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9/6/2016 |
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Slow start, strong finish, positive fall outlook |
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
September 6, 2016
Slow start, strong finish, positive fall outlook
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. – Like the hot salsa dancing introduced on Taco Tuesdays at Gordo's Tacos & Tequila, there was a lot of shaking going on in Myrtle Beach this summer. But like the new “Tsunami” ride at Myrtle Waves Water Park, there were more ups than downs. Despite a slow start, the Myrtle Beach area experienced a strong summer travel season. While some businesses saw a lighter than anticipated opening this summer, several reported significant increases through July and August, suggesting more wins than losses. Results at The Center for Resort Tourism at Coastal Carolina University show a 2.3 percent increase in occupancy and a 4.8% increase in revenue per available room during July and August, compared to the same period of 2015.
“We were relatively flat starting out the summer and the booking pace was lagging, but visitors continue to book closer to their date of arrival more and more every year,” said Matt Klugman, Director of Sales and Marketing for Vacation Myrtle Beach. “While it tested our nerves at times, the bookings did finally come in and they came in strong. We are very excited about how summer turned out.”
“Despite misleading information about everything from beach water quality to a jellyfish invasion, these numbers show that visitor flow was not dampened, but in fact has stayed the course toward continued growth,” said Brad Dean, president and CEO of the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce. “Though the summer started slower than many businesses wanted, the last week of July, through the end of August more than made up the difference. This is very encouraging news as we head into the Fall season which has seen substantial growth in recent years. It also bodes well for reaching our goal of 20 million visitors by 2020”
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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 several 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. The Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce is the proud recipient of the Association of Chamber of Commerce Executives’ “2015 Chamber of the Year” award.
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