South Carolina Restaurant & Lodging Association

What South Carolina Restaurant & Lodging Association does

South Carolina Restaurant & Lodging Association (SCRLA) is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit trade association founded in 1944 and headquartered at 1225 Lady Street, Suite 101, Columbia, South Carolina, with a 7-person staff. It represents South Carolina's hospitality industry, which the organization identifies as the state's number one industry employing over 200,000 people. The association delivers value through three annual membership tiers (Restaurant, Hotel/Lodging, Allied/Supplier) and serves operators across ten local chapters spanning Beaufort, Charleston, Clemson, Columbia, Florence, Greater Greenville, Hilton Head Bluffton, L.U.C.C.Y., MBAHA (Myrtle Beach), and Spartanburg.

The association's core product portfolio is a bundle of membership services including advocacy and government affairs (SCRLA PAC, Legislative Advocacy Fund, SC Alcohol Reform Task Force), workforce development (Restaurant Ready with NRAEF, ProStart, scholarships through the affiliated South Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Foundation), certified training (ServSafe Food Handler, Manager, Alcohol, and Ops), human trafficking awareness training with BEST, an Insurance Center, a Labor Law Help Desk, workplace labor-law poster compliance, manufacturer rebates, and member-deal marketplace access. Its technology stack is built on YourMembership.com association management software covering membership, website, events, email marketing, and a career center, with no proprietary AI or platform differentiation disclosed.

SCRLA generates revenue primarily through annual recurring membership dues across its three tiers, supplemented by event revenue (notably the annual Hotel, Motel & Restaurant Supply Show of the Southeast in Myrtle Beach), voluntary donations to advocacy/PAC funds, and ancillary certification and insurance-program pass-through income. Its go-to-market is event-driven and chapter-mediated: chapter liaisons recruit and serve members locally, the organization markets through its website, Constant Contact email newsletters, Facebook and LinkedIn, and a bundled distribution partnership with the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce that auto-enrolls hospitality-tier chamber members into SCRLA. Its structural differentiator is the exclusive-in-South-Carolina automatic dual membership in both the National Restaurant Association and the American Hotel & Lodging Association (for non-branded hotels), plus AAHOA access through the Greater Greenville Chapter, which it leverages to deliver national resources and federal advocacy at the state level.

Name

South Carolina Restaurant & Lodging Association

Legal name

South Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Association

Website

https://scrla.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

South Carolina Restaurant & Lodging Association is a 501(c)(6) nonprofit trade association founded in 1944 representing the state's hospitality industry through three membership tiers (Restaurant, Hotel/Lodging, Allied/Supplier), delivering advocacy, ServSafe certification, workforce development, and exclusive dual affiliation with the National Restaurant Association and American Hotel & Lodging Association.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: The association generates revenue through membership dues from three categories: Restaurant Membership, Hotel/Lodging Membership, and Allied/Supplier Membership. Members receive benefits including advocacy representation, education resources, insurance programs, labor law help desk, manufacturer rebates, and discounts on services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

SCRLA is a membership-based trade association that provides advocacy, education, and operational support to South Carolina's hospitality industry. Its core offerings are three annual membership tiers (Restaurant, Hotel/Lodging, and Allied/Supplier), bundled with benefits such as legislative advocacy, ServSafe certification discounts, insurance programs, labor law help desk, workforce development programs, manufacturer rebates, and access to national resources via affiliations with the National Restaurant Association, American Hotel & Lodging Association, and Asian American Hotel Owners Association.

Product overview

South Carolina Restaurant & Lodging Association operates as a trade association providing a membership-based portfolio of services to the hospitality industry. The core offerings include three membership tiers (Restaurant, Hotel/Lodging, and Allied/Supplier), advocacy programs through its PAC and Legislative Advocacy Fund, workforce development via the Restaurant Ready program, and training certifications including ServSafe food safety and alcohol server training. Member benefits also encompass an Insurance Center, Labor Law Help Desk, and compliance resources. The association represents the state's hospitality sector, which employs over 200,000 people, and maintains partnerships with national organizations including the National Restaurant Association and American Hotel & Lodging Association.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Restaurant Membership
• Hotel/Lodging Membership
• Allied/Supplier Membership
• BEST Partnership - Human Trafficking Training
• Restaurant Ready Program
• ServSafe Training Program
• Insurance Center
• Labor Law Help Desk
• Workplace Labor Law Poster Service
• SCRLA PAC
• Legislative Advocacy Fund

