With gloriously sunny days and balmy nights well into the fall, Myrtle Beach, South Carolina is the ideal place to treat yourself to a sun-soaked autumnal escape and keep those vacation vibes alive. There’s no better way to start your fall getaway at The Beach than with a hearty morning meal to keep you fueled up and ready for adventure. The Grand Strand is home to a burgeoning brunch scene that rivals many a culinary mecca. “The myriad of top-notch and delectable culinary offerings in Myrtle Beach from breakfast to brunch and beyond allows visitors to sample some of the region’s most iconic and unique dishes while traveling along the Grand Strand’s 60 miles of sunny coastline,” said Karen Riordan, President and CEO of Visit Myrtle Beach. “With new restaurant concepts being launched every month and an impressive line-up of food-related events showcasing seasonal cuisine, The Beach offers the perfect balance of stunning fall weather and flavorful fare for all.”
Beach Destinations Face Hot Competition from Wider Post-Pandemic Tourist Growth
25.08.2023 - 13:49 / skift.com / Myrtle Beach / Dawit Habtemariam / Karen Riordan
Beach destinations are heading into the summer under a more competitive tourism environment under which their pandemic-powered visitation growth rates are likely to soften thanks to cities and international travel fully back in the traveler choice mix.
During the pandemic, rural, beach and other outdoor-centered destinations hit record visitation from people escaping cities, as captured in a 2022 Skift megatrend. These destinations saw explosive growth rates in 2021 and 2022. In Florida, Panama City Beach’s lodging tax revenue jumped by 50 percent from $23 million in 2018 to $36 million in 2021, said Dan Rowe, president and CEO of Visit Panama City Beach. For Myrtle Beach, 2021 was the strongest year they’ve “ever had in the history of tourism to Myrtle Beach,” South Carolina, said Karen Riordan, president and CEO of Visit Myrtle Beach.
Beaches were especially coveted for their warmer temperatures, fresh air and beautiful features. In California, Carmel-by-the-Sea’s white sand beaches, small population size and outdoor access hotels were a major draw to the walkable one-square mile village. “During the pandemic, that remained a very popular vacation option because we have the outdoor attractions,” said Amy Herzog, executive director for Visit Carmel-by-the-Sea, which saw a boom from pent-up demand and had higher than usual occupancy in 2021. Carmel-by-the-Sea is located in California.
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New source markets came into play for beaches. Panama City Beach’s primary markets used to be Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee, said Rowe. That cohort has expanded to include the Midwest, the Upper Midwest, Texas and even Orlando, which is six hours away and has its own beaches.
The popularity inspired airlines to introduce direct flights from Kansas City and Denver. “Those are cities I wouldn’t necessarily think would fly here, but we have direct service,” said Rowe.
Growth rates remain strong but they are starting to soften for some. “Even for most of 2022, it started to level off at the fourth quarter of 2022 and now we’re back to more of a typical occupancy level,” said Carmel-by-the-Sea’s Herzog. Panama City Beach’s Rowe expects 2023 their growth rates to come down by a few points. Rural and remote destinations have been experiencing the same slow down.
Part of the reason is that international travel is fully open, and Americans are more comfortable than ever traveling abroad. In February 2023, 4.3 million Americans took international flights, up 53 percent from 2022 and 9 percent from February 2019, according to the National Travel and Tourism Office.
Big cities are also competitive again. Global cities are popular again, according to the World Travel and
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