Help wanted in the service industry

The signs are everywhere. Now hiring, help wanted, excuse the wait times we’re short staffed and doing the best we can. Every restaurant, bar, hotel and store in town is in need of employees at a time when tourism in Western North Carolina is surging. Where are all the workers? 

Vacancy, but no rooms available

Sitting on the side porch of the Fryemont Inn one recent sunny afternoon, Monica Brown overlooks downtown Bryson City. The lawn is newly green, and so are the trees. But, the main lobby is empty, so is the massive dining room and all 37 guest suites within the historic property.

Blue Ridge National Heritage Area tackles the $50,000 question of hospitality training

fr BRNHAThe tourism industry doesn’t always agree on much. They argue over the best logos and ad campaigns, whether to fund this festival or that one, and who has the best continental breakfast.

Casino strategizes to keep good hires on board

fr harrahsBusy season is coming at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino, and management there is working to get all hired up for summer. 

Hospitality help is hard to find: Tourism businesses looking for seasonal help

fr hospitality1Melanee Lester has been sorting through a 4-inch-high stack of applications on her desk for the last couple of weeks, trying to get Mast General Store fully staffed for the long tourism season ahead.

How sincere is your smile? Stakes are high in the never-ending quest for seasonal tourism workers

coverIt happens like clockwork every year. As the calendar creeps toward May, the roads get crowded, lines at the grocery store get longer, and the wait for a table on Friday night mounts. Right on cue, tourist season arrives, seemingly overnight.

SEE ALSO:
• Hospitality help is hard to find
• Tourism’s future in the hands of frontline workers
• BRNHA tackles the $50,000 question of hospitality training
• Casino strategizes to keep good hires on board

How may we help you? Tourism’s future in the hands of frontline workers

fr hospitality2It’s a conundrum the best minds in tourism have been trying to crack for decades.

A Quiet Industry: The quaint charm of Victorian bed and breakfast inns have captivated generations of tourists

By Michael Beadle

Western North Carolina prides itself as a tourist destination — the mountain getaway where you can hike and shop and rest among the soothing sounds of nature.

Tips for B&B guests

• Costs — Before you book a reservation at a B&B, be sure you check the fine print and know the total cost of your stay. Inns have room taxes that are added on to the bill and there may be additional charges.

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