SC African- American Tourism Conference

The city is hosting "Black Biz on the Block" on Saturday, October 22 from 1 – 5 p.m. at Philip Simmons Park to support our Black-owned business community.

The event will include entertainment, food trucks & community resource exhibitors. More information: https://sites.google.com/view/black-biz-on-the-block/home

Photos from Lowcountry Gullah's post

Our volunteers for the 2022 SC African American Tourism Conference were the lovely ladies of the Iota Omicron chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha sorority Inc.

We thank you ladies for all of your hardwork and smiling faces. Thank you to our coordinator Akayla for pulling together our volunteers. We hope to see everyone next conference.

Such an amazing historic site in our state and deserving of this!

This weekend join our supporter and friends of the SC Reggae Jerk&Wine Festival taking place at the Brittlebank Park from 1pm until 6pm.

The SC African American Tourism Conference was one for the books!! Our team would like to thank everyone who came out for an amazing 2 days of fellowship, education, and networking.

A special thank you to our sponsors SCPRT, The City of North Charleston, College of Charleston, and SC Association of Community Economic Development.

We look forward to seeing everyone for another in person conference next year. Meanwhile as we will continue to share valuable information regarding tourism and special events taking place throughout the year.

Black-Owned Lifestyle Brand Opens up in Downtown, Charleston, SC - Black Southern Belle

Black-Owned Lifestyle Brand Opens up in Downtown, Charleston, SC - Black Southern Belle Black Southern Belles let's get ready for this grand opening! Prepare yourself to enter into The Tiny Tassel physical location to purchase their one of a kind accessories and jewelry needs.

This weekend we welcome Adam Jennings of Greenville CVB to the SC African American Tourism Conference.

Adam Jennings joined the VisitGreenvilleSC team in February 2022 and currently works as the Destination Experiences Manager. Having left a career in high-end senior living sales coaching for a southeast-based provider, he now enjoys working with his colleagues, members, lodging partners, and destination visitors to drive a greater economic impact for Greenville, South Carolina than the day before. In his role, Adam helps to oversee the VisitGreenvilleSC membership program and Visitor’s Center. An area native, he loves discussing their recent accolades like when they were named by Southern Living “The South’s Best City of the Rise” and “One of the Best Places to Travel this Fall” by CNN Travel. Outside of work, you’ll find Adam enjoying the arts and spending time with family and friends at the newest asset in !

Visit www.scaat.us to learn more.

SC African- American Tourism Conference: Resource Development

https://conta.cc/3fDrOL2

Get resource for your tourism related or cultural arts program or business. Grants and small business loans designed to give your dreams a boost! $2.4 Billion Dollars!

SC African- American Tourism Conference: Resource Development Grants & Small Business Loans   African- American Tourism Conference October 7-8, 2022 College of Charleston Avery Research Center Beatty Center Stern Center Gardens   Save Your Seat - Register Here

SC African- American Tourism Conference Award Recipients

https://conta.cc/3SZDWEv

Friday Night Opening Reception Honors Those Who Make It Happen In This Space Of African- American Tourism- They break barriers, they advocate & allocate, and they take this sector to new heights. Join us as we honor Black Tourism's heroes.
This year's Honorees: Anita Singleton- Prather, Sen. Karl Allen, and Mitchelville Freedom Park.

SC African- American Tourism Conference Award Recipients Harriet Tubman Trailblazers Award, Denmark Vesey Organization Award, Robert Smalls Public Service Award   African- American Tourism Conference October 7-8, 2022 College of Charleston Waterfront Hilto

Join us at The Avery Research Center this Friday for Speaking Our Truths: A Gathering of Black and Brown Interpreters featuring Erica Veal and Michael Allen. By attending this event participants will learn the benefits of becoming a Certified Interpretive Guide and the importance of telling our stories as black and brown tourism professionals. The event is free with lunch provided. To register click the link below or in our bio!
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Libcal.library.cofc.edu/calendar/Avery/Babim

The SC African- American Tourism Conference welcomes Erica Veal of the Avery Research Center for African American History and Culture

Erica Veal is a local historian, archivist, editor and interpreter. She attended Columbia College in Columbia, South Carolina where she graduated with a degree in History and Spanish in 2007. After working as a Graduate Assistant and Processing Archivist at the Avery Research Center from 2003-2010 Erica went on to work as the Cultural History Interpretive Specialist with Charleston County and later worked in management.

