Agenda

Sponsored by:

*Please note that more descriptions and information will be added to this agenda as it becomes available.*

Monday, February 10, 2025

9:00 am - 5:30 pm | Registration

10:00 am - 12:00 pm | Ancillary Meeting
South Carolina Travel & Tourism Coalition Meeting
Location: Daniel Morgan

11:00 am - 1:00 pm | Ancillary Meeting
South Carolina Sports Alliance Winter Meeting
Location: Milliken Board Room, One Spartanburg Offices

2:00 - 3:00 pm | Welcome and SCPRT Update
Duane Parrish, Director of SCPRT
Location: Ballroom
Sponsored by: 9Rooftops

3:00 - 3:30 pm | Afternoon Break
Location: Pre-function Area
Sponsored by: Atmosphere

3:30 - 4:30 pm | DISCOVER Breakout Sessions

Breakout Session 1 | Parks, Recreation, and Sports Tourism
John David, President & CEO of Sports Events & Tourism Association
Location: Wadsworth

Discover the dynamic synergy between parks, recreation, and sports tourism with John David, President and CEO of the Sports Events & Tourism Association. Uncover how this dynamic fusion cultivates top-tier parks for communities, promotes health and wellness, and drives tourism events, yielding substantial economic impact.
Learning Outcomes:
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

Strategize: Devise strategies for integrating parks, recreation, and sports tourism to create impactful facilities and programming that benefit local communities and contribute to economic growth.
Implement: Apply best practices from real-world examples to implement inclusive event planning and facility upgrades that cater to diverse community needs.
Evaluate: Develop skills to assess the economic impact of sports tourism on local facilities and community well-being.
Inspire Collaboration: Foster collaboration between parks, recreation departments, and tourism agencies to maximize the potential of facilities and programming.

Breakout Session 2 | Film & Your Community: What Does it Mean?
Matt Storm & Dan Rogers, SC Film Commission
Location: Croft
Journey behind the scenes of the film industry in South Carolina as we hear about what it takes to make a movie and the impact it has on our state and local communities. Presented by the SC Film Commission.

Sponsored by: MiQ

Breakout Session 3 | Optimizing “Your” Influence on the Federal Level
Daniel Blumenstock, Director of Hotels at Fennell Holdings
Location: Daniel Morgan

What are a few current “hot topics” with an impact to the hospitality industry
How to advocate for something effectively
How to approach your representative
How does the American Hotel & Lodging Association, South Carolina Restaurant Lodging Association, and the National Restaurant Association coincide with local efforts

Breakout Session 4 | Entrepreneurship & Building a Tourist-Oriented Site
Panel discussion from Steve Lorch (Table Rock Tea Co), Paige Bowser (Breezy Quarters), and Pontheolla Abernathy (Clevedale Inn)
Location: Ballroom

In an era of economic uncertainty and fast changing terrain, three entrepreneurs in the tourism industry share their success stories and how they built a tourism-oriented site. With diverse backgrounds and businesses, this panel will discuss how they have found it helpful to interact with local tourism boards, regional tourism DMOs, chambers and other local merchant groups in their communities. They will also share insights into how and why they started their business, what keeps them going, and how they have managed to offer a unique product in an increasingly competitive market.

Sponsored by: TripAdvisor

6:00-8:00 pm | Host City Reception
Location: RJ Rockers (226-A W Main St, Spartanburg, SC 29306)

*Buses will be on a loop to and from the reception and hotel from 6:00pm-9:00pm from the conference circle ouside the Marriott ballroom.
*We also recommend walking to the venue. This is about a 12 minute walk.

Get ready to kick off the 2025 South Carolina Governor's Conference for Tourism & Travel in style! Spartanburg will play host to a spectacular opening reception, celebrating 60 years of parks, recreation & tourism excellence in the Palmetto State. This unforgettable evening will pay homage to the past with a vibrant nod to the 60s, featuring a lively tie-dye theme, nostalgic food favorites, and music that will have everyone dancing and reminiscing.

