Think of us as the biggest cheerleaders for the heart of South Carolina.

The Columbia Metropolitan Convention & Visitors Bureau dba Experience Columbia SC is the destination marketing organization (DMO) for the region. This branch of Columbia SC tourism began in 1984 as the Greater Columbia Convention & Visitors Bureau. Experience Columbia SC’s mission is to strengthen the area’s economy by marketing and selling the region as a premier destination for meetings & conventions, tradeshows, special events and leisure travel. Experience Columbia SC works with accommodations, restaurants, facilities and attractions to provide informative materials and services that enhance and promote the desired image of the Columbia area.

The Experience Columbia SC DMO is funded by a combination of private and public funds including City of Columbia Accommodations Tax, Richland County Accommodations and Hospitality Taxes, and Accommodations Tax from Lexington County, Town of Lexington, City of Cayce, West Columbia and Town of Irmo, as well as a Destination Specific Grant from the South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation & Tourism.

Team members reporting to the Vice President of the DMO include sales, convention services and partnership services personnel. The Columbia SC Visitors Center, a brick-and-mortar visitor information center and retail shop falls under the guidance of the ECSC DMO and includes visitor services personnel.

Columbia SC tourism is comprised of a set of sister organizations (Midlands Authority for Conventions Sports & Tourism + Columbia Metropolitan Convention & Visitors Bureau) responsible for various components of promoting and marketing tourism throughout Richland County, Lexington County and the City of Columbia. The two sister organizations are made up of three brands, each with a specific set of responsibilities related to promoting and marketing the Columbia region. The three brands are Experience Columbia SC, the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center and Experience Columbia SC Sports.