The boardwalk, new air service and more marketing dollars all mean one thing for tourism in the Myrtle Beach area in 2010 - the outlook is promising, but it won't be one for the record books.
"I'm fairly comfortable saying that we're going to be basically flat or slightly better than last year, in particular, in terms of revenue and visitor spending in the area," said Don Schunk, a research economist with Coastal Carolina University. "I think that the typical visitor might be in a better position to spend a little bit more than last year - not a lot more, but a little bit more."
Grand Strand tourism has a lot going for it in 2010, experts say. The chamber's marketing budget has doubled thanks to a 1 percent sales tax that started in 2009, a new boardwalk could be a draw, several sports competitions are on tap and flights to new parts of the country - including Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas - will make it easier for some travelers to get here, they said.
"Most businesses and industries will no doubt continue to face economic challenges in 2010, but if we can gain market share, our tourism industry could well be the bright spot in South Carolina's economy and help lead the state out of this recession," said Brad Dean, president and CEO of the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce.
The difference lies in the behavior of visitors who were employed last year, who still were saving their money, but will now start to spend more this year, Schunk said.
Gauging from the recent occupancy rates and the slow recovery, the hotel, condo-hotel and campground occupancy rates will likely flatten by the end of the spring and move ahead of last year by the summer, said Taylor Damonte, director of the Clay Brittain Jr. Center for Resort Tourism at Coastal Carolina University.
The price of a hotel room is still declining, just at a slower rate, he said.
Average daily rates are down 2 to 3 percent from the same time last year, but they are nowhere near the decline in 2009, which was about 8 or 9 percent, Damonte said.
"By the end of the summer, prices will be about even or up slightly from last year," he said. "It may be about this time next year before prices actually start to improve."
Some hoteliers are planning to continue using the "value-added" approach this year, which entails keeping prices the same, but throwing another service - such as a massage or high-speed Internet - into the package.
"People do expect to get more value right now," said Bob Barenberg, managing director for Hilton Hotels Corp. along the Grand Strand. "Instead of just dropping the price, we're adding more value into the price, so people perceive that they are getting more for their buck."
The Hampton Inn at Broadway at the Beach is going to keep its rates about the same as last year, but will also push packages that are partnered with local entertainment venues, said general manager Scott Martin.
"Our thought is, it was tough, but things are starting to rebound a little bit. People may say, 'We've gotten through the worst of it and now we're ready to reward ourselves and take vacation that we forgoed last year.'"
City leaders are expecting that the 1.2 mile boardwalk - which will stretch from around First Avenue to 14th Avenue North and is scheduled to open by Memorial Day weekend - is another piece of bait for tourists this summer.
"We believe this is going to provide a new iconic beachfront element that people have been looking for a number of years and that it's also going to create opportunities for businesses to grow and change some of their goods and services," said David Sebok, executive director of the Myrtle Beach Downtown Redevelopment Corp.
The Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce is spending twice as much as usual on marketing the area, Dean said.
Some ads will have information about air service into these markets, including the four new flights that have been announced in recent months.
On Feb. 28, Toronto-based Porter Airlines will begin flying nonstop from Toronto to Myrtle Beach International Airport.
American Eagle Airlines, another new carrier, will begin nonstop service between Myrtle Beach and Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport on April 6, and just a few weeks later Allegiant Air will begin nonstop service to Grand Rapids, Mich., and Spirit Airlines will start nonstop service to Atlanta..
The area will take on a new kind of tourism this year because it snagged some national sports championships for triathletes, handball, judo and three-on-three soccer, which are expected to draw thousands of athletes and spectators to the Grand Strand.
"The typical business may not see much of a boost in the first year ... but it is a very positive sign that we're diversifying our tourism base," Schunk said.
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