Thursday, Jan. 15, 2009

Chamber makes strides with MB tourism

The Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce recently celebrated its 70th anniversary.

Formed in 1938, the chamber was a catalyst for promoting tourism. The organization disbanded in 1941 because of World War II but was restructured and rechartered in 1947. The chamber was strictly a volunteer organization until 1948, when it hired its first executive secretary, Mark Garner. Through the years, the organization has been named the Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce, Greater Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce and then Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce.

Between 1935 and 1940, a majority of America's industrial labor force began receiving vacations with pay, ironically making the Depression era a time of more vacationing rather than less. In 1935 Myrtle Beach, Today and Tomorrow, a promotional magazine/newsletter, stressed the need for a beach vacation. The editor described Myrtle Beach as one of those unique resorts where there is always something to do, some place to go and something different to see beyond the usual beach fare.

The local hospitality industry was still in its infancy compared to today. Myrtle Beach's accommodations from the 1920s through the 1960s were owned and operated by families, a defining characteristic. Until the 1930s, all commercial dining was available only through the guest houses, hotels and Ocean Forest Country Club.

One of the biggest strategic boosts to tourism was the development of festivals, which the chamber organized. The first Sun Fun Festival in 1951 was initially conceived to attract vacationers during the slow period between the end of the school year and the July Fourth holiday. The organization started the Grand Strand Fishing Rodeo in 1953 to call attention to the area's excellent fishing opportunities. Originally held from Labor Day to Thanksgiving, the event was expanded to April through October. Canadian-American Days, a weeklong festival that began in 1961, celebrated the many Canadians who flock to Myrtle Beach during the winter months.

Between 1954 and 1964, $40 million was invested locally in lodging, business and residential construction, driven by a record growth in tourism. Tourism generated $48.5 million in income for the Myrtle Beach area in 1963, about $37 million of which was spent at local hotels, motels and other accommodations.

Today, the Myrtle Beach area boasts roughly 89,000 accommodation units and 1,700 restaurants. The number of visitors has swelled to 14 million (2006 estimate), generating a local economic impact of approximately $5.8 billion. The Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce's membership, like the area's tourism, has grown, with the chamber reporting more than 2,400 members.

However, its mission has expanded from simply being an organization that promotes the Myrtle Beach area as a travel destination.

One of its most impressive recent accomplishments was a communitywide effort to attract a presidential debate in 2008, a first for the community. In an unprecedented move, both political parties chose to hold their S.C. debates in Myrtle Beach.

Whether through destination promotion, economic development or business development, the chamber strives to make the Grand Strand community a better place to live, work and play. I wish the chamber well as it embarks on its eighth decade of remarkable service.