Membership

As a membership-based organization, our primary focus is exposure for our members. Members are represented at trade and travel shows attended by the Association and have the opportunity to participate in travel writer press trips and tour operator familiarization (fam) trips. Members also receive a listing and description in our Visitors Guide (60,000 pieces printed annually) and on our website. The online listing also includes a website hyperlink.

Membership Information

Mission

To promote tourism as an economic activity in the Upcountry of South Carolina.

Programs & Activities

The association conducts the following programs and activities to market South Carolina’s Upcountry as a leisure travel destination, and to promote awareness of the Upcountry’s tourism industry:

  • Produces and distributes promotional literature and collateral materials including the Upcountry Visitors Guide and primary website, UpcountrySC.com.
  • Attends regional and national trade and travel shows.
  • Hosts familiarization trips for travel writers, influencers, and tour operators.
  • Places advertisements in leisure-oriented magazines, trade publications, and on travel websites.
  • Responds to more than 40,000 inquiries each year for information about the Upcountry.
  • Creates and distributes a monthly e-newsletter highlighting the attractions, activities, and events in the Upcountry.

Funding

The association is funded in part by the SC General Assembly in the form of appropriations. Additional funding is derived from accommodations taxes which are levied on hotels, motels, and campgrounds. Another important source of funding is membership investments. Memberships are available to businesses and organizations in the travel and tourism industry. This support allows Discover Upcountry to more effectively market the Upcountry as a travel destination. Just as important as the monetary support from members is the involvement of the membership in activities and programs sponsored by the association.

Membership Benefits

Tourism activity in the Upcountry contributes more than $1.3 Billion annually to the region’s economy and provides more than 14,000 jobs for Upcountry residents. Members of Discover Upcountry Carolina Association benefit from the tourism activity generated by the association’s advertising and marketing programs and also enjoy additional benefits including:

  • A listing and description of your business in the Upcountry Visitors Guide.
  • A listing and hyperlink on the Association’s website, UpcountrySC.com.
  • The opportunity to be featured in our e-newsletter.
  • Promotion through Social Media – Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
  • Representation at trade and travel shows attended by the association.
  • The opportunity to participate in press trips.
  • A supply of the Upcountry Visitors Guide.

Membership Options

Standard Membership is $100/year with additional category listings at $50 each.

The Featured Website Listing ($250) is an additional member opportunity for greater exposure on our website. It includes a top-of-page listing within a category and includes a border around the listing to further draw attention to it. To exercise this option, select it on the membership application. To upgrade your listing, please contact us.

Application Form

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