She has been an amazing resource to the 2022 SC African American Tourism Conference and we are excited to have her join us this year.

Visit www.scaat.us to learn more

SC African- American Tourism Conference welcomes Nico Brown of the CLIMB Fund as one of our speakers for our session titled: Raising Capital to Start or Expand.

Nico Brown brings 13 years of banking and finance experience to the CLIMB Fund from his time as a banker at Wells Fargo and Bank of America in the Charleston area, including being part of opening a Sun Trust branch in North Charleston. He is a South Carolina native and calls the Lowcountry home. Here at the CLIMB Fund, Nico works with our clients as a Community Development Loan Officer over the course of the loan application process, assisting clients with finding solutions that bring their applications to approval. Nico is also committed to serving the Black and Hispanic/Latino communities and is bilingual in English and Spanish. Nico says, “Being a part of these communities and seeing what the struggle can be like firsthand caused me to develop a passion for seeing people in these communities grow, which goes hand in hand with the mission of the CLIMB Fund.”

Join us this Saturday at 10am to learn more about funding available for tourism brands and festivals in SC. Visit www.scaat.us

SC African- American Tourism Conference welcome Carmen Young of ForeSight Communications to the 2022 SC African American Tourism Conference

Join her for our session titled: Business Marketing Toolkit- SC African- American Tourism Visitors Guide- Branding Themes- Graphic & Video

Carmen Young is passionate about helping businesses understand and leverage the power of online media to grow their brands. She works closely with clients to develop their voice through website content, social media posts and strategic partnerships that align with their brand. By staying “in the know” on all new technologies, trends, and applications related to online brand management has helped clients improve their brands on average by 200%. Since 2012 Carmen has worked with more than 100 business brands in travel, tourism and government contracting.

To register visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/373412525917

SC African- American Tourism Conference welcomes Grace Butler of CLIMB Fund.

She is one of the speakers for our session titled: Raising Capital to Start or Expand

Grace has over 9 years’ experience working in the banking industry with institutions like Wells Fargo, BB&T, and Synovus. In her time working in the traditional banking world, Grace worked as a teller, personal banker, and lender. Grace’s current role as Community Development Loan officer at CLIMB Fund is to assist potential borrowers with becoming loan approval ready. Essentially, Grace operates as a coach for them throughout their approval process by managing expectations and coaching them through what needs to be changed or adjusted to better ensure their approval odds. Grace says, “In retail banking, I found that I told a lot of people what I could not do for them. Versus here at CLIMB Fund, I can see where I can help and use that knowledge to create a positive difference for our potential borrowers. It’s never no, it’s not right now, and here’s how we can overcome these challenges to get you approved.” Grace is a native of Moncks Corner, SC. In her free time, she enjoys making memories with her kids and traveling.

To purhcase your advance tickets for the conference visit www.scaat.us

We are just 5 days away from the 2022 SC African American Tourism Conference

Come out and learn more about the economic impact the African American niche generates . The Charleston visitor economy generates $27 Billion dollars in gross sales within the tri-county area. The African- American niche of this sector can add millions of additional visitors coming to this state and thus increase the industry’s economic impact on the state. The potential is there, perhaps more so than anywhere else in the nation, because in Charleston, and South Carolina we are rich in spiritual, cultural, and entrepreneurial traditions. This potential has been stifled by the failure of local and state governments and regional visitor bureaus to collaborate, and strategize with African- American businesses, and non- profits concerning this niche.

