Literature Distribution Guidelines
The mission of the South Carolina Welcome Centers is to increase visitor spending and encourage retirement-relocation in South Carolina through a front-line team dedicated to educating and serving guests; promoting traditional and non-traditional destinations; influencing future consumer travel plans; and closing the sale.
Prior approval of all literature is required before Welcome Center rack display or distribution. Due to limited space, preference will be given to state/federally funded brochures, Chambers of Commerce, SCATR, and Convention & Visitor Bureaus. Space limitations will require more than one brochure to be stocked in each available slot, and staff will rotate brochures weekly to ensure equal exposure. Brochure inventory will be evaluated on an annual basis. Should a Center determine a brochure does not meet its visitor/traffic needs, it may be recommended for distribution at select Centers only.
The approval of brochures for display in a South Carolina Welcome Center shall be at the sole discretion of the SCPRT and based on consideration of the following criteria:
Brochure Size: 4” in width and 9” in height on paper stock of 65-pound minimum weight is preferred to be displayed in the racks. A size of no more than 6” in width and 11” in height may be displayed in the racks on a by-Center basis as space/traffic needs warrant. Depending upon space availability, commercial literature larger than 6” x 11” may not be displayed in the racks.
Brochure Content
- The content of the brochure must enhance the mission of the South Carolina Welcome Center program as described above.
- At least 50% of the brochure content must promote South Carolina tourism, travel, and/or retirement.
- Admission is available to the general public without discrimination on the basis of race, creed, age, sex, or nationality according to South Carolina law.
- The content of the brochure is accurate and promotes actual physical locations of travel related attractions, businesses, accommodations, etc. (e.g., brochures for websites, travel agents, etc., are prohibited). South Carolina address and telephone number is included on the brochure as well as the date of print and/or expiration.
- Retirement publications must not promote a timeshare or membership establishment which does not rent to the traveling public and/or which offers a discount/gift in exchange for a sales presentation.
- Real estate publications must contain at least 80% vacation rental information and must not promote a timeshare or membership establishment which does not rent to the traveling public and/or which offers a discount/gift in exchange for a sales presentation.
- General real estate sales guides or timeshare and/or membership sales material requiring a sales presentation tour shall not be accepted.
Brochure Approval for Welcome Center Distribution
Due to limited storage and rack space, literature must meet the criteria as described above.
Mail or e-mail a copy of your finished brochure to the
Welcome Center responsible for your county of business (a Center address list noting counties of responsibility is attached) with a
written request and
estimated quantity available for distribution. If your brochure covers miltiple South Carolina locations, please send to: SCPRT c/o Visitor Services, 1205 Pendleton St., Suite 110, Columbia, SC 29201.
Faxes will not be accepted. Please allow adequate time (two weeks approximately) for your request to be received, reviewed and processed.
The requester will be responsible for shipping the brochures to the Centers
via UPS or other delivery service. Please note:
- Boxes must not exceed thirty pounds (30 lbs.) each and must be labeled for “Inside Delivery.”
- Brochures mailed to a post office box will not be accepted and will be returned to sender.
- Due to limited storage space, no more than one (1) case of a single brochure may be sent to any one Center without prior consent from said Center Manager.
- On the outside of each box, quantity and contents needs to be identified and brochures should be bundled in quantities of 50-100.
- When a Welcome Center’s brochure supply is running low, the Center will re-order.
- Brochures expired, outdated, or unapproved for distribution will be held 14 days for pick-up. If not picked-up within this 14-day period, the brochures will then be discarded.
Brochures revised or reprinted must meet the current Distribution Guidelines for distribution. Newly printed or revised brochures not meeting the Guidelines will not be displayed in the racks and should be picked-up within 2 weeks, or they will be discarded.
Brochure Development
During the conceptual stages of brochure development, we suggest working with the manager of the nearest Welcome Center covering your county of business. Industry partners are encouraged to leverage their marketing efforts and play off the State's established message by incorporating the South Carolina logo into their collateral, reinforcing our state's brand image. For logo slicks of the South Carolina “Smiling Faces. Beautiful Places.” slogan, please contact the Welcome Center manager responsible for the county your business is located within. The Center manager can also assist with brochure design to ensure approval.
Failure to comply with any portion of this policy can result in refused shipments or prohibited distribution.
Amendment to:
South Carolina Welcome Center Literature Distribution Guidelines
Consistent with the Department of South Carolina Parks, Recreation & Tourism’s mission toward improving the well-being of South Carolina citizens, the South Carolina Welcome Center Program will begin, upon this date, allowing distribution of teacher recruitment brochures through our welcome centers.
Date: April 12, 2007
For information on Welcome Center coupon distribition, click here.
Disclaimer: The language contained in this communication or any attachment thereto does not create an expressed or implied contract between the receiver and the South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism (SCPRT). Promises or assurances whether written or oral which are contrary to or inconsistent with the terms of an existing contract between the receiver and SCPRT do not amend the terms of any existing contract or create a new contract.
Revised 2/20/2008