Duane Parrish, Director - South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism
August 8, 2023
On this week's episode of WTN, Duane Parrish, Director of South Carolina Parks, Recreation & Tourism, joins the program to give me the inside scoop on South Carolina! Duane details what's to love from Charleston to Myrtle Beach, the impressive golf community, the amazing culinary scene, and more! Duane also gives me a few hidden gems to check out and highlights everything South Carolina has to offer!
Duane Parrish is the Director of the South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism (SCPRT), the agency responsible for promoting South Carolina as a travel destination, managing state parks, cultivating the state’s film industry, and collaborating with public and private partners to enhance recreation and tourism through grant programs. A graduate of the University of South Carolina, Parrish has worked in travel and tourism for more than 35 years, previously serving as president of the Premier Hospitality Group. He has opened, operated, or renovated 19 hotels ranging from a 32-room independent inn to a 260-room full-service hotel, and his hospitality experience includes management of the Charleston Area Convention & Visitors Bureau. Since he took the helm of South Carolina’s tourism agency in 2011, the state has transformed from a spring break and summertime getaway to a year-round travel destination. Parrish has overseen a decade of year-over-year consecutive growth in the state’s tourism industry which was briefly interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic before bouncing back stronger than ever. An industry leader, Parrish has served on numerous boards and associations, including his current seat on Travel South’s Board of Directors. In 2019, the US Travel Association named Parrish the State Travel Director of the Year. South Carolina-born and bred, Director Parrish is passionate about the Palmetto State, particularly when it comes to the state’s number one recreational activity – golf – and promoting the state’s “undiscovered” areas.