MORNING HEADLINES | New numbers from Explore Charleston shows the Charleston area saw another record-breaking year in the tourism industry, generating a total economic impact record $14 billion last year.
According to the data from the College of Charelston’s Office of Tourism Analysis, Charleston saw a 1.2% increase in total visitors to 7.9 million and a 5.5% increase in average visitor expenditure. Every adult per trip spent an average of $1,105 in 2024, compared to $1,048 in 2023, according to data. The average expenditure per adult in 2019 was $878 per trip.
“We’re not seeing explosive growth of more overnight visitors — what we see is a continued trend of gradual growth of more higher-value visitors,” said Daniel Guttentag, director of the college’s Office of Tourism Analysis, on Tuesday. And that’s much better than many parts of the country, he added.
Tourism’s economic impact has grown by 32% since 2021, while the total number of visitors grew by only 9%. Other data:
- Rooms: The area sold a record number of hotel room nights – 4.94 million.
- Occupancy: The average hotel occupancy was 70.6%.
- Spending: The average rate at hotels rose $1 to $186 per night, up from $155 in 2019.
- Passengers: Charleston International Airport also saw a record-breaking year in 2024, with an estimated 6,290,000 passengers flying into the city.
In other headlines:
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Cellphone use while driving will be prohibited in S.C. starting Sept. 1. South Carolina drivers will be banned from talking or scrolling on a cellphone while behind the wheel starting Sept. 1, and could even face fines if a device is in your lap.
Charleston’s hospitality parking program reaches capacity. The city’s Hospitality Parking Pilot Program began accepting applications on Monday from area businesses that employ hospitality workers, and said on Tuesday that all permits have been claimed.
Other Charleston-area road projects sprouted from now-dead I-526 extension project. The project to extend Interstate 526 from West Ashley to James and Johns islands included a number of companion projects that voters had approved in previous tax referendums. Though that project is dead, one other road project is finished, with others on the way.
New law paves way for affordable housing on former North Charleston Navy base. On May 8, Gov. Henry McMaster signed a bill that amended a state law to allow a special tax district to finance affordable housing on former military bases.
SCDOT seeks input on Johns Island Burden Creek bridge replacement. The bridge over Burden Creek near the Charleston Executive Airport is nearing the end of its lifespan and SCDOT is preparing for a project to replace it, involving construction decisions this year and actual construction in 2027.
Judge rules in favor of Lowcountry environmental groups on new septic systems. The court ordered that public notice be posted when the South Carolina Department of Environmental Services considers a permit for a large-scale septic system.
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