News & Events
SC Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism requests Community Input for State Tourism Development Marketing Plan
The SC Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism is asking for statewide support and participation from each of the 46 counties to assist in the development of its new Tourism Development Marketing Plan. Greenwood and Laurens will be participating in the public forum and site visit portion of the process January 27, 2009 at the Lake Greenwood State Recreation area conference facility, the Drummond Center.
In November 2005, New Carolina's Tourism Cluster Committee commissioned a study by international consultant Michael MacNulty of Tourism Development International (TDI) in Ireland to complete a statewide Tourism Action Plan. Included in the completed plan was a call for planning at the regional level.
In 2007, the Legislature passed an appropriation for product development. A part of that money now is being used to develop detailed, long-range plans for each of the eight Tourism Product Development Areas.
The Scenic Savannah River Region Product Development Area (SSRRPDA) is one of those eight designated regions. TDI team members will work with area stakeholders and SCPRT to develop a Tourism Development Concept Plan for the region. The counties in the SSRRPDA are Allendale, Bamberg, Barnwell, Aiken, Edgefield, McCormick, Abbeville, Greenwood and Laurens.
The process for developing the individual regional plan will take three steps:
- Hosted trips around the SSRRPDA, the Scenic Savannah River Region Product Development Area.
- Community Forum meetings for input on tourism opportunities and challenges.
- Tourism Development International's completed report presented to SCPRT and the stakeholders.
