The tourism and travel sector has grown by 65% in the past decade to contribute more than $29 billion annually to the state’s economy and boost population growth.
This and other topics were part of an industry update delivered Feb. 10 in Spartanburg at the 60th annual South Carolina Governor’s Conference on Travel and Tourism.
The travel and tourism sector in the state is going strong, according to Gov. Henry McMaster, who spoke to the more than 350 industry professionals gathered for the conference on its opening day.
The governor said much of the sector is driven by the state’s abundant natural beauty, and the industry is a bulwark of South Carolina’s economy.
Describing how significant that role is, Duane Parrish, director of the state Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism, said the industry supports 10% of the state’s jobs and generates nearly $2 billion annually in state and local taxes.
Beyond the economic impact, Parrish talked about how the industry is changing and how technology, while important, might help get the word out about travel opportunities but will never replace the personal touch.
“I don’t believe high tech will ever replace high touch,” he said.
Using mobile technology to make travel plans or learn about a destination offers powerful tools to travelers but ultimately serves a core purpose: helping those who travel to the Palmetto State achieve memorable experiences.
Using himself as an example, Parrish described the growing trend of “skip-gen” travel where grandparents and grandchildren share the experience of travel.
He talked about taking his grandchildren to Columbia’s Sesquicentennial State Park and Charleston’s Charles Towne Landing State Historic Site and the memories those visits created.
Parrish said that with four adult generations of traveling age at this point in history, the travel and tourism sector must be mindful of each of those generation’s values, priorities and ways of gathering information in meeting their travel needs.
“Quite frankly, our privilege is to reveal … all the wonderful memory-making possibilities that we have to offer right here in South Carolina,” he said.
