Experience Columbia SC

Experience Columbia SC is a non-profit organization in Columbia, SC, located at 1010 Lincoln St. It operates as the destination marketing organization for the region, strengthening the local economy by marketing the area as a premier destination for meetings, conventions, tradeshows, special events, and leisure travel. The organization works with accommodations, restaurants, facilities, and attractions to provide informative materials and services that promote the desired image of the Columbia area, serving Richland County, Lexington County, and the City of Columbia.

The entity began in 1984 as the Greater Columbia Convention & Visitors Bureau. It functions as one of three brands within a set of sister organizations, alongside the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center and Experience Columbia SC Sports, which are responsible for promoting tourism throughout the region. The organization also oversees the Columbia SC Visitors Center, a brick-and-mortar visitor information center and retail shop. Operations are funded by a combination of private and public funds, including the City of Columbia Accommodations Tax, Richland County Accommodations and Hospitality Taxes, and Accommodations Tax from Lexington County, the Town of Lexington, the City of Cayce, West Columbia, and the Town of Irmo, as well as a Destination Specific Grant from the SC Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism.

The team is led by President and CEO Bill Ellen and includes personnel in sales, convention services, partnership services, and visitor services. Key staff members include Executive Assistant Linda Cannup, VP of Finance Amanda Cusaac, Senior Finance and Accounting Manager Felicia Nesbitt, Staff Accountant II Joan Heintz, Director of Human Resources Lemuel Brown, Director of Human Resources Tamara Addison, VP of Marketing and Communications Kelly Barbrey, Director of Communications Charlene Slaughter, Director of Marketing Helen Harrison, Communications Manager Dayna Cantelmi, Digital Marketing Associate Lauren Lee, and Marketing Associate Kathleen Burbage. Convention and visitors bureau leadership includes VP Rick Lackland, Executive Sales Manager Crystal Morris, Senior Sales Manager Twila Jones, Convention Services Manager Della Carmichael, Partnership Services Manager Judie VanPatten, Sales Manager Nadia J. Muhammad, and Sales Manager Tara Teate. The visitor services team is led by Manager Larkin Newberry, and Experience Columbia SC Sports is directed by Executive Director Scott Powers, with Sports Development Manager Grayson Hopp and Administrative Assistant Ariana Khandkar.

Experience Columbia SC combines its deep regional roots with a dedicated team to connect visitors with the vibrant energy and natural beauty of Columbia.

The organization is situated on Lincoln Street in Columbia, SC, just 0.1 miles from the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center and the Congaree Vista.

BizScoreAI gives Experience Columbia SC a Performance score of 93 out of 100, which measures how quickly the website loads to keep visitors on the page. The business also receives a Content Quality score of 75 out of 100, which measures whether the website answers customer questions clearly so AI assistants can quote the content.

Services:

• Accommodation Recommendations
• Event Coordination
• Local Attractions Guidance
• Meeting Planning
• Sports Event Management
• Trip Planning Assistance
• Visitor Information
• Wedding Planning