Marion Hamel
Twelve years ago, Marion Hamel saw a need. As a volunteer with the Maggie Valley Chamber of Commerce, she sometimes heard complaints about area lodgings from tourists. “We came up with the idea of an association that could set quality standards,” she says of herself and co-founder Wade Reece, who has since passed away. Input was sought from local hotel and motel owners.
What began as the Haywood County Hotel and Motel Association has evolved into Maggie Valley Hospitality Plus, a name that reflects the addition of restaurants, retail and other businesses. “We’re a tourism-related business,” Hamel, executive director of the nonprofit, says. “Any business can join.”
Advertising its members and promoting the many benefits of the area keep Hamel busy. These days her focus is on showing millennials what the area has to offer—scenery, trout, hiking, biking and proximity to other destinations like Cherokee and Asheville.
“We’re hoping that Maggie Valley can become the hub that we want it to be.”
For more information, visit maggievalleyhospitalityplus.com.
