South Carolina’s tourism industry continued to thrive in 2023, meeting or exceeding its record-breaking tourism growth of earlier years, Gov. Henry McMaster said.
“South Carolina was named as one of the top five golf destinations in the world and best in the country for 2023, according to the International Association of Golf Travel Operators,” McMaster, a Republican, said during his State of the State address. “Ours is the only state in the United States to make this list, sharing recognition with Cyprus, Dubai, Los Cabos and Thailand. This reputation was evidenced in 2023 by the announcement of a new PGA TOUR tournament, the Myrtle Beach Classic, which will debut in May, joining the prestigious RBC Heritage tournament held the month before on Hilton Head Island.
“Since 1950, Darlington Raceway, the track ‘Too Tough to Tame’ has provided generations of NASCAR fans with spectacular memories, breathtaking finishes and a lifetime of stories to be told and retold,” McMaster added. “The Mother’s Day and Labor Day NASCAR CUP races are South Carolina’s largest professional sporting events, generating over $118 million in economic impact to the state. You have to see it to believe it.”
Additionally, in 2023, Charleston was named the No. 1 city in the south by Southern Living readers and the top city in the United States by Travel + Leisure Readers for the 11th year in a row.
“Hilton Head Island was again named the #1 Island in this year’s Conde Nast Traveler Readers’ Choice rankings of the best islands in America,” McMaster said. “And, Greenville’s Unity Park was recognized by Reader’s Digest Magazine as one of the ‘Nicest Places in America.’”