Peak tourist season
Our numbers are off this year. The number of visitors in town is down.
This is an extremely unofficial observation, but as a long-time local I can say with confidence we don't have as many tourists here this year as in years past.
My reasons for this conclusion include:
1. My friend who owns an oceanfront hotel said last week she was not fully booked for this week, and that she knows other hotels are reporting lower bookings. It's unusual for our hotels to not be booked up for Fourth of July week.
2. Many of my restaurant owner friends also report sales are down a bit this year.
3. Traffic isn't bad at all. I've hit only one traffic jam this year (other than the usual Saturday afternoon traffic jams when the rental houses turn over), and that was on a rainy day in North Myrtle Beach. Everyone was off the beach and looking for something to do.
What does this mean for you? If you've been thinking about packing up the car and heading to Myrtle Beach, well come on down! It's a great time to do so, and you'll be welcomed with open arms.
