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DESTINATION: LAND OF WATERFALLS

For well over a century, western has been a popular tourism destination, thanks to its spectacular mountain scenery and mild four-season climate. At the heart of this vacation wonderland sits Brevard and Transylvania County, often referred to as the “Land of Waterfalls.”

Located just 20 minutes from the Asheville Regional Airport, Transylvania County offers an astonishing range of outdoor WESTERN NC and cultural attractions, including , TRANSYLVANIA DuPont State Recreational Forest, and COUNTY the world-famous Brevard Music Center.

A star turn in several movies, including “The Hunger Games,” a growing reputation as a premiere mountain biking destination and a burgeoning restaurant and craft brewery scene have catapulted Transylvania County to prominence as a regional, national and international travel destination. Today, Transylvania County boasts one of the most vibrant Brevard/Transylvania County is at the heart of tourism economies in the region. a dynamic tourism landscape. THE LAND OF WATERFALLS: FESTIVALS, EVENTS & ACTIVITIES HOTEL A TOURISM MAGNET CREATE A 365-DAY-A-YEAR DRAW ATTRACTIONS/EVENTS ATTENDANCE NIGHTS Brevard College Homecoming 350 100 Longstanding events like the White Festival, the Brevard College Sporting Events 19,624 300 Brevard Music Summer Festival and Mountain Song Banff Film Festival 2,100 200 • 250 waterfalls, the highest concentration of Festivals have been joined by a wide variety of cultural waterfalls in North America and athletic events that fill the calendar from January Brevard College through December. Graduation Weekend 1,000 400 • Over 100,000 of public lands: Pisgah National White Squirrel Festival 30000-40000 9000 Forest, DuPont State Recreational Forest, 4th of July 12000-18000 3600 Gorges State Park Halloweenfest 10000-16000 3000 Twilight Tour 4000-7000 1200 • Home of world famous Brevard Music Center, Brevard Music Center Cradle of Forestry and Oskar Blues Brewery Summer Music Festival 31,000 9300 Oskar Blues NYE Hootenanny 450 350 • Downtown Brevard, named “one of the coolest Cycle NC 500+ 150 small town in the U.S.” by Budget Travel Assault on the Carolinas

• World class destination for mountain biking, Annual Bike Ride Fundraiser 2,800 1,960 road cycling, rock climbing and fly fishing Summer Camp Visitations 22,357 89,428 Cradle of Forestry • Headwaters of the French , the 2015 Events and Visitors 45,521 13,500 third oldest river in the world Pisgah National Forest 2015 Visitor Center Attendance 95,236 28,500 DuPont State Forest 2015 Visitor Numbers 600,000 180,000 Gorges State Park MAJOR POINTS OF INTEREST 2015 Visitor Numbers 159,000 47,700 Brevard/Transylvania County offers a wide range of compelling attractions. 3 7

11 1 Allison-Deaver House 17 2 Downtown Brevard

13 9 12 3 SNAPSHOT: ROOM INVENTORY: 1 Brevard/Transylvania County has 4 Bracken Mountain Trailhead ACCOMMODATIONS 15 approximately 385 conventional rooms 5 Brevard College Brevard/Transylvania County’s growing popularity as a (hotels/motels) and 188 registered 6 6 Brevard Music Center four-season destination, effective tourism marketing, and properties (B&B’s, cabins, cottages, 4 5 an emphasis on converting day trip visitors to overnight and rental homes). 7 Cradle of Forestry guests have created the perfect opportunity for further 2 8 DuPont State Recreational Forest accommodations infrastructure investment. 16 Visitor Center ANNUAL OCCUPANCY RATE: 67% and rising 14 8 9 The Forest Heritage National Scenic Byway

10 Gorges State Park Visitor Center

11 Graveyard Fields KEY INDICATORS

12 Looking Glass Falls

13 Looking Glass Rock (Trailhead) OCCUPANCY REVENUE VISITATION TO PUBLIC LANDS 14 Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute 10 SATISFACTION LEVEL 15 Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education Pisgah National Forest, Gorges State Park, DuPont State Forest 11,000,000 16 Silvermont Mansion 1,000,000 17 Sliding Rock

10,000,000 18 18 Whitewater Falls 800,000

600,000 9,000,000 96+% 400,000 “The charming mountain town of WHAT THEY’RE SAYING “A destination of a lifetime. Jocassee 8,000,000 of visitors were either “extremely Brevard has more ways to have fun “Ground Zero for some of the best Gorges is one of the world’s 50 last satisfied” or “very satisfied” with 200,000 than most areas can imagine.” riding in the nation.” great places.” their visit to Transylvania County. 7,000,000 – Carolina Living – BIKE Magazine – National Geographic 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 0 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2013 2014 2015 VISITOR PROFILE

39.80% GENDER AGE Brevard & Transylvania 40% INCOME County is a compelling destination for visitors 35% Over 71% of visitors make 25% of all ages. 30% over $50,000 annually.

20% 25% 23.13%

Female 19.73% Male 20% 58.1% 15% 41.9% 15% 10%

10% 7.82% 5% 5% 3.40% 3.40% 2.72% Google analytics from 0 0 visitwaterfalls.com. 18–24 25–34 35–44 45–54 55–64 65+ $1,000 – $50,000 – $100,000 – $150,000 – $200,000 – Over Other $49,000 $99,000 $149,000 $199,000 $249,000 $250,000

TOP FIVE REASONS TOP FIVE STATES HOW MANY TIMES HAVE OUT-OF-TOWNERS VISIT OF VISITOR ORIGIN YOU VISITED BREVARD/ TRANSYLVANIA COUNTY? Diverse attractions draw a NORTH CAROLINA broad variety of visitors. FLORIDA Brevard/Transylvania County is a “legacy” destination, with visitors returning year after year, OUTDOOR generation after generation. 1 RECREATION GEORGIA MOUNTAIN SETTING/ 2 CLIMATE TOP FIVE METRO AREAS OF VISITOR ORIGIN Too many BRINGING KIDS TO 3 RALEIGH-DURHAM times SUMMER CAMP to mention! 1–4 CHARLOTTE 31.25% 40.63% 4 VISITING FAMILY GREENSBORO, HIGH POINT, WINSTON-SALEM ATLANTA 11–15 ARTS/CULTURE/ 9.38% 5–10 18.75% 5 PERFORMING ARTS GREENVILLE, SPARTANBURG, ANDERSON

FOR MORE INFORMATION Contact Josh Hallingse at 147 E. Main Street, Suite 301 [email protected] Brevard, NC 28712 or 828-393-4130.