Tourism is the economic lifeblood of the Myrtle Beach, S.C. area providing more than $10 billion in economic impact throughout the 14 communities along the Grand Strand. While tourism dramatically declined in most areas of the country during the Covid-19 pandemic, the Myrtle Beach area remained resilient.
Dependent on a robust tourism industry, local hospitality businesses turn to the Myrtle Beach Area Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) and Visit Myrtle Beach to promote The Beach to leisure travelers, groups, meetings, conferences and trade shows, and sporting events.
The Chamber and CVB is a nonprofit 501c 6 organization. The CVB’s efforts are critical to support our region’s economy, businesses and employees working in the community, as well as residents that call the Grand Strand home.
Recognized with U.S. Travel Association’s Destiny award in 2021, the CVB used innovative marketing techniques to keep The Beach top-of-mind despite travel declines. New data from the S.C. Dept. of Parks, Recreation and Tourism shows that states like S.C. that were willing to invest marketing dollars sooner recovered quicker.
Promoting The Beach paid off in 2021 with strong visitor spending, tax revenues and economic impact. 2022 is also shaping up to be another solid year. In turn, local employers are reinvesting back into their businesses more than ever.
Tax revenues help fund infrastructure, education, community services, public safety and more. Property taxes are able to remain low, while job opportunities and quality of life for citizens are enhanced.
Tourism accounts for over 80,000+ jobs and $11.1 BILLION IN VISITOR SPENDING to the Myrtle Beach area.
Economic Impact of Tourism
Tourism is the largest industry sector in the Grand Strand and is critical to the economies of the 14 communities in the Myrtle Beach area. Visitors support businesses, jobs and enhance the quality of life for residents and visitors alike.
The research presented here is updated regularly. As the Grand Strand, our nation and the world emerge from the Covid-19 pandemic, MBACVB is committed to driving the region’s economic recovery through tourism.
Local
Tourism continues to foster significant economic benefit for the Myrtle Beach area. Tourism Works For Us uses a multitude of sources and independent reports to compile an overview of the impact of tourism of the entire Grand Strand region, including 14 communities within Horry and Georgetown Counties. While some data highlights specific areas of the Grand Strand, we strive to provide a broad perspective of how tourism impacts the entire region Here’s a look at some of the most recent stats:
- According to the most recent industry research, 20.6 million visitors spent $11.1 billion in the Myrtle Beach area in 2019. (source: DK Shifflet’s Visitor Volume Study).
- The $11.1 billion in visitor spending in 2019 was up from $7.8 billion in 2012 — a 42 percent increase in seven years. (source: DK Shifflet’s Visitor Volume Study).
- Coastal Carolina University (CCU) estimates tourism accounts for $2.2 billion in labor impact supporting more than 80,000 jobs — both direct and indirect tourism jobs — throughout the Grand Strand.
- CCU economists estimate that 80 percent of local tourism jobs are year-round, full-time.
- Horry County Hospitality Fee generated approximately $35.7 million in tax collections in 2021 and $9.7 million in 2020. (source: Horry County Government).
- Horry County generated more than $31.7 million in accommodations taxes in 2021 (approximately 30% of the state’s total accommodations tax collections), and $16.8 million in 2020. (source: S.C. Department of Revenue).
- Visit Myrtle Beach marketing programs influenced $862 million in visitor spending in 2019. (source: Tourism Economics’ Visit Myrtle Beach Impact Study).
- The visitor spending influenced by Visit Myrtle Beach generated $145 million in state and local tax revenue in 2019 and supported $1.0 billion in business sales. (source: Tourism Economics’ Visit Myrtle Beach Impact Study).
Tourism Works For Us uses a multitude of sources and independent reports to compile a broad view of the impact of tourism across the entire Grand Strand area. For more insight, check out these resources:
State
A recent study prepared for the South Carolina Parks Recreation and Tourism (SCPRT) agency by the United States Travel Association revealed that domestic travel accounted for a direct economic impact of more than $15.1 billion and directly supported 133,500 jobs in 2019. Key findings from that study include:
- Domestic travel-supported employees in South Carolina earned close to $2.9 billion in payroll income during 2019. This represented a 6.1 percent increase from 2018.
- In 2019, every $113,417 spent by domestic travelers in South Carolina supported one job.
- Domestic traveler spending in South Carolina directly generated $2.2 billion in tax revenue for federal, state, and local governments in 2019, up 5.8 percent from 2018.
- Horry County received $4.8 billion in domestic travel expenditures to lead all of South Carolina’s 46 counties.
- Seventeen of South Carolina’s 46 counties received over $100 million in domestic travel expenditures in 2019.
- Sixteen counties in South Carolina indicated one thousand or more jobs were directly supported by domestic travelers during 2019.
National
National tourism is one of the world’s largest industries, employing millions worldwide. The United States Travel Association (USTA) estimates that in 2019 domestic and international leisure and business travelers accounted for $2.6 trillion in economic output and supported more than 15.8 million American jobs. One out of 10 U.S. jobs depends on travel and tourism. For more information on USTA and its economic impact study, click here.
Frequently Asked Questions
How did the COVID-19 pandemic impact our local attractions and tourism?
The Covid-19 pandemic has certainly had a significant impact on our tourism businesses and overall visitation in 2020, however the area remains resilient compared to other destinations across the U.S. The MBACVB has worked diligently throughout the past year to support our industry through the crisis while also positioning Myrtle Beach for a strong recovery in 2021.