The process of removing this obstacle begins with the convening of the annual African- American Tourism Conferences, whose goals are to 1) Educate residents & tourism industry officials about the benefits of investing into the development of this niche, and 2) strategize on the future growth and development of this niche of the industry.

Visit www.scaat.us to register.

African-American Tourism Conference – Just another WordPress site

Like SC African- American Tourism Conference Next Friday and Saturday visit www.scaat.us to learn more.

African-American Tourism Conference – Just another WordPress site This event will recognize social media influencers in food, fashion, and the finer things in life! Join us in celebrating the influencer community, honoring those who positively impact our lives through their personalities, knowledge and expertise.

Did you know African American tourism is a 2.4 billion dollar industry in SC?

Visit www.scaat.us to learn more.

Next weekend come out to learn more about the billion dollar tourism industry in SC.

Visit www.scaat.us to learn more.

Please note, our calendar of events will be updated as we adjust to anticipated weather and potential flooding. As of 4pm on Tuesday, Sept 27, the website and our digital program guide are current. Click over to mojafestival.com for the latest.

We are sorry that the parade, reggae and our visual arts opening receptions have been upended. Details about rescheduling will be forthcoming.

Join us next weekend for this amazing opportunity to learn more about the billion dollar tourism industry in SC.

Let’s Get This Money!

The Annual African- American Tourism Conference is designed to show residents from cash poor but culturally rich communities, how to engage in the opportunities that exist within the tourism industry. It is also designed to show tourism Industry leaders how this niche can grow the overall industry by attracting millions of additional visitors interested in the African- American history and culture of our state. A timely synergetic investment by local/ state government, and regional visitor bureaus can serve as the catalyst to achieve this economic benefit. We have the rich Gullah traditions alive and well in the historic churches, historic schools, existing and potential businesses within our borders to provide locals and visitors an experience that will educate their minds, and touch their souls. Join The Wando- Huger, CDC on September 30th at 9am at the Beatty Center for Entrepreneurship, College of Charleston so that we may strategize within the framework of a think- tank of ideas, stratagem, and resources for the development and advancement of the African- American Tourism sector in the state of South Carolina.

– Kwadjo Campbell

The African- American Tourism Conference serves as a think tank where stakeholders & industry leaders gather with key government representatives to continue aligning efforts to support the African- American Tourism sector’s recovery and move beyond to a safer, more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable future.

Visit www.scaat.us to learn more.

The 2022 SC African- American Tourism Conference welcomes Andy Ingraham as our keynote speaker. Join us Saturday October 8th for to learn more about the opportunities available in from President and Ceo of the Black Hotel Owners Association & National Africa-American Tourism Conference.

Andy Ingraham is a current resident of Broward County, Florida and a native of Nassau Bahamas. He has fused culture and commerce throughout his professional life. Ingraham came to the United States in 1972; successively he became interested in becoming an entrepreneur and establishing a business in the U.S. He has over 28 years in the tourism industry, developing specific expertise in multicultural and Caribbean tourism.

Ingraham first started by marketing South Florida's merchandises and services to the Caribbean islands. He launched, Horizons Marketing Group Intl., Inc. his first company in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Later, he saw the opportunity for multicultural tourism and began searching for ways hotels could cater to a more diverse population. He founded the National Association of Black Hotel Owners, Operators & Developers, Inc. (NABHOOD) in 1999, which was officially incorporated in 2001. Ingraham is president/CEO of NABHOOD. NABHOOD was formed with its mission statement to increase the number of African-Americans developing, managing, operating and owning hotels; increase vendor opportunities and executive level jobs for minorities thereby creating wealth within the African-American community.

Because of his knowledge and expertise, he is a constant source for articles and has been featured or quoted in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, National Public Radio, Hotel Business, Black Meetings & Tourism Magazine and a host of other publications. He has spoken or participated as a panelist internationally and domestically on hotel investment & development and multicultural tourism.

