MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WBTW) – After the recent flooding The Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce implemented a plan to address concerns and reassure travelers that the Myrtle Beach area businesses and its beaches are open for business.
“Well,we really have been impacted by this in a negative way. When people are fearful of traveling because of floods and what they’ve seen on the news. It’s caused a lot of cancellations and phones. I mean the phones have been so busy we’ve had a lot of emails and all and people are just worried about whether or not they can safely get here,” Susan Phillips with the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber said.
CCU researchers with the Brittain Center for Resort Tourism report last weekend occupancy was down 25.7 percent compared to the equivalent weekend last year. It was down 29 percent the weekend before that.
The General Manager of Island Vista Resort says reservations were down 30 percent and he lost close to $60,000 in revenue during what was expected to be a strong month.
“For us what it means we needed to do was come out with a campaign to really tell people to reassure them that it’s safe to travel here and we’re open and that everything is available for them,” Phillips added.
Utilizing the current fall campaign “60 More Days of Summer,” the chamber has added messaging to the campaign advising visitors that the area is open for business, with all roads open and leading to the Myrtle Beach area.
Visitors in over 70 key markets are receiving Myrtle Beach’s updated advertising via digital, broadcast, website, social media and e-mail marketing channels.
Chamber officials say they will continue the campaign until there is no longer a need.
Local managers say reservations are looking up for the next week and those people who cancelled are making plans to return.
