Bathroom bill boycott not affecting Asheville tourism

ASHEVILLE, N.C.—When the North Carolina legislature in March enacted HB2, better known as “the bathroom bill,” which requires individuals to use the restroom that corresponds with the sex on their birth certificate, the mainstream media exploded with reports of a boycott against the state.

Several musicians, in solidarity with the LGBT community, canceled concerts and PayPal suspended its decision to expand to North Carolina.

A recent Washington Post story claimed Asheville, N.C., is suffering an economic slump since the passage of HB2. The article featured two local businesses: Malaprop’s bookstore, whose owner is gay, and Lightning Bolt Ink print shop, run by a self-proclaimed genderqueer and a transgender.

Malaprop’s owner even ran an op-ed in The New York Times to highlight the negative impact of the boycott.

The Asheville Citizen-Times this week featured an update on the boycott, saying “anecdotal reports of sales impacts are prevalent” but in the same story reported one of Asheville’s most popular attractions—The Biltmore Estate—remains unaffected.

So, is the boycott really dampening tourism, or are these stories mere propaganda for the LGBT agenda?

Asheville isn’t like other cities in North Carolina. Unlike Charlotte or Raleigh, it depends less on conventions and more on individual travelers and has a reputation for being inclusive, especially to the LGBT community. A decade ago, the city’s official slogan was “Any way you like it,” and its eclectic vibe continues to draw buskers and artists.

Anyone driving through Asheville would not suspect a boycott. Traffic is perpetually snarled and available parking almost non-existent. Getting a table at some restaurants requires waiting 30 minutes or more.

According to Stephanie Brown at the Asheville Convention and Visitors Bureau, demand for hotel rooms is up over last year: 5.8 percent in April and 1.9 percent in May.

Matt Pike, a store manager in popular Biltmore Village, said 80 percent of its business comes from tourists.

“Sales are good … solid,” he told me.

Pike had early concerns about the effects of HB2 but now says they were unfounded.

“It was a hot-button issue for a while, but people have a short memory,” he concluded. “A shooting happens and they move on to the next thing.”

Local business owners and managers speak with halting confidence about sales, but a common theme emerges: the economy.

Consumer confidence is down, there’s uncertainty in the air, and people are afraid to spend money. The looming presidential election is making people jittery.

Many tourists are oblivious to the controversy over HB2. Dan Creedon and Melanie Moreau, teachers from Long Island, N.Y., said the boycott didn’t factor into their decision to travel to North Carolina.

“There are more important things to worry about,” Melanie said.

If North Carolina is feeling the effects of a boycott, Asheville seems to be immune. I interviewed more than a dozen retail owners and tourists, and the evidence suggests the only people concerned with the boycott are LGBT activists and national corporations pushing the pro-gay agenda.

Business owner Marcy Gallagher has seen a slight drop in sales this year, but she’s not sure why.

“We can speculate. Brexit and HB2 could be factors, but no one knows what’s in a person’s mind,” she said. “One LGBT person told me that had she known HB2 passed, she wouldn’t have come to Asheville on vacation.”