Augusta Georgia: Metro:Tourism must overcome challenges for continued success 02/08/03

Tourism must overcome challenges for continued success

Web posted Friday, February 7, 2003

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By Pamela Hamilton
Associated Press

GREENVILLE, S.C. -- South Carolina's travel and tourism industry must overcome challenges in the upcoming year to keep growing, officials from the state Parks, Recreation and Tourism Department said Friday.

The department has lost $2 million in the past year from its $34 million budget, said Ben Duncan, budget director for Gov. Mark Sanford.

"The current budget crisis will present a significant challenge for PRT," said Duncan, who also serves as PRT's administration director.

The department will have to focus its energy and limited resources on projects that present the biggest returns, he said.

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One focus will be a cooperative media campaign between the department and tourism interests in the state to attract visitors to the state, said PRT Director of Tourism Moke McGowan. The department help museums or convention bureaus in the state put advertisements in popular magazines that they otherwise might not be able to afford.

A similar campaign launched last spring and funded by $2 million in recovery funds allotted by the state Budget and Control Board brought new visitors and about $71 million into the state, McGowan said.

PRT also will be battling national travel trends, McGowan said. Hotel occupancy is down 1.2 percent nationwide and fewer people are traveling by air, he said. Fewer people are playing golf and business travel is not expected to increase until 2004, McGowan said.

"That's a pretty dark picture," he said.

But there are a few bright spots, said Isabel Hill, PRT's director of business and community development. South Carolina is above the Southeastern average in hotel occupancy and money made from hotels. Occupancy is up slightly at 0.6 percent and revenue is up 1.7 percent, Hill said.

Tourism is the state's number one employer and brings in more new money to South Carolina than any other industry, she said. Despite a bleak national picture, South Carolina's travel and tourism industry has much to be thankful for and should continue to grow, she said.

"We believe, in the future, tourism's role in the economy will be even greater," Hill said.

--From the Saturday, February 8, 2003 online edition of the Augusta Chronicle