Mitchell County Tourism Director Shares Lessons of Operating a Small Budget at the Blue Ridge Rising Summit
MITCHELL COUNTY, N.C. — Mitchell County tourism was in the spotlight Thursday, August 27 as Discover Mitchell Director Kelly Jones joined tourism and economic development leaders from across the Blue Ridge for the Blue Ridge Rising Two-State Summit at Biltmore in Asheville.
Jones participated in a panel focused on how communities can make a big impact with small tourism marketing budgets. She was joined by Becky Nave of the Virginia Tourism Corporation and Greg Hitchin of Waynesboro, Virginia Economic Development and Tourism.
The three-day Blue Ridge Rising Summit brought together tourism, economic development, outdoor recreation, planning, conservation, nonprofit and community leaders from across the 29-county Blue Ridge Parkway corridor. The 2026 gathering focused on moving regional ideas into action and strengthening partnerships among communities along the Parkway.
For Mitchell County, Jones shared a story shaped by one of the region’s greatest challenges: recovering from Hurricane Helene. “When you are coming out of something as devastating as Hurricane Helene, you have to stop and figure out what matters most,” said Jones. “We had to put our priorities in place and, more importantly, we needed a plan. We needed something that could give us direction and purpose as we moved forward.”
One of the most important decisions for Discover Mitchell was bringing in Destination by Design, a firm specializing in destination planning and development. Jones said the partnership helped Mitchell County move from reacting to the aftermath of the storm to developing a clear path forward.
“Hiring Destination by Design was one of the best decisions we could have made,” Jones said. “They helped us see where we were, where we wanted to go and how we could move forward with purpose.”
Jones also discussed the importance of investing in Mitchell County’s tourism brand despite having a small marketing budget. Destination Mitchell used its limited resources to develop a new tourism brand designed to better communicate what makes the county unique while providing a stronger foundation for future marketing. But perhaps the most important lesson Jones shared was that small communities do not have to do it alone.
Mitchell County has increasingly looked beyond its own borders to find opportunities for collaboration. One example is a regional map project, The Mayland Meander, being developed in partnership with Banner Elk and Yancey County, creating an opportunity for neighboring destinations to work together and promote the broader mountain experience.
“When you are small and you have a small budget, working with your neighbors is your best resource,” Jones said. “We don't have to compete with each other. We can work together, share resources and give visitors more reasons to explore our entire region.”
The message closely reflected the broader purpose of Blue Ridge Rising, which brings communities together to find regional solutions and strengthen the collective future of the Blue Ridge Parkway corridor. The initiative now includes all 29 Parkway-adjacent counties, which have adopted resolutions supporting the Blue Ridge Rising Action Plan.
The summit also provided an opportunity for Mitchell County’s tourism industry to be represented beyond its official tourism office. Sam McKinney of The Orchard at Altapass and Susan Weidmann, Ph.D. Professor at App State also attended the Summit, adding more Mitchell County local voices to the conversations taking place among tourism and community leaders from throughout the region. For Destination Mitchell, the summit reinforced a simple but important message: the future of tourism in Western North Carolina will be stronger when mountain communities work together.
About Discover Mitchell
Discover Mitchell is the official tourism organization for Mitchell County, North Carolina, promoting the county’s communities, outdoor recreation, arts, culture, heritage and unique mountain experiences. Through strategic marketing, partnerships and destination development, Discover Mitchell works to strengthen tourism and its economic impact throughout Mitchell County. Contact: tda@mitchellcountync.gov
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