Working together, Midlands can grow tourism

I am proud to call the Columbia area home. We have award-winning attractions. We have chefs and restaurants drawing national attention. Art enthusiasts are flocking to the area to shop our galleries. Outdoor recreation abounds.

I’m fortunate to be in the business of promoting and sharing these assets with visitors every day. But none of our work happens in a vacuum. We work with businesses and residents to show off this region, partnering to welcome visitors and bring meetings and sporting events to town.

Last month, we hosted the US Quidditch Cup 9 at Saluda Shoals Park. Our Sports Council team, along with the Irmo Chapin Recreation Commission, worked for three years to bring the event to town. When we began conversations with US Quidditch, the fields at Saluda Shoals had not yet been built. The council and the commission worked hard to put forth a compelling bid and a successful site visit. The tournament was a huge win for our region, creating an estimated economic impact of $850,000 over two days, as 60 teams competed with an attendance of more than 5,000 each day.

In March, the Geological Society of America’s Southeast Conference met in Columbia. Like Quidditch, this event was the result of collaboration. Our sales teams spent close to four years working with local chapter contacts, including USC professor Venkat Lakshmi. The result: an estimated economic impact of $155,000 as more than 600 attendees from across the Southeast and beyond spent time and money here.

Tourism, whether leisure or event-based, is the result of purposeful, dedicated work. The most successful destinations are the ones that generate tourism in collaboration with community partners and residents. We all have a hand in creating and supporting this community. We all belong to boards, associations, societies or hobby groups. And we all have the opportunity to bring new dollars into the market by hosting our meetings and events here.

If you’re interested in championing Columbia through tourism, let us know. We’re ready to help you welcome your group to town.

This story was originally published May 15, 2016 at 5:23 PM with the headline "Working together, Midlands can grow tourism."