African- 

American

Tourism Conference

October 7-8, 2022

College of Charleston

• Avery Research Center
• Beatty Center
• Stern Center Gardens

CVBs & How they Help Your Black Tourism Initiative

Description: CVBs discuss the benefits of becoming members such as direct marketing services, brochure display services, and Opportunities to advertise in CVB publications and websites.

Marc Gibson

Charleston Area CVB

Director of Inclusion & Engagement

Twila Jones

Columbia CVB

Senior Sales Manager

Adam Jennings

Destination Experiences Manager

Business Development & Loan Programs: Start or Expand Your Business

Description: This session will Business development programs that offer capital to business just like yours. Learn the criteria and meet the decision makers. Dreams can come true, but you must take the leap of faith.

Wanda Davis

Business Development Officer

Community Works Carolina

Nico Brown

Loan Officer

Climb Fund

Grace Butler

Loan Officer

Climb Fund

PRE-CONFERENCE EVENT

Black and Brown Interpreters and Tour Guides Meeting

Avery Research Center Team

Friday, October 7th at 10AM-1:30PM

AVERY RESEARCH CENTER FOR AFRICAN-AMERICAN HISTORY & CULTURE

1) to introduce Black and Brown tourism professionals to certification with the National Association for Interpretation (NAI) and 2) to encourage collaboration around consistency in narrative and telling our own stories regarding the African experience in the South Carolina Lowcountry.

Local & State Government Officials, Tourism Officials, & African- American Tourism Stakeholders Networking Event

Opening Reception

Live Band & Gullah Horderves

Friday Night, October 7th at 7 PM

Avery Research Center

This year's event kicks off with the inaugural opening reception held at the Historic Avery Research Center. The night will be filled with music, dancing, and laughter. The event will be catered by Hannibal's Kitchen who cracked the NY Times Top 50 List.

Courtney Young & Foresight Communications Team

SC Branding & Tourism Promotion Program

Sat, October 8th at 9 AM

Business Marketing Toolkit- SC African- American Tourism Visitors Guide- Branding Themes- Graphic & Video

Foresight Communications unveils the branding & tourism promotion campaign focusing on making the Gullah & Other SC Black Culture synonymous with South Carolina like Creole and Cajun is to Louisiana.

CLIMB FUND, City of Charleston MBE, SC Minority Affairs Commission

Raising Capital to Start or Expand

Sat, October 8th at 10 AM

This session will feature business loans programs aimed at underserved business, particularly those in minority communities. Learn about business planning and access to capital resources for entrepreneurial ventures.

Anita Joyce Prather aka Aunt Perlie Sue & Hilton Head 

A-tax Grants: Funding For Your Tourism & Cultural Arts Programming

Sat, October 8th at 10 AM

This session will feature Hilton Head A Tax Administrator, and Member of the A Tax Committee as they discuss criteria as determined by state law, and insight on what committees are looking for in making funding decisions.

Greenville, Charleston, Florence, Columbia, & Hilton Head CVBs

Visitor Bureaus & How They Can Advance Your Tourism Initiative

Sat, October 8th at 11:30 AM

This session will feature local governments around the state as they discuss the qualifying criteria and other aspects of their programming to promote tourism. 

Social Media Influencers of South Carolina

Brunch & Business: Influencer Edition

Lowcountry Jazz Review by an Assortment of Gullah Musicians

Saturday, October 8 at 2 PM

This Day Party and Conference finale will honor some of South Carolina's most impactful social media influencers in food, fashion, music, & entertainment. Keynote: Bria Graham, Sundra Foundation