Experts foresee bright summer for tourism in South Carolina
COLUMBIA, S.C. (WRDW/WAGT) - Tourism experts in South Carolina are expecting a record summer this year.
That’s good news for the Palmetto State – where tourism contributes an estimated $29 billion to the economy each year.
“Consumer spending remains strong as the labor market remains strong, unemployment is low in South Carolina and across the U.S., and we also continue to see strong wage growth in 2024,” said Joey Von Nessen, University of South Carolina research economist.
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Von Nessen says South Carolina is likely to see more growth in tourism – as it has in the past few years.
But he adds that growth might taper a bit this summer – with the tourism industry fully recovered from the pandemic.
Duane Parrish, the director of South Carolina’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism, says 2022 and 2023 were record years for tourism in the state.
And he expects more of that this year.
“Gas prices have remained stable. Inflation seems to have cooled a bit. People have just enjoyed the outdoor recreation more since COVID than ever, and that continues today. We have a lot of that in South Carolina, and I anticipate a great summer, quite frankly,” Parrish said.
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One area of focus to bring visitors here to South Carolina is sports tourism – with Parrish pointing to Darlington and the new PGA tour stop in Myrtle Beach as just a few examples.
He says this makes up about 10% of the entire industry – with more growth expected in the coming years.
Von Nessen says one reason South Carolina is such a tourist hotspot – is because of its drivability from so many locations – particularly with the number of people who have been moving to this part of the country in recent years.
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