Charleston is a hot bed for hospitality and tourism. So it's no surprise somebody like Tom Sponseller and his contribution to the lowcountry, is well known.
61-year old Sponseller, the head of the state's Hospitality Association, was reported missing by his family on Saturday. His car was found inside a Columbia parking garage. Police say his wallet and cell phone could not be found. Police are calling it a missing person’s case. This while industry leaders across the state and here locally, give him praise and try to make sense of his disappearance.
Those like Joyce Lowe, of Fort Sumter Tours and Spirit Line Cruises. “I think he's partially responsible to the reason why tourism is where it is today in Charleston.I mean we are all concerned we are all mystified how something like this could happen to a person like him. So our whole community our whole industry is greatly concerned.”
Sponseller does his job, not by building a tourism industry, but locals give him credit for fostering the business. He spends time lobbying lawmakers to help put hospitality and tourism, with its billions in revenue, front and center.
He reminds the powers that be in Columbia, that the industry deserves a seat at the table. For that reason, Rick Mosteller, a partner with Gray Line Tours, says he deserves big accolades. “As the hospitality industry has grown in the state of South Carolina he’s been a key player who has been right at the heart of the growth of our industry. The legislature now understands that tourism is an economic engine and Tom had a lot to do with that.”
Police say they have been trying to track Sponseller through his previous cell phone and credit card use. But they are not releasing details on what, if anything has been found.
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