Adopted by the HCTDA Board of Directors on December 4, 2024.

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To bridge the gap between urgent recovery actions and our long-term vision, the DMP Advisory Planning Team has developed an interim framework. This framework divides the recovery process into manageable phases, allowing the TDA to prioritize immediate recovery needs while staying aligned with the Master Plan’s objectives. It includes best practices for recovery management and resilience, integrating these with short-term objectives – many pulled directly from the Master Plan.

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Why “Elevating NC Smokies”

In recent years there have been significant changes in Haywood County’s tourism environment including:

• Changes in visitation patterns in the years since the Covid pandemic,
• Expansions in competitive realities from other nature-based southeastern U.S. destinations,
• Shifts in the County’s economic base with the closing of Evergreen’s Canton mill,
• Changes in leadership and staffing of the Haywood County Tourism Development Authority, and
• Evaluations of new visitor-related development opportunities within the County.

Given these realities, the Haywood County Tourism Development Authority determined it would be a strategic time to undertake new efforts to both evaluate how to best brand and present the destination to prospective visitors, while also developing a Destination Master Plan to help guide the collective destination in moving the industry forward in long-term sustainable ways.

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The Planning Team

Through a very competitive international selcection process, a unique team of professionals was chosen, including Development Counselors International, Tourism Impact Services, Destination Consultancy Group and Nichols Tourism Group.  The collective team brings one of the nation’s deepest skill sets in destination branding, tourism strategic master planning and sustainable destination evaluation. 

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The Process

The Destination Branding Process incorporates four stages, occurring over 10 months. The process began with an in-depth research and discovery process that included a mix of in-person focus groups to gather stakeholder input as well as online perceptions surveys to gather input from external audiences including travel media and past/prospective visitors. These findings will lay the foundation for the development of the brand and messaging strategy and ultimate brand and logo development. The final phase enables the cohesive Destination Brand Strategy to come to life through actionable marketing best practices.

The Master Planning effort is also built around four primary elements which incorporates a mix of new research efforts and stewardship evaluation processes.  This effort is overseen by a 17 person Steering Committee, which brings together a mix of political leaders, industry professionals and land management representatives. 

These efforts will continue to take place over the next five months, with final reports presented in August 2024.

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Tourism Master Plan Community Session

As we delve into our research findings, interviews, and focus groups outcomes, we are pleased to share our preliminary insights with you. These initial discoveries have furnished us with valuable knowledge and comprehension.