SOUTH CAROLINA LOOKS AT INDIA FOR TOURISM GROWTH
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South Carolina, 40th most extensive and the 24th most populous of the 50 United States, has taken an initiative to promote itself as a tourists destination in India. A business delegation, led by Nikki Haley, Governor of South Carolina, is in India on a 10-day visit from November 11 to strengthen business and tourism relation. November 11. She and her delegation are visiting New Delhi, Hyderabad, Amritsar, Mumbai and Chennai.
According top priority to tourism, Haley, along with her tourism team, interacted with travel media in New Delhi to showcase South Carolina’s tourism offerings to Indian market. “South Carolina is ‘number two’ vacation spot in the world. This is here where magic happens. I want my Indian community to come and have an experience of a lifetime in South Carolina. The vibrant culture, rich heritage and breathtaking natural beauty make our state ‘just right’. Whether you want to have board meeting or vacation South Carolina is the place,” the Governor said asking Indians not to miss out the place. She also informed that South Carolina is the number 2 vacation spot in the world.
Tourism is generating nearly $18 billion a year in economic impact and representing more than 10 percent of the South Carolina’s total employment. South Carolina has more than 360 courses, which generate more than $2.2 billion in economic impact a year.
During the media interaction, Duane Parrish, Director, South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism, highlighted the tourism potential of South Carolina and discussed about his plan for the Indian market. Highlighting the tourism products of South Carolina, he informed that there are about 300 oceanfront beaches, 360 golf courses, 24,000-sq km of fresh water lakes and rivers in the state.
Talking about India market, Parrish said South Carolina welcomes 25-30,000 Indian visitors annually. “We want to increase this number by creating awareness about our tourism products in India market. We want to use social media and outdoor advertisement as tools to create awareness. We are also looking to organise a fam trip for Indian travel consultants in the next 12 months," Parrish said and added that the tourism department will invest in promotional activities in India. He informed that South Carolina gets mix of business and leisure traffic from India. “We are keen to increase the share of leisure travellers from India,” he added.
South Carolina is also banking on the origin of the Governor to draw more Indians. Haley is the first Indian-American woman to become Governor of a state in the US. Her father's family migrated to US in early 1960s.