As you arrive, you’ll be greeted by a colorful atmosphere filled with fun and flair, inviting you to relax, mingle, and enjoy the good vibes. Indulge in classic treats that bring back memories of simpler times, all while enjoying the sounds of local musicians playing a mix of timeless tunes. This will be more than just an event—it’s a joyful celebration of South Carolina’s tourism history, with a look toward the exciting future that lies ahead.

Don’t miss this one-of-a-kind experience that promises to be full of fun, nostalgia, and anticipation for what’s to come at the conference. Come ready to celebrate, connect, and make memories that will last another 60 years!

Dress Code: This party will be primarily outdoors, so please dress accordingly.

Sponsor: One Spartanburg

Tuesday, February 11, 2025

8:30 am - 5:00 pm | Registration Open

9:00 - 9:30 am | Networking Breakfast
Location: Ballroom
Begin your day with a light breakfast and networking with colleagues. This is also a good time to stop by the sponsors’ booths to see how their services can help you meet your marketing needs.

9:30-10:45 am | General Session | Generation "Them" | Navigating a Multi-Generational Workforce
Kristin Scroggin, genWHY.com
Location: Ballroom
Embark on a journey with Generation “THEM,” a captivating exploration into the ‘WHY’ behind each American generation’s unique perspectives. Discover the key to fostering understanding, strengthening teamwork, and ensuring workplace cohesion. This presentation provides a solid grasp of generational norms. It emphasizes the critical need to attract and retain top young talent for long-term sustainability, all while offering a light-hearted look at the quirks that make us uniquely human.

Learning Objectives:

Attendees will learn to decode each generation’s names, norms and accepted age ranges currently shaping the American workplace.
Attendees will uncover 3-5 commonly held beliefs within each generation, unraveling the tapestry of their distinct worldviews.
Attendees will differentiate between the traditionalist perspectives and the evolving mindset of incoming generations.
Attendees will master the art of articulating feedback for employees across different generations, maximizing acceptance, and catalyzing positive change.
Attendees will discover effective communication mediums tailored to each generation, enhancing workplace productivity and collaboration.

Sponsored by: Spectrum Reach

10:45 – 11:15 am | Morning Break
Location: Pre-Function Area
Sponsored by: OurState

11:15 – 12:15 pm | DISCOVER Breakout Sessions

Breakout Session 1 | Parks, Recreation, and Sports Tourism
John David, President & CEO of Sports Events & Tourism Association
Location: Wadsworth
Discover the dynamic synergy between parks, recreation, and sports tourism with John David, President and CEO of the Sports Events & Tourism Association. Uncover how this dynamic fusion cultivates top-tier parks for communities, promotes health and wellness, and drives tourism events, yielding substantial economic impact.
Learning Outcomes:
By the end of this session, participants will be able to:

Strategize: Devise strategies for integrating parks, recreation, and sports tourism to create impactful facilities and programming that benefit local communities and contribute to economic growth.
Implement: Apply best practices from real-world examples to implement inclusive event planning and facility upgrades that cater to diverse community needs.
Evaluate: Develop skills to assess the economic impact of sports tourism on local facilities and community well-being.
Inspire Collaboration: Foster collaboration between parks, recreation departments, and tourism agencies to maximize the potential of facilities and programming.

Sponsored by: MiQ

Breakout Session 3 | Optimizing “Your” Influence on the Federal Level
Daniel Blumenstock, Director of Hotels at Fennell Holdings
Location: Daniel Morgan

What are a few current “hot topics” with an impact to the hospitality industry
How to advocate for something effectively
How to approach your representative
How does the American Hotel & Lodging Association, South Carolina Restaurant Lodging Association, and the National Restaurant Association coincide with local efforts

Sponsored by: TripAdvisor

12:25-1:45 pm | Lunch & Learn
Location: Ballroom
SCPRT's Justin Hancock and Becky Moore will be discussing all things grants. If you plan to apply for the 2025-2026 Tourism Advertising Grant, you are required to attend one mandatory workshop to be eligible to apply. This lunch and learn will count toward that requirement if you are in attendance. If you are an agency or a third party vendor who works on ads with South Carolina tourism partners, this lunch and learn would also be beneficial for you to attend. Even if you do not plan to apply for any SCPRT grants in 2025 or 2026, you may still join us to enjoy lunch!