What is the Myrtle Beach area’s plan for tourism recovery?
The MBACVB has worked continuously to maintain the Grand Strand’s position as a highly sought-after destination for travelers. MBACVB’s Ready, Set, Go Recovery Marketing Strategy worked in 2020 to support demand for the destination and partner businesses while also keeping responsible travel information as the focus. And we know demand for travel opportunities continues to grow as the pandemic eases. The CVB is focusing their efforts to support regional travel from key markets, road trips and championing that Myrtle Beach is open, welcoming and an ideal destination to relax this year with key audiences indicating a desire to travel. And they’ll continue to expand their marketing programs as more and more audiences become comfortable with travel.
How does tourism benefit our community?
A recent tourism report by DK Shifflet estimates tourism accounts for a $11 billion direct spending. Coastal Carolina University estimates tourism accounts for $2.2 billion in labor impact, and more than 80,000 jobs throughout our local community. The money invested from tourism circulates throughout our local economy several times over, providing an ongoing economic impact.
How does tourism benefit businesses other than hotels, restaurants and golf courses?
Many businesses throughout the Grand Strand, such as retail stores and entertainment venues, enjoy a balance of customers that include both tourists and residents. Ultimately, these tourism-dependent businesses need other services, such as and plumbers and bankers, which are supported, in part, by tourist dollars.
How does tourism affect our local infrastructure and essential services?
The positive impact of tourism on infrastructure and public services benefits everyone – residents, tourists and businesses. Tourists use much of the same infrastructure and services that residents use, including roads, airports, police/fire protection, medical services, etc., and a growing tourism industry requires adequate investment and maintenance of our local infrastructure and public services. Tourism dollars help the area expand these investments, including those for publicly owned facilities like the Myrtle Beach Convention Center or the Myrtle Beach International Airport. As a result, tourism helps pay for infrastructure and services that everyone benefits from.
What kinds of jobs does tourism generate?
Most people associate tourism with hourly jobs in the service sector, and there’s no doubt that tourism is accountable for 80,000+ jobs locally. What’s often overlooked are the management jobs that are a part of the tourism industry. We see desk clerks and housekeepers, but don’t notice the managers, supervisors, accountants and marketers that work in a hotel or resort. We see waiters, bartenders and cooks but don’t notice the team of managers, chefs, accountants and supervisors that run a restaurant. We see flight attendants and counter attendants but don’t notice the pilots, auditors, engineers and other professionals that run airlines. While tourism does create hourly jobs, it also supports and sustains an overlooked corps of managers and other professionals that play an integral role.
why do we have to promote tourism, Wouldn’t people come anyway?
There’s no doubt the Grand Strand is fortunate to be home to exceptional amenities and attractions, most notably our beaches. And while most visitors who choose to vacation here rank the beach as the most popular draw, research confirms that the non-beach amenities — restaurants, attractions, golf courses, etc. — are what differentiates our destination and make it so popular. To build the appeal of the destination and effectively compete for visitors and tourism spending in our area, the non-beach amenities must be effectively marketed. Visitors who have never been to the Grand Strand are often surprised to learn just how much the area offers and securing a visit to our area instead of our competitor destinations is a priority for our marketing program.
What do you get for your money as a resident of the City of Myrtle Beach?
Tourism plays a huge value for residents of the City of Myrtle Beach due to a tax credit owner-occupied residents receive through the City of Myrtle Beach Tourism Development Fee – or TDF. For the current 2020-21 fiscal year, the TDF provides a 76 percent credit toward city property taxes. For a home with an assessed value of $250,000, that’s a savings of $600 per year. City of Myrtle Beach property owners can calculate their potential savings here.
Fast Facts About Myrtle Beach Tourism
ANNUAL VISITORS
(2020 estimate per D.K. Shifflet)
PASSENGERS
THROUGH MYRTLE BEACH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT
1,606,137
(2021) Enplanements
1,604,110
(2021) Deplanements
GOLF COURSES
90+
(2021)
ROUNDS PLAYED
ANNUALLY
2.37 MILLION
(2021 estimate)
MINIATURE
GOLF COURSES
34
FULL-SERVICE
RESTAURANTS
2,000
(approximately in Horry & Georgetown counties)
LIVE ENTERTAINMENT
THEATERS
7
with approximately 7,500 seats
OUTLET STORES
300+
* The values listed here are approximations based on the latest research available to the Myrtle Beach Area Convention and Visitors Bureau.
ACCOMMODATIONS
APPROXIMATELY
HOTEL OCCUPANCY RATE
(2021 Source: STR)
RENTALS OCCUPANCY RATE
(2021 Source: KeyData)
APPROXIMATELY
ACCOMMODATIONS FOR RENT
DURING PEAK SEASON
(Source: E.F. Hucks Consulting, LLC)
(Approx. 89,000 represent hotel/motel only)
For more information click here.
Economic Impact & Infrastructure
tourism provides more than
$11.1
billion
dollars in visitor spending
annually with another
$2.2
billion
in labor impact, according to recent studies
Tax Impact
Horry County
Accommodation Taxes:
$31.7
million
(2021)
Hospitality Fee:
$40
million
(2021)
* The values listed here are approximations based on the latest research available to the Myrtle Beach Area Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Tourism-Funded Projects
Tourism News & Updates
Sponsors