Quantifiable outcome

• Human trafficking training effectiveness increased from 8% to 44% recognition rate after completing BEST Partnership training

Named customers13 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

16 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• National Restaurant AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAutomatic dual membership provides SCRLA restaurant members access to National Restaurant Association resources, advocacy at the federal level, research, and national programs including ServSafe certification.
• American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHLA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAutomatic dual membership for non-branded hotels provides access to AHLA resources, federal advocacy, and industry programs. SCRLA is the only South Carolina hotel and restaurant trade association with this joint membership.
• Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAutomatic dual membership available for Asian American hotel owners in South Carolina through the Greater Greenville Chapter.
• BEST (Businesses Ending Slavery and Trafficking)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerSCRLA partners with BEST to provide FREE human trafficking training for members and their staff. This 30-minute course can protect establishments and save lives. Research shows training increases victim recognition from 8% to 44%.
• National Restaurant Association Educational Foundation (NRAEF)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerSCRLA partners with NRAEF on the Restaurant Ready program - a workforce development initiative that provides free curriculum, materials, and support to community-based organizations to train individuals for hospitality careers.
• ServSafe (National Restaurant Association)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSCRLA offers ServSafe food safety and alcohol training programs to members with discount pricing. ServSafe certifications include Food Handler, Manager, Alcohol, and Ops programs.
• Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of CommercecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorJoint partnership where hospitality-oriented membership categories in the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber automatically include SCRLA membership, increasing local hospitality industry's lobbying power.
• Myrtle Beach Area Golf Course Owners AssociationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMBAHA partners with Myrtle Beach Area Golf Course Owners Association to offer exclusive promotions on the Myrtle Beach Passport.
• South Carolina Restaurant and Lodging Foundation (SCRLF)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe foundation supports workforce development through the Restaurant Ready program and provides scholarships to aspiring hospitality professionals.
• BreakthrubevminorOthersFeatured member/partner - beverage and hospitality supplier
• SyscominorOthersFeatured member/partner - food service distributor
• US FoodsminorOthersFeatured member/partner - food distribution company
• CintasminorOthersFeatured member/partner - uniform and facility services provider
• Global PaymentsminorOthersFeatured member/partner - payment processing solutions
• Coke ConsolidatedminorOthersFeatured member/partner - beverage bottler
• United HealthcareminorOthersFeatured member/partner - health insurance provider offering member discounts

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA): National trade association representing Asian-American hotel owners. Comparable peer for SCRLA's lodging segment; SCRLA already offers automatic dual membership to AAHOA through its Greater Greenville chapter.
• Georgia Restaurant Association: State-level hospitality trade association for Georgia offering advocacy, training (ServSafe), and member benefits to restaurants and allied suppliers, structurally identical to SCRLA.
• Virginia Restaurant, Lodging & Travel Association: Virginia's combined restaurant, lodging, and travel trade association. Closely comparable to SCRLA in combined-segment membership, advocacy focus, and workforce development programs.
• Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association: Combined restaurant and lodging trade association for Florida, closely mirroring SCRLA's combined model with advocacy, education, and chapter-based member services.
• North Carolina Restaurant & Lodging Association: Sister state-level restaurant and lodging trade association covering North Carolina. Operates the same three-tier membership model (restaurant, lodging, allied) with comparable advocacy, training, and event offerings.
• Tennessee Hospitality & Tourism Association: State hospitality trade association for Tennessee covering restaurants, lodging, and tourism with advocacy, training, and member programs aligned to SCRLA's scope.

Broad incumbents

• National Restaurant Association: National umbrella trade association for the U.S. restaurant industry. Directly comparable to SCRLA's restaurant membership arm, and is one of SCRLA's core strategic partners providing ServSafe and Restaurant Ready content.
• American Hotel & Lodging Association: National trade association representing the U.S. lodging industry. Directly comparable to SCRLA's hotel/lodging membership arm and a core dual-membership partner for non-branded SC hotels.

Regional players

• South Carolina Chamber of Commerce: Broad statewide business advocacy organization in South Carolina. Adjacent peer that overlaps with SCRLA on general business advocacy but is not hospitality-specific; collaborates with SCRLA on shared policy issues.
• Myrtle Beach Area Hospitality Association: Regional hospitality association serving the Myrtle Beach market. Operates as a SCRLA chapter partner with overlapping membership, comparable advocacy and networking services, but focused on a single SC sub-region.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/south-carolina-restaurant-and-lodging-association

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about South Carolina Restaurant & Lodging Association