Asheville trending for spring

Google Flights ranked Asheville second among U.S. destinations for year‑over‑year growth in flight searches for March–April 2026, based on increases in Google Flights queries for that period. (blog.google.com) Fora Travel’s Hot List and coverage of its booking data report that bookings to Asheville climbed by more than 150% year‑over‑year, signaling outsized short‑term demand compared with 2025. (foratravel.com) (msn.com) Market-level short‑term rental metrics for Asheville show roughly 3,042 active listings with a 55% average occupancy and an average daily rate near $222 over the last 12 months, underscoring pressure on both hotels and vacation rentals as spring demand rises. (airdna.co) Downtown culinary operators are already priced for the uptick—Asheville Food Tours lists a 3–3.5 hour tasting walk at about $85 per person—while the city’s official visitor site highlights guided foraging, farm‑to‑table and craft‑drink tours as signature spring experiences. (ashevillefoodtours.com) (exploreasheville.com) Industry write‑ups note Asheville’s inclusion on spring lists alongside Vail reflects demand for outdoor adventure and scenic drives rather than snow sports, with Google and press coverage explicitly calling out the city’s nature-plus-culture appeal. (blog.google.com) (armstrongmywire.com) That spring surge in searches and bookings is running against earlier local forecasts: Explore Asheville’s March 2025 travel update projected hotel room revenue and lodging tax collections would decline about 9% and 24% respectively for FY25 after storm‑related impacts. (marketing.exploreasheville.com) Buncombe County and regional tourism leaders have responded with funding and projects—recent Tourism Product Development Fund allocations totaled about $12.4 million for the 2025–26 cycle to support sports, community spaces and recovery efforts aimed at improving visitor infrastructure. (travelandtourworld.com)