Whether your ideal Asheville visit takes you gallery hopping on Broadway, antique shopping in Biltmore Village, trekking along the Appalachian Trail, or to a downtown show at a rock club named one of the top five in the country by Rolling Stone Magazine, the Asheville area has something guaranteed to delight every visitor. Don’t just take our word for it…experience it for yourself. 
Ask almost any Chamber member why they are a member and they’ll tell you—in Asheville, it’s the most important way to meet people and grow your business. As North Carolina’s third largest Chamber, the Asheville Chamber includes more than 2,000 businesses, organizations and coalitions. Members know the value a membership provides. Find out how members find value with the Asheville Chamber. 
Look at snapshots from Chamber events and view videos of Chamber programming and events. 
Meet and connect with the leadership team that sets goals and leads the activities of the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce. 
Do you have questions about the Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce? Are you wondering where we are located, what we do, or how to find photos of the Asheville area? We’ve listed answers to our most frequently asked questions here. 
The Asheville region has expertise in several dynamic talent driven industries. Local businesses, educational programs, and community leaders are working in collaboration to nurture and grow these targeted sectors. 
Many businesses are thriving in Asheville and yours could be next. Here are a few of the local businesses making headlines recently. 
Consider the Economic Development staff your one-stop resource for connecting to the Asheville community. Find a complete list of staff available to help you plan the next phase of your business. 
Asheville’s economy and industry is constantly evolving. Keep up to date on the latest industry announcements and plans here. Contact the EDC staff if your company has exciting news to share with the community. 
Accolades and Best Of Lists
Asheville is a great place to work and live. Not only do the people who live in this great mountain community believe it, but others are taking notice as well.
2010
- Ranked 6th among all US cities as a place to do business, Forbes.com, July 2010
- Boasts four (4) of Top 50 Most Popular Active Adult Communities for 2010 TopRetirements.com, July 2010
- Voted #1 of Top 25 Small-Cities American Style, May 2010
- Ranked #21 of Forbes 200 Best Places for Business and Careers Forbes, April 2010
- Included as one of 10 Best Places for Second Homes Barron's, March 2010
- Named as one of five Best Small Towns to live in for Retirement ehow, March 2010
- Listed as #1 of 100 Best Places to Retire TopRetirements.com, February 2010
- Listed as top retirement destination of The top 10 places to retire MarketWatch, February 2010
2009
- Black Mountain named as one of the Best Places to Live Now! National Geographic Adventure Magazine, October 2009
- Included as one of 10 Best Places to Retire US News & World Report, October 2009
- Included as a Favorite City for Business Trips USA Today Road Warriors, August 2009
- Ranked #8 of Top 10 Metro Areas for Quality of Life Business Facilities Magazine, July 2009
- Ranked #2 as One of the Nation's Top Arts Destinations AmericanStyle Magazine
- Ranked #6 Best Metro Places for Business & Careers Forbes.com, March 2009
- Included in 21 Best U.S. Towns for Baby Boomers' Active Retirement http://www.bestboomertowns.com
2008
- 11 of 20 Best Places to Retire Black Enterprise magazine, October 2008
- 7 of Top 10 Best Midsize Cities for Doing Business Inc.com, July 2008
- 46 of 200 Best Performing Large Cities, 2nd Biggest Single-Year Gainer Milken Institute, September 2008
- 2 of the Top 25 Small-City Art Destinations for 2008 AmericanStyle magazine, June 2008 issue
- 26 of 200 Large Metros Best Places for Business & Careers Forbes, March 2008
- 41 of 100 Best Places to Live and Launch CNN Money.com, March 2008
2007
- 5-Star Business Opportunity Metro Expansion Management, August 2007
- Best Southern Town Outside Magazine, August 2007 issue
- 7 of Top U.S. Cities to live in Frommer’s Cities Ranked & Rated 2nd Edition, May 2007
- 23 of 200 Large Metros Best Places for Business & Careers Forbes, April 2007
- 1 of the top 100 places to live in 2007 Relocate-America, April 2007
- 2 of Top 10 easy spring weekend getaways MSNBC, April 2007
- 3 of the Top 10 up-and-coming travel destinations VirtualTourist, Spring 2007
- 1 of 10 America's Best Eco-Neighborhoods Natural Home, January/February 2007