Spartanburg emerging as Upstate tourism powerhouse: CVB key performance indicators set records
March 6, 2017
The story of Spartanburg reached new heights and audiences in 2016 as the county broke records for hotel occupancy, room demand, web traffic and tax revenue.
“Spartanburg is top-10 destination for tourists visiting South Carolina,” said Chris Jennings, Executive Vice President of the Spartanburg Convention & Visitors Bureau. “We have become a leading sports destination and fun place to visit, and the numbers continue to back that up.” Jennings noted Spartanburg County ranked seventh in the state of South Carolina for economic impact, with travelers spending more than $390.15 million in the most recent research report by the SC Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism.
A major reason for the growth in tourism is the new developme
nt and investment throughout Spartanburg County, and people have more reasons than ever to visit and stay overnight. Jennings pointed to new downtown Spartanburg restaurants, retail and nightlife spots; walkable downtowns such as Landrum, Cowpens and Woodruff; a dynamic arts scene; plentiful outdoor recreation opportunities, and a focus on authentic, local and made-in-Spartanburg products.
Some highlights of the latest tourism study:
• Average occupancy increased again this year (+5 points) to 74 percent. For the first time ever, Spartanburg’s hotel occupancy rate out-paced Greenville’s, and four other comparative counties (York, Georgetown, Beaufort and Florence).
• Total room demand experienced a notable increase of 7.6 percent, to more than 898,000 in 2016.
• Spartanburg’s 2016 Average Room Rate was $83.65. That is up 7.5 percent from 2015 ($77.74).
• Total room revenue increased 16-percent to a record of more than $75.4 million in 2016.
• VisitSpartanburg.com unique website visits increased 48 percent, which is on top of the 54 percent increase reported in 2015.
• Spartanburg County Hospitality Tax revenue increased another 3 percent in 2016. The City of Spartanburg Hospitality Tax revenue increased 6 percent this year– Both were records.
Allen Smith, President and CEO of the Spartanburg Area Chamber of Commerce, said these numbers continue to show the strength of the Spartanburg community as a growing destination. The tourism growth helps make Spartanburg’s economy stronger.
“We are proud of the economic diversity that tourism is bringing to Spartanburg,” Smith said. “It sounds cliché, but we really can say the best is yet to come.”
– Sources: H2R Market Research; Spartanburg Balanced Corporate Scoreboard; Smith Travel research
About the Spartanburg Convention and Visitors Bureau
The Spartanburg Convention and Visitors Bureau celebrates this amazing destination located in the foothills of the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains. Spartanburg offers thriving downtown nightlife, history, arts, scenic hiking, paddling destinations and more. Originally called the Hub City for its railroad crossroads, Spartanburg is conveniently located at the junction of Interstates 26 and 85 making it a popular destination throughout the Southeast. Learn more at www.visitspartanburg.com or go on social media and use #visitspartanburg and #onespartanburg to share the story.
