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Michelin guidebook expected to lure foreigners to area
By Dennis Quick
Senior Staff Writer
Charleston-area residents might have to prep their ears for an influx of foreign accents. At least that’s what local tourism officials believe.
On Jan. 19, Greenville-based Michelin Travel Publications unveiled its South Carolina coast “Must Sees” guidebook during a press conference at Charleston Place hotel. The guidebook is among the latest in Michelin’s series of “Must Sees” travel guides, which focus primarily on North America. “Must Sees” for the Caribbean and the Hawaiian Islands also were introduced at the press conference.
About 5,000 copies of the South Carolina coast guidebook were distributed in Europe and another 5,000 in North America. The guidebooks cost $10.95 and are available in Barnes & Noble, Books-a-Million and other bookstore chains, plus big-box retailers like Costco and Wal-Mart.
With the South Carolina coast being featured in the Michelin “Must Sees” guide, tourism professionals hope to see a boost in the Lowcountry’s $5.1 billion tourism industry.
“The international cachet of Michelin is something we’ve never had before,” says Prem Devadas, chairman of the Charleston Convention and Visitor’s Bureau and manager of The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island, the resort island’s $125 million ultra-luxury hotel that opened in August. “It will bring more people to Charleston.”
The South Carolina coast guidebook highlights Charleston, Hilton Head and Myrtle Beach, plus part of the Georgia coast, and includes information on hotels, restaurants, beaches, plantations, museums and other attractions. Venues were selected according to historical significance, ambience, location and dollar value.
Michelin began publishing travel guides in 1900 with a guide to France. Since then, Michelin guidebooks have become among the most popular in the world.
The South Carolina coast guidebook is one of 13 “Must Sees” titles Michelin Travel Publications has published in the past 1 1/2 years. The national media attention Charleston has received over the past several years, plus the Lowcountry’s rising popularity as a tourist destination, led Michelin to produce the South Carolina coastal guidebook.
Being one of Michelin’s “Must Sees” should strengthen the state’s $14.6 billion tourism industry, 63% of which is based in the coastal areas, says Chad Prosser, South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism director.
“More than 30 million people visit South Carolina annually, and we expect tourism numbers to increase steadily due to the popularity of the coastal region,” Prosser points out.
Although experts say it’s difficult to measure the impact Michelin guidebooks have on tourism, they agree that coverage doesn’t hurt.
“Anything that puts you on the radar screen helps tourism,” says Venessa Welter, spokeswoman for Visit Florida, a public-private corporation that markets the state’s tourism worldwide. Florida has been featured in Michelin’s “Green” guidebook series, which spotlights locations around the world.
Devadas considers mention in Michelin’s “Must Sees” series a score for The Sanctuary and for the region.
“It’s always been The Sanctuary’s intention to be an international destination,” says Devadas, whose hotel is one of 21 Lowcountry hotels listed in the new Michelin guidebook. “The exposure of The Sanctuary, of Kiawah Island and its golf courses will boost international tourism in Charleston.”
Dennis Quick covers hospitality and tourism for the Business Journal. E-mail him at dquick@crbj.com.
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