Who We Are
Engaging business and education in the future of the travel industry
“Life is a journey.” How often have we heard that phrase or used it ourselves? Writers have noted that it is humankind’s most enduring metaphor. The notion of travel is hard-wired into the human experience. In ancient times, travel was motivated by the desire for exploration, discovery, and enrichment. And times haven’t changed much. To explore, to discover, and to become enriched still drives people to travel today.
The desire to travel – and modern society’s ability to do so – has made travel and tourism the number one industry of many countries of the world and the largest service sector export for the United States. The travel and tourism industry is one of the few industries credited with producing positive balance of trade results for the U.S. economy. 
It is one of the largest employers, developing workers at all levels and areas of expertise. Last year alone the U.S. travel industry generated more than 7.3 million jobs with over $162 billion in payroll income for Americans. Communities of all sizes benefit as well: the industry produces $100 billion in tax revenues for federal, state, and local governments. International visitors generated tax revenues of more than $12 billion.
But the travel and tourism industry is exceedingly complex. In fact, it has been called the “industry of industries,” recognizing the fact that travel-related companies range in size from multinational corporations operating out of high-rise towers to individuals selling travel products and services from their homes.
It is in this context that the University of South Carolina in the spring of 2004 launched the most comprehensive and inclusive travel and tourism industry research and outreach center in the United States as a joint effort of the College of Hospitality, Retail, and Sport Management and the Moore School of Business.
Funded in part through a generous grant from the prestigious Sloan Foundation, headquartered in New York, the center adopted the official name: The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Travel & Tourism Industry Center at the University of South Carolina.
Press Releases
Tourism Study Brings Together Archrivals
Columbia, SC
They may be fierce foes on the football field, but the University of South Carolina and Clemson University are proving that they can be partners in the boardroom as they work together to promote economic development in South Carolina.
The University of South Carolina’s Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Travel & Tourism Industry Center and Clemson University’s department of parks, recreation and tourism management are partnering to complete an economic-impact study of the 17 counties of the South Carolina National Heritage Corridor (SCNHC).
The SCNHC promotes economic development in rural areas of South Carolina through heritage tourism and is being developed by private citizens, governmental agencies, conservation groups, businesses and communities. Designated by Congress in 1996 as a National Heritage Area, the corridor runs from the foothills of Oconee County in the northwestern corner of the state, along the Savannah River, through the Edisto River Basin to the port city of Charleston.
“This partnership with Clemson University is just the beginning of what we can accomplish by working together: universities and businesses joining forces for the good of the state and sharing resources during these challenging economic times,” said Dr. Rich Harrill, director of the Sloan center.
The results will be shared with the National Park Service, South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism, partners and potential funders.
The study will provide independently researched information on the value of the corridor’s work toward the preservation, conservation and promotion of community resources and how effective this work has been in the development of heritage-based tourism.
Dr. Brian J. Mihalik, dean of the College of Hospitality, Retail and Sport Management said, “In a state rich with heritage-based sites, this study will be critical to tourism promotion, based not only on natural resources and attractions but on our heritage. This project highlights the cooperative efforts of two of the state’s leading research universities and will provide data that will serve as a catalyst for the growth of heritage corridors.”
For more information, contact Harrill at 803-777-7682.
The Vanishing Japanese Tourist:
Landmark Japanese Tourism Project Announced
Columbia, South Carolina
The Alfred P. Sloan Travel & Tourism Industry Center at the University of South Carolina and the U.S. Department of Commerce Office of Travel and Tourism Industries (OTTI) are launching a major research project addressing the decrease in Japanese tourism to the United States. Dr. Robert Li, a center faculty associate, will manage the project.
The study will provide insight into the reasons behind the decline of Japanese visitors to the U.S. and provide options for market recovery. The study will also focus on Japanese travel outside of Asia, such as where they’re visiting and why they’re choosing a particular destination, and how marketing to Japanese travelers can be improved.
OTTI statistics reveal that 3.7 million Japanese tourists visited the U.S. in 2006. They represent the fourth-largest tourism market for the U.S. behind Canada, Mexico and the U.K. In 2006, Japan’s visitors spent approximately $16.03 billion in the U.S. But, in 2006 the U.S. experienced a 5-percent decline in the Japanese market following years of impressive growth.
“In some respects, this project may be more important economically than the Chinese outbound project conducted last year by OTTI and Sloan, because it represents a major market that seems to be vanishing,” said Dr. Rich Harrill, director of the Sloan Travel & Tourism Center. “This research is important to the United States’ competitiveness in the travel-and-tourism industry because it will help businesses and tourism destinations retain this economically significant market.” Results of the study should be available in the spring of 2009.
The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Travel & Tourism Industry Center is a comprehensive and inclusive center of research and outreach and is a joint effort of the College of Hospitality, Retail, and Sport Management and the Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina. It is funded in part through a grant from the New York-based Sloan Foundation.
Landmark Chinese Tourism Project Announced
Columbia, South Carolina
The Alfred P. Sloan Travel & Tourism Industry Center at the University of South Carolina, in partnership with the Travel Industry Association of America (TIA), is launching a major research project addressing the anticipated future increase in Chinese travelers visiting the United States.
Surveys and interviews will be conducted in major Chinese cities to determine why citizens want to come to the United States, what sites they’re interested in seeing and how long they intend to visit this country. The project will also examine the cultural, social, economic and political conditions that will affect travel from China to the United States.
The World Tourism Organization (WTO) predicts that more than 100 million Chinese tourists will travel to other countries by 2020, making China the number one exporter of tourists. Currently, Chinese citizens are only able to visit countries with Approved Destination Status (ADS). Although the United States is rapidly moving toward establishing a formal ADS agreement, few businesses and destinations are adequately preparing for their arrival.
“This project is a landmark examination of the future, outbound Chinese tourism market for the United States,” said Dr. Rich Harrill, director of the Sloan Travel & Tourism Center. “This research is important to United States’ competitiveness in the travel and tourism industry because it will help businesses and tourism destinations plan and benefit economically from this potentially significant market.”
Dr. Robert Li, a Center faculty associate, will manage the project. Results should be available in December.
The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Travel & Tourism Industry Center is a comprehensive and inclusive travel and tourism research and outreach center and is a joint effort of the College of Hospitality, Retail, and Sport Management and the Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina. It is funded in part through a generous grant from the prestigious Sloan Foundation, headquartered in New York.
The Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Travel & Tourism Industry Center is available to partner with businesses, organizations, and agencies at the local, state, national, and international level. Please contact Dr. Rich Harrill at 1-803-777-7682 or rharrill@mailbox.sc.edu.
Cost-Effectiveness of Exhibition Participation
This research partnership between The University of South Carolina’s Sloan Travel and Tourism Industry Center and the Center for Exhibition Industry Research found that companies spend less on exhibitions and tradeshows in recessionary and post-recessionary economies. Further, this research suggests that sales leads are becoming more difficult to generate. However, some industry experts suggest that sales leads generated through an exhibition have long-term value for companies as they weather an economic downturn.
A survey instrument was designed by the Sloan Travel & Tourism Industry Center to gather data on the cost effectiveness of exhibition participation. Firms with sales above $50 million were randomly selected for inclusion in the study. A telephone survey was then used to collect data concerning the effectiveness of exhibition participation.
The results indicated that it is more cost effective to close a sale when a prospect is first identified at an exhibition as compared to identifying a prospect via other methods.