2:00-5:00 pm | Tuesday Afternoon Explore and Discover
This year's Governor's Conference has several opportunities on Tuesday afternoon to explore the tourism appeal of the Spartanburg area and discover best practices in the field of Marketing. This year’s tours will feature two tours that will utilize a bus and two tours that will be walking tours which will leave from the hotel. Please keep physical needs in mind when booking your tours.

**All tours (walking and bus tours) will be gathering at the conference circle outside the Marriott ballroom to attend their tours. Bring your tour ticket that you receive at conference registration as it and your name on the tour list are both required in order to attend each tour.

Experience #1 | Pronk Studios Tour (bus tour)
Limit 50 attendees
Tour the upstate's premiere production space–and your one-stop destination for content creation needs. This 10,000 square foot, fully equipped studio is perfect for any marketing team who needs the tools to tackle video production, podcasting, social content, and more.

Experience #2 | BMW Performance Driving Experience *this tour is an additional $100* (bus tour)
Sample the many of the vehicles the Performance Center has to offer. Take the wheel of a BMW X vehicle as you follow an instructor through our challenging off-road course. Then, head to the track and rotate between various BMW vehicles, driving each through tight corners and fast straightaways*. It’s a ride you won’t soon forget.
*All driving participants must possess a valid driver’s license and be 18 years of age. Feel free to bring cameras, Go Pros, sunscreen and sunglasses! The event is held rain or shine.
Dress Code: Casual attire is recommended. Just no open toe or open heel shoes.

Experience #3 | Fifth Third Park Tour Home of the Hub City’s Spartanburger’s Minor League Baseball Team (walking tour)
Limit 25 attendees
Enjoy this guided around Fifth Third Park, the home of the Hub City Spartanburgers, the newly-established Single-A affiliate of the MLB’s Texas Rangers. The tour will cover as many areas of the still-under-construction-ballpark as possible, showcasing the state-of-the-art multi-use facility.
Dress Code: All guests will be asked to wear pants and closed-toed shoes. Hard hats, safety glasses and vests will be supplied, if needed.

Experience #4 | Hub City Downtown Pub Crawl (walking tour)
Savor this sip-and-stroll experience tasting specialty beverage samples from locally-brewed ciders, craft beer, and wine. There may be some surprise treats on the route. End your stroll with a tour of Rockers Brewing Co., Spartanburg’s first craft brewery, and enjoy Rockers’ favorites Son of a Peach and Brown-Eyed Squirrel.
Dress Code: Please wear comfortable walking shoes and appropriate layers for the weather.

6:30 - 8:00 pm | Discover SC Awards Banquet
Location: Ballroom
Join us as we join together to celebrate tourism in South Carolina from the past year.
Dress Code: Business Casual
Sponsored by: Miles Partnership

Wednesday, February 12, 2025

8:30 am - 10:30 am | Registration Open

9:00 – 9:30 am | Networking Breakfast
Location: Ballroom

9:30 – 10:45 am | General Session & Giveaway | Bold Moves in Marketing; Pushing Boundaries, Building Partnerships, and Shaping Tomorrow
Stuart Butler, Kelly Barbrey, Andy Clinton, Makenna Tschetter
Location: Ballroom
What’s driving the next wave of success in destination marketing? Join an all-star panel of tourism leaders representing DMOs of all sizes as they share bold campaigns that pushed boundaries, innovative collaborations that delivered real community value, and their vision for staying ahead of the curve. Whether you’re from a small DMO or a large one, this session will inspire you to think bigger, collaborate smarter, and embrace the future with confidence.

Sponsored by: DotDash Meredith

11:00 am - Until | Golf
Location: River Falls Plantation
Anyone wishing to golf with our SC Governor’s Conference group must pre-register on our SC Governor's Conference registration page.