Columbia Tourism

[CorgiMatt]

Hotels.com has Columbia on its list of the top ten most underrated cities for visiting.

http://www.hotels.com/top10/underrated-cities?al=Deals-MM-B1

[waccamatt]

Hotels.com has Columbia on its list of the top ten most underrated cities for visiting.

http://www.hotels.com/top10/underrated-cities?al=Deals-MM-B1

That's a nice reference to have. I have noticed that roomrates downtown are through the roof, which must mean we have high occupancy rates downtown. With 3 new hotels opening downtown this year, that must be true. Hopefully the increased competition will bring room rates down somewhat.

[krazeeboi]

How the heck did Asheville and Virginia Beach make this list? They thrive on tourism.

[CorgiMatt]

I guess they're saying that if they weren't underrated they'd have even more tourists. Attached is more evidence of a stepped up tourism effort for the Columbia area.

http://www.lakemurraycountry.com/

[sonofaque86]

I don't see how Asheville made that list

[Spartan]

It says underrated, not undervisited I think that the only one that doesn't deserve to be on that list is Houston, because I've never heard anyone say anything good about that place.

[krazeeboi]

I suppose 6 million+ people would beg to differ concerning Houston. What I most often hear is that once the city grows on you, you see it for what it really offers (which is a lot).

And wouldn't there be a correlation between being underrated and undervisited? A place is usually considered underrated because it isn't really known as a place to visit (i.e., undervisited). Otherwise, we can go ahead and throw Charleston, Myrtle Beach, and Hilton Head into the mix too.

[sonofaque86]

^^^^Exactly....I expect Asheville to be on par with Charleston, Myrtle Beach, etc....I doubt there is going to be as much visiting as Orlando, FL. That's what I was thinking of..

[CorgiMatt]

This Charleston Post and Courier newspaper article about our national treasure the Congaree River indicates that it may be well on its way to becoming a big tourist draw for Columbia.

http://www.postandcourier.com/news/2008/ju...ail43993/?print

[CorgiMatt]

This is big for Columbia. More about the Congaree River's National Blue Trails designation.

http://www.americanrivers.org/site/News2?J...ws_iv_ctrl=1282

[krazeeboi]

I've long said that Columbia is missing a big opportunity by not capitalizing on ecotourism and recreation-based tourism. Hopefully news like this will encourage some type of concerted effort in that regard.

[Spartan]

Well, I suppose somebody must like Houston, given its population. I guess it IS underrated since nobody knows much about it and its one of the largest cities in the nation.

^^^^Exactly....I expect Asheville to be on par with Charleston, Myrtle Beach, etc....I doubt there is going to be as much visiting as Orlando, FL. That's what I was thinking of..

I would not put Asheville in the same league as Charleston or Myrtle Beach. I think it has a much stronger regional draw and perception than it does nationally. Thats not to say it doesn't draw nationally, just that you get more regional tourists there. IMO you get a lot of snow birds and half backs up there. I know that Florida is a major draw for Western NC's tourism.

[BrasilnSC]

I completely agree that ecotourism can really put us on the map. As someone who has been down the Saluda-Congaree River several times, it is hidden gem.

With the Lake Murray Dam controlling the flow of water downstream, the river can go from calm and filled with rocks to a whitewater haven. About a month ago I went to the river to lay on the rocks and relax, but to my surprise, there were no rocks. I had never seen the river so high before. There were hundreds of kayakers and whitewater rafts paddling through huge rapids. I couldn't believe that this was happening right in our backyard, it was quite a site.

Edited June 10, 2008 by BrasilnSC

[krazeeboi]

Here's an article from The State about how the CVB needs additional funding for marketing purposes in order to fill up all the new hotel rooms being built throughout the city. CVB funding is expected to drop about $300,000, bringing the budget to $1.4 million. More than half of the funding--$1 million--comes from the city, which has cut its tourism funding, from a 2006 high of $1.23 million, to pay for other needs. Much of that city money instead went to pay off controversial gifts of $1 million each to Allen University (to renovate Chappelle Auditorium) and Columbia College (to build softball fields and parking lots) over two years, beginning in 2007--two things which probably won't do squat for tourism over the long run.

