Wearing a mask is key to helping the Grand Strand’s economy, tourism leaders say
Horry County tourism leaders believe that tourists will have more confidence visiting a community where wearing masks is a common practice.
After local stories about visitors to the Grand Strand getting the virus during their trip went national, Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce CEO Karen Riordan said locals and visitors promising to wear a mask is more important than ever.
“Horry County has had a difficult and challenging week. We’ve been the subject of national negative media of incidents that have happened in Ohio, Virginia and West Virginia,” Riordan said. “They visited with us but did not wear masks.”
Currently, Horry County, South Carolina and the municipalities of the Grand Strand area do not have a mask requirement. Greenville recently passed an ordinance requiring them in public.
For the past couple weeks, Horry County has had some of the highest daily confirmed case counts in the state. The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control labeled the area a hot spot.
Horry County’s Welcome Back Committee created the “Greater Grand Strand Promise” that asks businesses, residents and visitors to promise to wear masks, practice social distancing and do all they can to slow the spread of the coronavirus.
You can take the pledge by visiting a website dedicated to the Grand Strand reopening, greatergrandstrandisopen.com.
Since the initiative went live last week, there have been 170 businesses, 210 residents and 50 visitors taking the pledge to follow social distancing rules.
Stickers will be sent out to those who signed the pledge once they are ready. The committee also hopes to use some funds to create branded masks to give to businesses that cannot afford masks on their own.
Businesses that made the promise and display they are following through will be highlighted on the chamber’s social media to give a promotional benefit.
Ultimately, making people feel safer from the coronavirus could be a key factor for the success of recovery efforts. Tourism is the area’s largest industry, and for a county hit hard by unemployment, keeping folks coming is important for the economy to recover.
Riordan said community members have said that many businesses aren’t requiring employees to wear masks, gloves or provide hand sanitizer. She said everyone needs to help reverse a perception that the Grand Strand is not doing all it can to protect visitors.
“That’s really affecting our community and it is eroding confidence,” she said. “I think it is one of the things contributing to negative public relations on the national level.”
This story was originally published June 25, 2020 at 11:44 AM.
