNC Nature Center is closed. The Omni Grove Park Inn is closed.

While the leaf season had been expected to be vibrant and bring in thousands to the region, boosting local business, this fall is likely going to hurt as businesses attempt to recover. [Source]