Managing the visitor experience is no easy task
I’m sitting alone in the cockpit of the boat anchored at Cape Lookout National Seashore off the coast of North Carolina in the early morning, and I’m about to write a column about tourism. Sipping my coffee, though, I’m distracted as a cool May breeze rattles the halyards.
A huge loggerhead turtle keeps surfacing around the boat, the massive snout poking above the water as she (I imagine here to nest) exhales and then gulps for air while likely feeding in these pristine waters. I can’t concentrate while imagining her journey of a thousand miles back to this nesting site, and her size — these turtles can reach 300 pounds — means she must be 30 or more years old. Her presence and the occasional sightings as she surfaces remind me of why Lori and I take such immense pleasure in travel, discovering new places and soaking up the experiences in places we’ve been to before (like Cape Lookout).
This is National Travel and Tourism Week, and since we’re traveling along the coast in our little sail-boat, that subject has been front and center. We’ve been to New Bern, Ocracoke, Oriental and now Cape Lookout, the conditions — strong winds, cool temps — perfect, just what those in charge of tourism would order up if they were able.
The challenge for those in charge of tourism is not easy. If you live in one of the most beauti-ful places on the earth — like we in Western North Carolina — then you have to walk a fine line between commodification of the place you love and the desire to attract and accom-modate those who come to see it.
We met the mayor of Oriental, a small coastal town known as the sailing capital of the state, while listening to some live music at our favorite marina. The town is growing, facing the challenges of gentrification. She jokingly said it was her goal to keep more people from moving to the town. A joke, but I get it.
We are traveling with our great friends, the Valentes, who live in Summit County, Colorado, the center of that state’s ski industry. Among their friends, they say the same sentiment often crops up: how to maintain the charm and culture you’ve grown to love while still accommodating those who choose to visit, spend their money with local businesses, and then perhaps dream themselves of moving there when the time is right.
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Over the last 50 years, I’ve witnessed the great cities of Europe — Paris, Barcelona, Rome, Madrid and others — become so overrun by tourists from around the world that their citizens sometimes protest against measures aimed at increasing or accommodating tourism.
I’ve never had a head-in-the-sand attitude toward visitors, tourism and growth. I know why people love places like Waynesville, Sylva and Bryson City, so I’d be a hypocrite for advocating for stopping tourism promotions. Quite the opposite — and this is more difficult — is to stay involved and knowledgeable about what is going on in these sectors and trying to get involved and play a part so tourism happens right, so the benefits outweigh the negatives. We have appointed boards managing tourism in all our Western North Carolina counties, and those folks make important decisions. Their meetings are public, and citizens are welcome to attend.
Meanwhile, the turtle is finished with her early morning antics. Time to pull anchor and move on. There’s plenty more to discover.
(Scott McLeod can be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..)
Haywood TDA open house May 8
The Haywood County Tourism Development Authority will host an open house Thursday, May 8, from 3 to 6 p.m. at the Haywood County Visitor Center, 91 N. Lakeshore Drive, in celebration of National Travel and Tourism Week.
Residents, tourism partners, business owners and anyone interested in local tourism are invited to attend. The event includes snacks, drinks, door prizes, goodie bags and photo opportunities. Prizes include more than $1,250 in local gift certificates and a chance to win a free quarter-page ad in the 2026 Haywood Visitors Guide, valued at $700.
“This is a great opportunity for the community to see what we do, ask questions and learn how tourism directly benefits the people and places of Haywood County,” said Executive Director Corrina Ruffieux.
The event is drop-in and open to the public.
