TOURISM MANAGEMENT PLAN 2015 Plan Update Charleston, South Carolina TOURISM MANAGEMENT PLAN 2015 PLAN UPDATE Adopted 2015 LETTER FROM THE MAYOR Tourism represents an important facet of the city’s and region’s economy. It provides jobs and economic opportunity for our residents while showcasing our city and its cultural resources to people around the world. It also represents a challenge for our community. We must remain vigilant that tourism does not damage the city’s authenticity and sense of place or negatively impact residents’ quality of life. This requires careful planning and management. This Tourism Management Plan is an important blueprint identifying the impacts of tourism on downtown Charleston and solutions for its management. I commend the advisory committee and city staff for their tireless and collaborative work over the past year. I also thank the many individuals and community organizations who contributed to the plan by attending meetings and offering their suggestions. The result is an excellent plan that will serve our city well. Mayor Joseph P. Riley, Jr. City of Charleston March 2015 Tourism Advisory Committee City of Charleston Kitty Robinson, Chair Helen Hill Planning, Preservation & Clerk of Council/Tourism Sustainability Liz Alston Jane Jilich Vanessa Turner Maybank Tim Keane Carl Borick Kristopher King Davida Allen Yvonne Fortenberry Kathy Britzius Steve Litvin Department of Recreation Amy Southerland Alphonso Brown Louise Maybank Laurie Yarbrough Dan Riccio Betsy Cahill Rick Mosteller Stella Fruit Su Griffin David Compton Vangie Rainsford Police Department Philip Overcash Anne Dabney Charles Rhoden Chief Greg Mullen Ana Harp Angela Drake Mayor Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Sgt. Heath King Logan Elliot, intern Dick Elliott Zoe Ryan Legal Department Office of Cultural Affairs Steve Gates Nancye Starnes Frances Cantwell Scott Watson Lee Gilliard Dennis Stiles Janie Borden Department of Parks Randall Goldman Councilman Keith Waring Traffic and Transportation Jerry Ebeling Jonathan Green Robert Somerville Jason Kronsberg College of Charleston Office of Tourism Analysis/Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management Bing Pan The McNair Group David McNair A special thanks to Historic Charleston Foundation and the Charleston Museum for meeting room support. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Vision Statement................................................................ 1 Appendices....................................................................... 39 Executive Summary........................................................... 3 Overview of Tourism in Charleston....................... 41 Background........................................................................ 6 Resident Attitudes Towards Tourism Survey......... 75 Planning Process................................................................ 7 Neighborhood Input.............................................. 87 Current Issues...................................................................... 9 Quality of Life Report............................................. 102 Recommendations............................................................. 11 Cruise Ship Recommendations Report................ 104 Tourism Management and Enforcement............. 12 Special Events Ordinance..................................... 106 Visitor Orientation.................................................... 16 Tourism Management Ordinance........................ 110 Quality of Life...........................................................20 Maps Special Events.......................................................... 24 Special Events Map..................................... 127 Mobility and Transportation.................................... 28 Tour Maps..................................................... 128 Charleston Standards for Sustainable Tourism................34 Tour Vehicle Chart..................................................129 Acronyms............................................................................ 37 CONTENTS A special thanks to Historic Charleston Foundation and the Charleston Museum for meeting room support. 1 The Tourism Advisory Committee will develop objectives and recommenda- tions that address the goal of maintaining the critical and delicate balance between Charleston’s residential quality of life and the tourism economy while preserving Charleston’s authenticity and sense of place, especially its architectural and cultural heritage. VISION STATEMENT 2 3 Charleston’s unmatched array of 18th- Festival and the Cooper River Bridge • Quality of Life and 19th-century architecture and its Run were in their infancy, and the Fort • Special Events harmonious streetscapes have long Sumter tour boats departed from the • Mobility and Transportation been a draw for visitors. In the past foot of King Street. Sixteen years later, four decades, the city has expanded in 1994, the plan underwent revision, The committee proposed three over- its reach through events such as the with another update in 1998. arching recommendations that are Spoleto Festival and Southeastern seen as critical to successful tourism Wildlife Exposition (SEWE), as well as a Since 1998, boosted by publicity management in Charleston: newly vibrant culinary scene. Twenty around national rankings, tourism in years ago, there were 3.2 million Charleston has grown exponentially, • the creation of a centralized, visitors to the tri-county area; in 2012, with a 70% increase in visitor count coordinated approach to tourism that number reached an estimated to the city itself. In addition to the management and special events 4.8 million. congestion created by touring • a comprehensive traffic and parking vehicles such as motor coaches and study The first city to adopt a zoning carriages, the docking of cruise ships • an annual public review of tourism ordinance for its historic district in and the proliferation of special events management 1931, Charleston has also been a have posed new challenges. Also, EXECUTIVE SUMMARY pioneer and national leader in tourism each year the City receives a growing Each of the five subcommittees management. The two are intimately number of applications for new hotels, adopted an overall goal and then connected: a flourishing residential restaurants, bars, and tourism-related developed strategies and detailed life in the historic neighborhoods is the businesses. recommendations to achieve it. The backbone of the tourism industry and groups also identified time frames thus an important engine of economic Recognizing that the equilibrium and the party/parties responsible for development for the city as a whole. between residential life and tourism implementation. The details can be Protecting Charleston’s identity as a activity was threatened, Mayor found beginning on page 11. The place to live and work is central to the Riley convened a group of residents general recommendations are on the goals of this plan. and industry representatives to following pages. recommend modifications to the Managing tourism is a dynamic existing management plan. Their Implementation and the regular process, requiring periodic recommendations are spread over monitoring of the adopted plan will be modification and adaptation as five principal areas: critical to its success. The full Tourism circumstances change. In 1978, Management Advisory Committee Charleston became the first city in • Tourism Management and will meet six months after the plan is the United States to adopt a tourism Enforcement adopted and will continue to meet management plan; the Spoleto • Visitor Orientation regularly afterwards to review progress. 4 TOURISM MANAGEMENT & VISITOR ORIENTATION QUALITY OF LIFE ENFORCEMENT Goal Goal Goal To manage and monitor tourism for To make visiting the City of Charleston To sustain a reasonable balance the benefit of residents, industry, and a seamless process between tourism and the quality of life visitors in Charleston’s historic residential neighborhoods Objectives Objectives Objectives Reduce and manage congestion, Improve signage throughout the Reduce and manage congestion, especially in peak tourism months Peninsula to ensure that residents and especially in peak tourism months visitors reach their destination easily Construct regulatory mechanisms that Improve information to visitors about can be adhered to by the tourism Identify all parking assets to encourage restroom availability industry and efficiently administered pedestrian traffic and reduce by the City of Charleston congestion Reduce impact of cruise ships on the historic district Update the video shown at the City of Charleston Visitor Center to quickly orient visitors Update the City of Charleston Visitor Center to encourage additional visitation to the Center EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 5 SPECIAL EVENTS MOBILITY/TRANSPORTATION Goal Goal To ensure that special events enhance To create a safe, efficient, simple-to- and respect the community use transportation network that serves both residents and visitors throughout the City Objectives Objectives Ensure that special events add value Conduct a comprehensive peninsula to Charleston by enhancing the quality mobility/parking study that includes all of life for residents and attendees modes of transportation Manage special events to reduce Revise parking strategies to provide a impact on neighborhoods to an variety of parking options for residents/ appropriate level visitors on the peninsula EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Ensure that policies, regulations, and Develop transportation wayfinding