S" is for South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism

"S" is for South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism. Created by the General Assembly in 1967, the South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism (SCPRT) is charged with promoting tourism in the state, operating a system of state parks, and assisting local governments in the development of recreational facilities and programs. The establishment of SCPRT coincided with the dramatic expansion of South Carolina’s tourism industry and its economic impact that occurred in the 1970s. Initially governed by a twelve-member commission, SCPRT is now a cabinet-level agency with a director appointed by the governor. In the early twenty-first century, the South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism oversaw forty-six state parks, nine welcome centers, the South Carolina Heritage Corridor discovery centers, and a wide variety of tourism, economic development, and recreation programs.