State budget cuts and a reorganization have thinned the ranks considerably of the agency that promotes tourism, the state's top industry.

Thirty-four of the 140 employees at the Columbia headquarters of the South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism have lost their jobs since PRT director-designate Chad Prosser took over in January. Since July 1, PRT has trimmed 123 positions from its 500-member staff. At least some of those were temporary employees but many were not.

"We're a much leaner and flatter organization," said Marion Edmonds, a spokesman for the agency.

The latest casualties included tourism director Moke McGowan and 12 other officials.

The reason behind the employment losses: severe budget cuts and a restructuring at the top of the organization.

Budget reductions have taken about $3 million from PRT, with an additional 9.2 percent cut planned for the 2003-04 fiscal year. About $34 million of PRT's $56 million budget comes from the General Assembly, with the rest made up from parks and other fees.

In the reorganization that Prosser put into place, the agency's two deputy director positions were eliminated, as well as the four division director posts.

Amy Duffy, who was one of the two deputy directors, has been named chief of staff. She has been with the agency for 15 years.

Ron Carter, who was the other deputy director, is retiring at the end of the month.

McGowan, who is mulling a job offer from Florida's tourism industry, will leave April 16.

The other division directors have been reassigned. Ben Duncan has joined Gov. Mark Sanford's staff; Isabel Hill will work in the research and policy area; and Charles Harrison will work as an assistant to Prosser. Only McGowan lost his job.

Edmonds, who said he was unsure how much the cuts would save the agency, said PRT now has to take a deep look at how it operates.

"It's a time of transitions," he said. "We're going to have to look at how we do things, why we do things and what the most important things are and how can we do them better."

Helen Hill, executive director of the Charleston Area Convention & Visitors Bureau, predicted the changes won't hurt tourism, which is responsible for $14.2 billion annually.

"Promoting Amy Duffy will be good for the tourism industry," she said. South Carolina is not the only state facing budget woes and, as a result, cutting its tourism promotion efforts.

California's tourism industry officials are battling budget cuts that would eliminate the Division of Tourism.

The move, proposed by Gov. Gray Davis as he pares a $34 billion deficit, would effectively cut tourism marketing funds in half, and almost certainly knock California from its perch as the most-visited state in the nation.