[CorgiMatt]

The Radisson Hotel on Bush River Road has taken top honors. This designation will go very well with the Hilton's recent performance recognition. Columbia is doing hospitality right.

http://www.columbiabusinessreport.com/news...eives-top-honor

[CorgiMatt]

A 30-second television ad is running in western North Carolina, including Asheville and Charlotte, about Columbia as a great city to visit. And there will be billboards that people on their way toward Columbia will see showing a website for their smart phones.

http://www.columbiabusinessreport.com/news...marketing?rss=0

[waccamatt]

A 30-second television ad is running in western North Carolina, including Asheville and Charlotte, about Columbia as a great city to visit. And there will be billboards that people on their way toward Columbia will see showing a website for their smart phones.

http://www.columbiabusinessreport.com/news...marketing?rss=0

The "Stay in Columbia" website linked in the article leaves a lot to be desired. I sure hope they spruce it up somewhat.

[Spartan]

Wow that's a horrible site. I'll keep an eye out for these ads they are supposedly airing in Charlotte. I haven't seen any so far.

[scnative]

I was in Charlotte and Raleigh the past two weekends. Never heard any ads but did see the Billboards on I-95 and maybe I-20.

[Ronak]

The "Stay in Columbia" website linked in the article leaves a lot to be desired. I sure hope they spruce it up somewhat.

It's supposedly just for mobile devices, which would make the site passable. It could still use some work though (I'd recommend The State's mobile site for inspiration)

However, if anyone looks at the site from the computer, they're definitely not staying here.

Edited July 22, 2009 by Ronak

[BrasilnSC]

I saw one of the billboards on I-26 South near Chapin.

[krazeeboi]

There was an article in The State yesterday discussing the possible need for expansion of the convention center. The religious gathering that it used as an example is one that I'm very familiar with, as my home church is part of this denomination and I've attended every convention that it has held in Columbia ('92, '96, '03, '05, '07, '09). While it's now clear that Columbia can hold its own when it comes to attracting meetings, I do applaud regional leaders for erring on the side of caution in building the center at a conservative size and for building it with expansion in mind when the appropriate time comes (and I think that time is now).

[waverider]

There was an article in The State yesterday discussing the possible need for expansion of the convention center. The religious gathering that it used as an example is one that I'm very familiar with, as my home church is part of this denomination and I've attended every convention that it has held in Columbia ('92, '96, '03, '05, '07, '09). While it's now clear that Columbia can hold its own when it comes to attracting meetings, I do applaud regional leaders for erring on the side of caution in building the center at a conservative size and for building it with expansion in mind when the appropriate time comes (and I think that time is now).

I agree. My denomination's Region Annual Conference was held at the Convention Center last summer, and though we had about a tenth of the numbers that COOLJC had, we still used a good bit of their space. However, I've heard comments that people thoroughly enjoyed the downtown Columbia conference experience--a great convention center, nearby hotels, plenty of eating and shopping options within walking distance. I hope the expansion comes through, and that it doesn't get shut down for any of the reasons mentioned in the article.

[GvilleSC]

I didn't realize it was that small!

[CorgiMatt]

I agree. My denomination's Region Annual Conference was held at the Convention Center last summer, and though we had about a tenth of the numbers that COOLJC had, we still used a good bit of their space. However, I've heard comments that people thoroughly enjoyed the downtown Columbia conference experience--a great convention center, nearby hotels, plenty of eating and shopping options within walking distance. I hope the expansion comes through, and that it doesn't get shut down for any of the reasons mentioned in the article.

Nice to hear the positive feedback about our fine capital city.