Today we’d like to introduce you to Andrew Clinton
Hi Andrew, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I was born in Gastonia, NC, but I lived in Rock Hill, SC, for most of my childhood. I majored in Sports & Entertainment Management at the University of South Carolina. I was fortunate to gain much industry experience in high school and college. Jobs and internships ranged from Chick-fil-A, a local softball facility, Charlotte Knights, The Masters at Augusta National and the PGA Championship. I started working for Visit York County after graduating in 2012 as a visitor information specialist. Over the past eleven years, I built up my relationship with the organization and was promoted to various roles that focused on recruiting sports events to York County. In March of 2022, I became the Interim President & CEO and, six months later, removed the interim tag from the official title.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It, of course, has not always been a smooth road. There have been peaks and valleys throughout my career, for the organization itself and my growth to President & CEO. There have been those moments when I considered transitioning to another industry or accepting positions with other tourism organizations. More recently, when I was promoted as the interim President & CEO in 2022, Visit York County was in a transition culturally and financially. Over the past couple years, it has been great to witness Visit York County thrive and grow to levels we have never been.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Visit York County is a non-profit organization built to generate tourism, market to visitors and support the hospitality sector. Our organization focuses on marketing our hotels, restaurants, attractions, and local events. Those efforts include the Visit York County website, social media channels, the York County Destination Guide and many other marketing assets to promote York County as a destination. There are several key contributing factors to the success of our organization and tourism in York County. The proximity to Charlotte, one of the largest international airports in the country and conveniently located off of Interstate I-77, plays a huge role. Many attractions, such as Carowinds, the Anne Springs Close Greenway, Lake Wylie, and the Catawba River, local farms and small businesses make up a lot of the tourism landscape in York County. Visit York County is fortunate to partner with Rock Hill Parks, Recreation & Tourism, where we have become a hub for youth sports tournaments and events. Almost every weekend of the year, York County hosts thousands of visitors to youth sports events. The events range from youth softball, soccer, and volleyball to nationally recognized events like the BMX World Championships, US Disc Golf Championships and American Cornhole League Championships.
I’m thankful to be in a position where the day-to-day duties change frequently depending on where we are in our budget year and adjust as our organization continues to evolve. Most of my time is spent managing our six staff, advocating for stakeholders on the importance of tourism in York County, maintaining and increasing our organization budget, and building a cohesive team to think differently and evolve as the tourism industry changes.
I was thankful to be a part of several successful bids for some of the top sports events in the country. Bringing my alma mater, the University of South Carolina, to host a neutral-site basketball game against Florida State is at the top of the list. I am most proud of having unanimous support from the staff as I transitioned from the interim to permanent President & CEO.
How do you think about happiness?
The simple answer that comes with the territory of being a diehard South Carolina Gamecock fan is a Gamecock win. I’m very thankful that we have a great team at Visit York County that makes working in the tourism industry fun. I enjoy collaborating with our staff to make a difference in the visitor experience and positively impact local restaurants, hotels and attractions. Personally, spending time with my family is my top priority. Life is busy with two kids under five, but finding the time to attend a football game, enjoy a York County farm, or simply go to a playground and grab a pizza creates a happy life.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.visityorkcounty.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/visityorkcountysc/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/visityorkcounty
- Twitter: https://x.com/visityorkcounty
