FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact:
Nora Hembree Battle
Media Communications Manager
Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce
O: (843) 916-7235 / C: (843) 655-7629
Nora.Battle@VisitMyrtleBeach.com
MYRTLE BEACH AREA CELEBRATES VISITORS DURING NATIONAL TRAVEL AND TOURISM WEEK
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – Beginning May 5 and continuing through May 13, the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce will join hundreds of cities, states and businesses across the country in the nation’s annual salute to the power of travel and tourism in America. This year will mark the 29th annual National Travel and Tourism Week, and the cities of Conway and Myrtle Beach and town of Surfside Beach have issued declarations for the week.
Each year, nearly 15 million tourists visit the Myrtle Beach area, and the MBACC is celebrating the week with activities and promotions for those visiting the Grand Strand. As in past years, MBACC members have received “Thank You for Visiting” static cling decals to place on their business or vehicle windows.
Additionally, the chamber’s visitor centers in Myrtle Beach and Murrells Inlet will serve complimentary refreshments during the week. The Myrtle Beach International Airport visitor center will host live music periodically throughout the week and offer refreshments. The list of scheduled performances includes:
May 7, 11 a.m.- 1 p.m. – Doug Fankhauser, various instruments and singer
May 8, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. – Joan Burton, guitar player and singer
May 9, 11 a.m.-2 p.m. – Tim Peterman, steel drums player
May 10, 11 a.m.- 1 p.m. – Joan Burton, guitar player and singer
May 11, 11 a.m.-1 p.m. – Javier Vega, trumpet and piano player
Both leading up to and during National Travel and Tourism Week, an advertising campaign touting the benefits of tourism will be seen in advertisements in local newspapers and in 30-second television spots.
National Travel and Tourism Week was established as National Tourism Week in 1983 when the U.S. Congress passed a joint resolution designating the week to be celebrated in May 1984. In a White House ceremony, President Ronald Reagan signed a presidential proclamation urging citizens to observe the week with “the appropriate ceremonies and activities.” By January 1986, industry leaders had formed a permanent full-time office at the U.S. Travel Association to sponsor the event and expand tourism awareness into year-round programs.
National Travel and Tourism Week Facts
Source: U.S. Travel Association for 2011
•Generated $1.9 trillion in economic output, with $813 billion spent directly by domestic and international travelers that spurred an additional $1.1 trillion in other industries.
•Directly generated $124 billion in tax revenue for local, state and federal governments.
•Each U.S. household would pay $1,055 more in taxes without the tax revenue generated by the travel and tourism industry.
•Direct spending by resident and international travelers in the U.S. averaged $2.2 billion a day, $92.8 million an hour, $1.5 million a minute and $25,700 a second.
•Generated $1.9 trillion in economic output, with $813 billion spent directly by domestic and international travelers that spurred an additional $1.1 trillion in other industries.
•Directly generated $124 billion in tax revenue for local, state and federal governments.
•Each U.S. household would pay $1,055 more in taxes without the tax revenue generated by the travel and tourism industry.
•Direct spending by resident and international travelers in the U.S. averaged $2.2 billion a day, $92.8 million an hour, $1.5 million a minute and $25,700 a second.
South Carolina Tourism Facts
Source: U.S. Travel Association study prepared for the S.C. Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism for 2010
•Spending on travel or on behalf of tourism in South Carolina totaled $15 billion in 2010. Out-of-state domestic visitors spent $8.1 billion, and international visitors added another $767 million to the total.
•Overall South Carolina tourism spending increased 7.6 percent in 2010.
•Tourism supported one in ten South Carolina jobs.
•In 2010, direct traveler (core) spending generated 109,600 jobs, accounting for 6.1 percent of the total state nonagricultural employment.
•The fiscal impact was $1.2 billion in state and local tax revenues – the equivalent of lifting $655 tax burden per household.
•The ratio of state and local tax revenues to public operations expenditures related to travel and tourism is $3.3 to $1.
Local Tourism Facts
•Horry and Georgetown counties combined generated $9.7 billion in retail sales in 2010-2011, accounting for almost 7 percent of the state’s retail sales (source: S.C. Department of Revenue).
•Both counties generated over 9.5 million in admissions taxes in 2010-2011, more than one-third of the state’s total admissions tax collections (source: S.C. Department of Revenue).
•Both counties generated more than $16.8 million in accommodations taxes in 2010-2011, more than one-third of the state’s total accommodations tax collections (source: S.C. Department of Revenue).
•Tourism generates, directly or indirectly, most of the jobs in Horry and Georgetown counties. In 2011 this included more than 32,000 jobs in accommodations and food services, more than 17,000 jobs in retail and nearly 6,700 jobs in arts, entertainment and recreation (source: Chmura Jobs EQ).
For more information, visit TourismWorksForUs.com.
ABOUT THE MYRTLE BEACH AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Since 1938 the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce has stood as the unified voice of the Grand Strand's business community. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce has awarded the MBACC its five-star accreditation, one of only a few chambers in South Carolina to earn this distinction. The MBACC serves Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach, Surfside Beach, Little River, Atlantic Beach, Garden City Beach, Loris, Conway, Aynor, Murrells Inlet, Litchfield Beach and Pawleys Island. For more information, visit MyrtleBeachAreaChamber.com.
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