Myrtle Beach celebrates National Travel and Tourism Week

MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WMBF) – The Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce and Convention and Visitors Bureau joins hundreds of cities, states and businesses across the county to celebrate National Travel and Tourism Week.

A news release from the MBACC and CVB states that the celebration is set to continue through May 12, and this year marks the 30^th annual National Travel and Tourism Week.

MBACC is celebrating the nearly 15 million tourists that visit the Myrtle Beach area yearly with activities and promotions for everyone visiting the Grand Strand.

The chamber's visitor centers in Myrtle Beach and Murrells Inlet will serve complimentary refreshments during the week and the Myrtle Beach International Airport visitor center will host live music throughout the week as well as offer refreshments.

The news release outlined some of the following Myrtle Beach area travel and tourism facts, as estimated by CCU:

-          Tourism accounts for a $6.3 billion in economic impact and another $1.8 billion in indirect economic impact.

-          Tourism accounts for 73,500 jobs throughout the Grand Strand. The tourism industry creates 53,733 jobs directly, and an additional indirect/induced 19,803 jobs.

-           $829 million spent at Grand Strand food & beverage businesses throughout the Grand Strand is attributed to visitor spending.

-          Horry and Georgetown counties combined generated $9.7 billion in retail sales in 2010-2011, accounting for almost 7 percent of the state's retail sales much of which came from tourism (source: S.C. Department of Revenue).

-          Horry and Georgetown generated over $9.9 million in admissions taxes in 2011, more than one-third of the state's total admissions tax collections (source: S.C. Department of Revenue).

-          Horry and Georgetown generated more than $17.2 million in accommodations taxes in 2011, more than one-third of the state's total accommodations tax collections (source: S.C. Department of Revenue).

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