We are excited and welcome
Mr.Ingraham to Charleston and to this year's conference.

Learn more by visiting www.scaat.us

Join us October and 7th and 8th for The 2022 African American Tourism Conference.

This year our theme will align with that of the World Travel & Tourism Council’s Global Summit. The theme for this Global Summit is REDISCOVERING TRAVEL - we, too, aim to bring together people from around the state who embrace the same empathy, values and ambitions in solving our many social, environmental and economic challenges.

Visit www.scaat.us to learn more.

The 2022 SC African- American Tourism Conference welcomes Andy Ingraham as our keynote speaker. Join us Saturday October 8th for to learn more about the opportunities available in from President and Ceo of the Black Hotel Owners Association & National Africa-American Tourism Conference.

Andy Ingraham is a current resident of Broward County, Florida and a native of Nassau Bahamas. He has fused culture and commerce throughout his professional life. Ingraham came to the United States in 1972; successively he became interested in becoming an entrepreneur and establishing a business in the U.S. He has over 28 years in the tourism industry, developing specific expertise in multicultural and Caribbean tourism.

Ingraham first started by marketing South Florida's merchandises and services to the Caribbean islands. He launched, Horizons Marketing Group Intl., Inc. his first company in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Later, he saw the opportunity for multicultural tourism and began searching for ways hotels could cater to a more diverse population. He founded the National Association of Black Hotel Owners, Operators & Developers, Inc. (NABHOOD) in 1999, which was officially incorporated in 2001. Ingraham is president/CEO of NABHOOD. NABHOOD was formed with its mission statement to increase the number of African-Americans developing, managing, operating and owning hotels; increase vendor opportunities and executive level jobs for minorities thereby creating wealth within the African-American community.

Because of his knowledge and expertise, he is a constant source for articles and has been featured or quoted in the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, National Public Radio, Hotel Business, Black Meetings & Tourism Magazine and a host of other publications. He has spoken or participated as a panelist internationally and domestically on hotel investment & development and multicultural tourism.

We are excited and welcome
Mr.Ingraham to Charleston and to this year's conference.

Learn more by visiting www.scaat.us

Travel Join us October 7th and 8th for the 2022 African American Tourism Conference.

Visit www.scaat.us to learn more

Travel Join us October 7th and 8th for the 2022 African American Tourism Conference.

Visit www.scaat.us to learn more

SC African- American Tourism Conference welcomes Anita Singleton-Prather. She is an Advisory Council Member and she is joining us this year to lead our session titled A-Tax Grants: Funding For Your Tourism & Cultural Arts Programming.

Saturday October 8, 2022 at 10am. College of Charleston

She is a native of the Sea Islands in Beaufort County, South Carolina, is a storyteller, singer, educator, actress and historian. Ten years ago, in an effort to preserve the Gullah history and dialect, Prather founded the Gullah Kinfolk, a musical performance group. The Gullah Kinfolk is made up of Prather’s family members, many of whom have been singing in church for years. This dynamic gospel group performs songs including slave spirituals and features stories by “Aunt Pearlie-Sue,” a beloved character based on Prather’s grandmother.

There is still time to register. Visit www.scaat.us to learn more.

Travel Join us October 7th and 8th for the 2022 African American Tourism Conference.

Visit www.scaat.us to learn more

Join us October 7th and 8th for the 2022 SC African American Tourism Conference

Like 2022 SC African American Tourism Conference

Join us for our session titled Raising Capital to Start or Expand

CLIMB Fund City of Charleston MBE, SC Minority Affairs Commission will be the session hosts.

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 venture.

Just 18 days away visit www.scaat.us to learn more

We are 18 days away from the SC African- American Tourism Conference

Join us for 2 days for two days of strategy and networking targeting $2.4 Billion in economic impact through African- American Tourism and
$20 Billion economic impact through Statewide Tourism. Register today. Seating Limited.

www.scaat.us