Asheville Watchdog
Selling Asheville
Asheville, North Carolina has transformed from a “downtown in decline” to a destination that draws 12.5 million tourists a year — a financial boon with expensive challenges for some residents. Asheville Watchdog investigated the city’s ascent to a tourist destination and related growing pains such as the increase of tourism jobs that don’t pay enough for local workers to live comfortably in the city, high-dollar paydays for social media influencers, and rising housing costs. “The series raises important questions about the sustainability of an economy increasingly dependent on tourism,” one judge said.
Read the Winning Work
Asheville tourism became a $3 billion-a-year behemoth, but at what cost?
Tourism tax money buys massages, $250 shirts, dinners costing thousands
TDA’s promotion machine contributes to influx of transplants, rising housing costs
Local leaders: Reduce Buncombe’s tourism marketing budget
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