Myrtle Beach area News

Upcoming Motorcoach Festival Named Top 100 Event

The American Bus Association has named the sixth annual Motorcoach Festival as one of the Top 100 Events in North America for 2009. The designation, which was made by an elite tourism industry selection committee, indicates that the Motorcoach Festival offers excellent entertainment value to tour groups.

ABA’s 2009 Top 100 Events Selection Committee chose the Motorcoach Festival from among hundreds of U.S. and Canadian events nominated by state and provincial tourism offices and convention and visitors bureaus. Judges considered the event’s broad appeal, its accessibility to motor coaches and skill at handling large groups, among other relevant criteria.

“The attractiveness of the Motorcoach Festival as a don’t-miss entertainment value is only part of why its selection this year is such a distinction for the Myrtle Beach area,” said Peter J. Pantuso, ABA’s president and CEO. “The real news here is that the
Motorcoach Festival has been recognized as a potential magnet for tourism dollars at a time when re-energizing domestic tourism is so important to our spirit and our economy. The honor gives the Myrtle Beach area an important boost in visibility among professional tour planners.”

The sixth annual Motorcoach Festival will be held 9:30-11:30 a.m. Dec. 3 and Dec. 5 at the Alabama Theatre. The event is sponsored by the Myrtle Beach Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, a division of the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce, and the Coastal Network Cooperative, a local entity promoting group travel. The Motorcoach Festival is not open to the public.

As an incentive for future travel to Myrtle Beach, more than 1,500 group tour travelers will share the holiday spirit and be treated to food, entertainment and gifts. One lucky participant will receive a $500 gift certificate to a local shopping destination. The groups originate from Michigan, Tennessee, Florida, Virginia, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina.

A few thousand motor coach tours visit the area each year. Area theaters, stores, restaurants and hotels rely on the group tour business, particularly during the winter months. The holiday season provides an opportunity for these visitors to experience the wealth of holiday shows at local theaters, as well as shopping.

According to studies recently completed by researchers at The George Washington University and Dunham and Associates, one overnight visit by a motor coach group can contribute from $5,000 to more than $13,000 to a local destination’s economy. Those dollars are spent on lodging, meals, admissions, fees, shopping, souvenirs, services and local taxes.

“Group tours are vital to Myrtle Beach’s visitor base,” said Danna Lilly, CMP, director of sales, Myrtle Beach Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. “The annual Motorcoach Festival gives us a wonderful opportunity to promote Myrtle Beach as a premier destination and to increase off-season tourism.”