South County Tourism Council Celebrates 25 Years

The stately halls of the newly renovated Ocean House were an ideal setting to showcase the efforts of the South County Tourism Council as representatives from local government and business gathered Friday to celebrate the group’s silver anniversary.

“With how we began we never thought tourism would become the second largest economic engine in Rhode Island,” said Council President Myrna George of the Council’s 25 years in action to bring tourism to the County’s miles of coastline and eleven distinct towns.

The reception’s guests included South Kingstown director of administrative services Andy Nota, Westerly town manager Stephen T. Hartford, Narragansett Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Deb Kelso, Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (RI DEM) Associate Director of natural Resources Larry Mouradjian, and many others.

For the last 15 years the Tourism Council ahs called the Steadman Government Center in Wakefield its home, and has proudly helped tourism help make residents' lives easier. “Over $1,400 per year in local property taxes are not paid by property owners each year because of tourism,” George said. “That’s how much we can contribute to Rhode Island.”

Their efforts are not without recognition, as the Council’s vacation planner, “South County Style”, received national recognition twice by the North American travel Journalists Association and a top ten in National Geographic Travel magazine. The Council’s aggressive reach into the 21st century includes a mobile phone-friendly web site that interconnects the businesses and tourist attractions in South County via GPS. All four Federal Congressional delegates offered their congratulations to the group as well – though they were not in attendance, their citations were on display nearby.

George also spoke Friday about the transformation of the Council. “Today glad handing has been replaced with guidelines,” George said.andnbsp; “Ethics are in, egos are out.”Those ethics parlay themselves into a healthy relationship with the RIDEM as well as with local chambers of commerce.During the reception George showed a promotional video that is a product of the council’s collaboration with RIDEM - The film takes footage from their 100 years of parks film, which debuted last year.

The Council also took time Friday to recognize Larry Mouradjian, Associate Director of Natural Resources at RIDEM, for his efforts to promote tourism as well as effectively and ethically manage the thousands of acres of state land in Washington County.

“The fact that we coordinate with out facility and open space management, it’s that synergy of the different attractions that we have that makes us a destination for us in state,” Mouradjian said. George called RIDEM’s 14,000 acres of parks “essential” to their efforts, especially since a majority of those acres are in Washington County.andnbsp; “As part of that same effort they’ve given us the recognition of the value of these properties,” Mouradjian said.

Mourajian talked about the “spectacular” combination of styles that will come together from the state’s beach efforts past in its newest endeavor, the demolition and reconstruction of the East Matunuck State Beach Pavilion in South Kingstown.We also look to the value of parks as a part of our heritage and a contributor to our quality of life,” Mourajian added. “It’s not just a tourism issue.”

Nota said his position on the council is one that is “beneficial” in that he resides in Narragansett but also presides over South Kingstown in an official capacity.andnbsp; “In Narragansett and South Kingstown the businesses immediately benefit from normally two months in the summer,” Nota said. The council focuses on marketing [the region] beyond Rhode island, out to the world really, in select niche markets.”

“The council’s job is to promote our area, out of this area,” Kelso said of the council expansion into markets in Europe and Asia.andnbsp; “Our concern is the health of the town and its businesses.andnbsp; We rely as a chamber on the efforts of the South County Tourism Council to bring them to us so we can take care of them.”

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