Columbus Town Council decided this week to send a letter to Polk County commissioners stating the council’s opinion that the best place for the tourism department is in Columbus.
Columbus Town Council met Tuesday, March 22 and discussed the county’s decision regarding who should run the travel and tourism department.
The county recently approached the Carolina Foothills Chamber of Commerce to see if it is interested in taking over the service. Since then, the Polk County Economic Development Commission (EDC) and the Town of Tryon/Tryon Tourism Development Authority have also expressed interest in providing travel and tourism services (see front page article). In addition, the county tourism department and accommodations providers have said they want to keep the service in its current department and location.
“I’m not saying the chamber couldn’t do it and do it well, but we are the county seat,” said Columbus Mayor Eric McIntyre. “I think it benefits all of Polk County, not just Columbus, to have it located close to the I-26 corridor where the traffic is coming from.”
Councilwoman Margaret Metcalf said she’d personally like to see all the towns have their own visitor’s center.
“We need to keep [the county tourism office] in Columbus,” Metcalf said. “It would be disastrous if we got rid of it.”
Councilwoman Ernie Kan, who attended the county’s board of commissioners meeting Monday, March 21, said most people want to keep the tourism office in Columbus because Columbus is directly off the interstate.
“We have the perfect place for it,” Kan said.
She suggested Columbus could help to support the tourism office with volunteer or other efforts to keep it in the county seat.