Columbia – In an awards luncheon at the Governor’s Conference on Tourism and Travel, Governor Henry McMaster recognized people and places who made significant contributions to tourism in South Carolina.
The industry’s highest award, the Governor’s Cup, was presented to Explore Charleston for leading the state’s efforts in establishing direct flights between London’s Heathrow Airport and Charleston International via British Airways. The airline began South Carolina’s first transatlantic passenger air service in April 2019 for the summer season and will resume service in March.
The years-long recruitment effort involved the South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism, the South Carolina Department of Commerce, Charleston County Economic Development and the Charleston County Aviation Authority. Explore Charleston also launched a significant marketing strategy, including a Facebook Live broadcast called Transatlantic Takeoff, an Instagram campaign called How to BA Local, and hosted the annual meeting of the British Guild of Travel Writers, which included trips around the state. Additionally, Conde Nast Traveler and British Airways’ digital and social platforms hosted a two-month vacation getaway contest, engaging 2.2 million followers.
To date, advance ticket sales are 40 percent higher than last year. The advertising value of international earned media about Charleston grew 78 percent from 2017 to 2019 while the promotion was ongoing ($9.3 million to $16.7 million.) The College of Charleston’s Office of Tourism Analysis estimated the total economic impact generated by the initial season of service was $9.7 million.
The Charles A. Bundy Award, presented to an off-the-beaten path destination for innovative promotion, was awarded to the Sumter Convention and Visitors Bureau for its Passport to Adventure. The passport encourages users to discover 22 attractions in the Sumter region and log their excursions on the website at TrackYourAdventure.com. The first 1,000 people to get the passport stamped at all 22 stops were awarded prizes.
The program was initially designed to run for a year and increase accommodations tax collections by 5 percent. Its popularity, however, grew and the program was adopted by nearby Shaw Air Force Base. In its third year, Sumter’s Passport to Adventure has boosted the county’s Accommodation Tax collections by 8.9 percent per year. Hotels that partner with the program are reporting a consistent 60 percent occupancy rate, with 100 percent customer retention rate. All 22 locations on the passport reported increases in visitation and sales. Sumter CVBs website (SumterTourism.com) experienced an increase of unique visitors of 176 percent since the program began.
The Passport to Adventure is now part of Shaw Air Force Base’s Right Start and Welcome Weasel programs and U.S. Army Command’s newcomer briefing program, and is offered twice per month for airmen, soldiers and their families.
South Carolina’s Hospitality Employee of the Year is Patricia Gardner, a Housekeeper Inspector for Caribbean Resort and Villas in Myrtle Beach. She has been an employee with the company for 47 years, and has established a reputation for high standards of hospitality and customer service. The director of housekeeping at the resort said Gardner exhibits one of the highest levels of performance in an inspector that she has ever seen at the resort. Guests often leave comments on customer survey cards expressing their appreciation specifically for her service. Gardner also is known for mentoring and motivating other employees, helping them improve their performance or get promotions.
The Governor’s Conference on Tourism & Travel is held every winter in South Carolina as an opportunity for industry leaders to network, collaborate and leverage opportunities to grow tourism. For more information, contact Dawn Dawson-House at ddawson@scprt.com or 803-734-1779 or 803-467-0202.
