The three-day expo opening Friday and featuring everything from wildlife art to fishing demonstrations is the traditional beginning of the spring tourist season in Charleston.
"We're really hoping this will be an upturn year for us," said Ashley Slane, marketing director for the expo which is now in its 23rd year. "The economy seems to be picking up and we're expecting good weather."
Generally, about 43,000 people attend the expo held at sites throughout the city's historic district. In good years, as many as 47,000 have attended although, in recent years, the figure has been closer to 40,000, she said.
The travel industry always looks closely at the expo as a gauge of the upcoming season, said Helen Hill, executive director of the Charleston Area Convention and Visitors Bureau.
"It's always been the official kickoff of the season. After 9-11 we had a dip and we're hopeful that will come back," she said.
As the expo opens, the $14.5 billion tourism industry, South Carolina's largest, has been in the doldrums.
The industry employed about 174,800 at the end of last year, down 2 percent from the previous year, according to government figures. While room occupancy in Charleston increased almost 4 percent last year, those numbers were flat for Myrtle Beach and Hilton Head Island.
Accommodations taxes were off for the last six months of 2003, although, in the Charleston area, they were up for the last quarter compared with the previous year.
The expo is always held in conjunction with President's Day weekend and this year, Valentine's Day comes in the middle of the expo.
"People really do come to town to make it a weekend. Between expo functions people are shopping and they are staying in town and they enjoy themselves," Slane said.
A study two years ago by the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce found the expo pumps about $64 million into the local economy, about $26 million of that is direct spending by out-of-town visitors.
Some who come to the expo come to see the demonstrations and just look at the artwork. But many come to buy.
"We have originals from a couple of hundred dollars to $75,000 to $100,000," Slane said. But, she added, there is other artwork, too. "And we have a whole separate exhibit site for reproductions."
Hill said the travel industry watches carefully if expo visitors are buying art.
"It's really helpful in terms of did they come and did they spend money while they were here," she said, adding the additional spending helps the industry gauge whether people have disposable income they are willing to part with.
One of the expo highlights this year is an appearance by naturalist Jack Hanna and his animals. Hanna has appeared by various television shows including "The Late Show with David Letterman" and "Good Morning America."
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On the Net:
Southeastern Wildlife Exposition: www.sewe.com