South Carolina Spends $1.5M on NYC Tourism Push
A three-day showcase and Times Square billboards promoted the state to New York City travelers in late September.
Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Budget Travel
Live Poll
Do you think state tourism advertising spending is worth it?
South Carolina spent nearly $1.5 million on a New York City tourism campaign that ran Sept. 25-27, 2026, including seven digital billboards in Times Square and the SC in the City showcase inside Grand Central Terminal's Vanderbilt Hall. The campaign covered the Big 5 destinations: Charleston, Columbia, Greenville, Hilton Head and Myrtle Beach.
Why it matters
The New York City area is the state's largest visitor market outside the Southeast, with 75 weekly nonstop flights to South Carolina airports. The campaign's reported results offer a measure of how the state is pursuing that market.
The campaign generated more than 2 million social media impressions and 1.4 million earned media impressions, figures the state tied to its $1.5 million outlay. Whether the spending translated into visitor bookings has not been reported.
The players
South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism
The state agency responsible for promoting South Carolina as a travel destination and administering tourism marketing campaigns.
The details
The campaign included Times Square billboards, culinary collaborations, live artisan demonstrations and interactive displays. It was funded through additional tourism marketing money allocated by the state's General Assembly.
Timeline
Sept. 25, 2026: Seven digital billboards in Times Square began showing South Carolina advertising.
Sept. 25-27, 2026: The SC in the City showcase ran inside Grand Central Terminal's Vanderbilt Hall.
Mid-November 2026: The Echo Suites extended-stay hotel in North Charleston is expected to open.
Market Corridor
The New York City area is the state's largest visitor market outside the Southeast, supported by 75 weekly nonstop flights to South Carolina airports. The campaign directs marketing toward that existing air link.
Travelers considering a South Carolina trip can compare the state's Big 5 destinations, which the campaign promoted in New York City. The state's 75 weekly nonstop flights from the New York area offer a direct route for planning.
The takeaway
Tourism campaigns can be measured through website traffic, impressions and interactions, but the extraction does not show visitor outcomes. Travelers comparing destinations can weigh promotional reach against direct flight access.
What happens next
The Echo Suites extended-stay hotel in North Charleston is expected to open in mid-November 2026, and the Folly Beach Historical Society plans pier and Civil War exhibits in 2027.
Further reading
Explore more on budget travel for ways to plan a trip without overspending.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Post and Courier.
Live Poll
Do you think state tourism advertising spending is worth it?
