GREENVILLE - If not for his persevering motto, state tourism Director Moke McGowan could be antsy right now.

He warned industry leaders last week at the Governor's Conference on Tourism and Travel about the challenges the state's top industry faces in 2003: war jitters, the lagging economy and state budget cuts that affect tourism marketing.

But after 30 years in the hospitality and marketing business, McGowan has adopted a principle from the title of "Better Times Than These," one of his favorite books: Whatever hardships you face, there's something better waiting, he said after the two-day conference in Greenville.

"That's become my mantra over the years," said McGowan, now in his sixth year at the S.C. Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism, the main promoter of the state's $14.4 billion tourism industry.

He's weathered earthquakes, squabbles over government budget dollars for marketing and down economies. And the community has always bounced back, just like S.C. tourism will after a $200 million dip in 2002, he said.

"These are interesting times in which we live," McGowan said.

A Hawaii native, McGowan worked in Nevada, California and Oregon before coming to South Carolina in his first move to the East Coast. He approached his first PRT interview casually, not thinking the leadership was taking a West Coaster seriously.

"I had never set foot in South Carolina, and I had never worked for a state agency," McGowan said. "But I was very intrigued by the idea of having an outsider come in."

His unusual first name reflects his Hawaiian heritage and is pronounced "moe-kee."

An avid reader, McGowan turns the pages in a book nightlyto unwind from the day. He also plays golf.

The Sun News | What does the advertising campaign for this spring look like?

McGowan | It will start breaking out pretty soon, in March. It will continue some of the strategies from last year, a concentration of the four-page inserts with very little television. There will be more in Internet advertising, which will be very, very successful.

... Overall, it's modest compared to the campaign last year.

The Sun News | How much less are you spending?

McGowan | It was about $3.4 million last year, thanks to the special $2 million given to us after the terrorist attacks. This year it's about $2.8 million.

The Sun News | Speaking of the budget, what kind of fight will you have this year amid the tight state budget to get the marketing dollars you want?

McGowan | I think it is going to be difficult. We certainly have new leadership in Gov. Mark Sanford and PRT director-designate Chad Prosser, who [both] fully understand the industry. I would hope they would provide necessary support.

So much [of the marketing for the next fiscal year, which starts July 1,] is going to be dependent on the budget.

The legislature is very receptive and understands the importance of tourism. They are just faced with some very difficult choices. I don't know how it will manifest itself.

The Sun News | The industry faces several challenges this year. How do you think tourism will perform?

McGowan | I think we are well-situated. But there are two caveats. War is the biggest caveat, but we have a strong reputation as a place that is easy to get to and that people can trust. People need to travel, and, in times of uncertainty, they tend to go toward brands they know, trust and value. We've built our brand up very strongly.

The other issue is the national economy. But if we end up down, it won't be as down as the national scene, and we will be one of the first to recover. I'm optimistic because of who we are, where we are.