Myrtle Beach area News

Holiday FantaSea to Showcase Myrtle Beach as Top Destination

The seventh annual Holiday FantaSea (formerly the Motorcoach Festival) will be held 9:30-11:30 a.m. Dec. 2 and Dec. 4 at the Alabama Theatre. The event is sponsored by the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce/Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Coastal Network Cooperative, a local entity promoting group travel. Holiday FantaSea 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. Each day 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.

Thousands of 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.

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

Last year, the American Bus Association named the Motorcoach Festival among its Top 100 Events in North America. ABA’s 2009 Top 100 Events Selection Committee chose the 2009 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.