Visit York County Launching Private Sector Destination Development Partner Program
Investors will drive economic impact through tourism and destination enhancement
Visit York County, the Destination Marketing Organization (DMO) for York County, South Carolina is pleased to announce that we will be forming a Partners in Tourism Foundation. This will be a 501(c)3 organization that will facilitate destination development projects to support local employers, attract and retain workforce, draw visitors to the area, enhance the quality of life for residents, and encourage the recovery of the local tourism and hospitality sector.
The Carolina Panthers, Duke Energy, and Morton & Gettys are among the organizations represented as founding investors of the new cohort.
“Our partnership with Visit York County will create exciting new developmental opportunities that will allow us to expand our long-term commitment to invest in the region,” said Mark Hart, Chief Operating Officer for the Carolina Panthers. “We are proud to be a cornerstone investor of this important initiative that fulfills a need for this market. With the right partners in the room, the sky is the limit for our Rock Hill development and for this community.”
Visit York County’s Partners in Tourism foundation aims to complement and support the efforts of community partners collectively working towards a common vision.
“The amenities that define a community and attract visitors to an area are also the same factors that will attract and retain a healthy workforce pipeline and create a place where people want to not just visit, but work, live and do business,” said Billy Dunlap, President and CEO of Visit York County.
In 2019, domestic tourism spending in York County reached $272M, an increase of nearly 5 percent from the previous year and contributed to $6.3M in local tax revenue. By engaging the private sector in destination development, Visit York County aims to maximize public dollars it receives through local accommodations and hospitality tax.
The public-private organizational structure is a progressive model for tourism and destination development in the Southeast that encourages the greatest opportunity for strategic economic growth. That’s why Visit York County expanded in late 2020 to include Mallory Snyder, who is dedicated to engaging the corporate community and forwarding the organization’s destination development initiatives.
In the coming months, Visit York County’s Partners in Tourism are exploring experiential tourism assets including sustainability infrastructure and outdoor initiatives, among other priorities. The group will convene for a curated, partially virtual event at the Pump House on April 1. To learn more about this program, visit www.visityorkcounty.com/partners