Our cities' CVB websites

[krazeeboi]

I got the idea for this from the NC forum.

I just want us to discuss and comment on the CVB websites of our largest cities/tourist hotspots in general, not to get into a mud-slinging competition about which is the best.

Charleston: http://www.charlestoncvb.com/

Columbia: http://www.columbiacvb.com/

Greenville: http://www.greatergreenville.com/visitors/cvb.asp

Spartanburg: http://www.visitspartanburg.com/

Myrtle Beach: http://www.mbchamber.com/

Rock Hill/York County: http://www.visityorkcounty.com/

Anderson: http://www.visitanderson.com/

Sumter: http://www.sumtersc.gov/VisitingUs/Tourism.aspx

Florence: http://www.florencesccvb.com/

Hilton Head Island/Beaufort/Bluffton: http://www.treasuredcoast.com/

Two "honorable mentions" here would be Georgetown County and Santee. I was pleasantly surprised by Georgetown's website.

[goodbye]

FYI: A completely new Greenville CVB website will be unveiled near the beginning of September, so the one you see today is about to become obsolete.

[krazeeboi]

That's great news. For a place that's experiencing such a surge in tourism, the present one doesn't really do the city justice. I expect to be impressed.

[kyley5]

Rock Hill has it's own as well as York County.

http://rockhillrocks.org/

[krazeeboi]

^I forgot about the Rock Hill Rocks site. Thanks for posting it.

[krazeeboi]

OK, here are my impressions. I hope others will chime in with theirs as well.

Charleston does a good job overall. The website captures you from the beginning with the shot on the homepage, and the rest of the shots really make you want to check the place out for yourself. The map wallpaper is an excellent touch. I think it does a good job of reflecting the city from a tourist standpoint. Providing coupons to attractions is a gracious touch.

Columbia's website has gone through a few revisions, and I must say that it has gotten better every time. The Congaree River graphic on the home page with the flowing water effect is nice. I like the colors and the template of the home page. However, I think the attractions are laid out too tediously, which is by alphabetical listing. The more prominent attractions should be put front and center with a graphic, then go on listing the less popular ones. Also, once you get past the homepage, things can get rather "busy" if you know what I mean. However, links to the MySpace, YouTube, and convention center pages are nice features.

I'll reserve commentary on Greenville's website until the new one is up and running. I'm more than certain someone will let us know when that occurs.

Spartanburg's is nice. I like the quotes at the top from different area leaders, and it's easy to navigate. The opening graphic is catchy, but I wish it were of Morgan Square instead. The graphics lining the right side of the page are nice, but they should be different depending on the webpage you click on; instead they are the same all throughout. The text is a bit mundane, as it uses the same font and no variation except for some names of attractions in all caps. The first word or two in the first paragraph on a page should be larger, in a different color, and in a different font to add some variation. Also, the color scheme is nice, but a little too gloomy for a CVB site. Some warmer colors should be thrown in for effect.

Myrtle Beach's was ok; I like the big opening photo on the homepage, and the color scheme does remind you of the coast. But it doesn't seem to reflect the city as the tourist mecca that it is. If I didn't know any better, I'd probably think Myrtle Beach were more akin to Georgetown from looking at the CVB site (and ironically, I think Georgetown's site is more fitting for Myrtle Beach; it gives you more of a "sun, sand, and blue skies" feeling).

Rock Hill/York County's does an adequate job. It's a lively site and is pretty user-friendly.

Anderson's pleasantly surprised me. I like the foothills graphic at the top, and the attractions are categorized and laid out nicely. I didn't know that there were as many museums in Anderson and surrounding areas, so I did learn something from browsing the site.

Florence's and Sumter's aren't really anything special. Florence's has too many colors going on on the homepage, and the flower icons need to go. The graphics need to be of a higher quality.

I was a bit disappointed with the "Treasured Coast" website of Hilton Head/Beaufort/Bluffton. It should be more on par with Charleston's, but with more of a leisure vibe. It really shortchanges that rich region.

[Spartan]

The picture on Spartanburg's rotates, but I haven't figured out the schedule. They should really come to UP and use some of our pictures. The picture that they have there is taken from the Square, but I'd rather see a view from the statue to the east.

I think that its tought to compare these sites because you have different objectives with each ones. Charleston's is obviously designed to accomodate the throngs of toursits and other information seekers that come there each year. The others are more of an overview of what is there.

I think the key factor should be navigablility because when you look at these websites you are usually looking for specific info. It needs to be easy to find. Greenville, Spartanburg, Columbia, and Charleston do the best job of making info easy to find. Thats not to say that the others are bad, just that these stand out IMO. Anderson does a good job too.

[goodbye]

I believe one of the best websites is actually that of a favorite small Upstate town near the SC/NC border. Check it out. I understand that it is not their CVB site, but considering the town's tiny size, they appear to have invested in one site to convey their image. If you've never been to the town, I'm sure this site will spark your interest.

[krazeeboi]

Thanks for sharing that Skyliner. Like you said, it's not their CVB website, but it almost functions just like one. Landrum's downtown reminds me a little of York's. I will definitely have to check the place out sometime. The pictures were great.

[Spartan]

Landrum is a neat little town. They have some good restaurants up there too. They really embrace the essence of small town life in South Carolina.

[goodbye]

If you plan a visit to Landrum, you'll definitely want to add Tryon, NC, to the day's list of places to check out. Tryon is an adorable small town that neighbors Landrum to the north. It is a well known area for retirement and outdoor recreation, especially equestrian living. Tryon is actually in the mountains, while Landrum is at their base.

[krazeeboi]

Thanks for the suggestion.

[Spartan]

Saluda too. Landrum, Tryon, and Saluda are known as the "String of Pearls" among locals.