A perfect place to meet

BOB MOWAT

(Photo above: Seen here, from l to r, during a recent stop in Toronto are Julie Ellis, public relations & communications manager for the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce; Kimberly Hartley, TravelSolutions by Design (which provides services for the Myrtle Beach CVB); Chef Heidi Vukov; Ursula Grant, convention sales manager for the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce; and Ian Tillson of TravelSolutions by Design.)

Okay, when you think of Myrtle Beach, you think of the beach – right?
Well, Julie Ellis of the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce will enlighten you to the fact that for groups, meetings and incentives there are a whole lot of other options available in the destination to meet their needs. Plus, there is still the beach to enjoy.
Asked why agents should consider sending their groups to Myrtle Beach, Ellis responded: “Because they can get anything they need,” pointing to entertainment, lodging and a host of other activities.
In fact, she added that the “biggest problem for agents and their groups is deciding what to do when they’re there.”
Ellis is quick to mention that Myrtle Beach also offers groups loads of accommodation options, with over 98,000 units, ranging from B&Bs to traditional hotel rooms to beach house rentals.
With all of this on offer, it’s not surprising that the destination’s groups, meetings and incentive business is big business for Myrtle Beach and it’s a growing business as groups discover how much there is to do, Ellis said.
She noted that the Myrtle Beach area has seven theatres that offer a range of different types of shows, from comedy to musicals and more, leading her to observe that: “rain or shine, there’s always something to do.”
Myrtle Beach is also the mini golf capital of the world boasting 65 courses all of which feature a different theme. There are also 90 golf courses in the area for those who want to spend a day on the links.
Ellis also told CTP that there are two things that visitors might not expect to do on a visit to Myrtle Beach. The first is go on safari, while the second is to explore a sculpture and botanical garden.
To check out the safari, go to
myrtlebeachsafari.com, while details on the sculpture and botanical garden are available at www.brookgreen.org .
With so much to offer, it’s not surprising that Myrtle Beach attracts more than 1 million Canadians each year and it’s also not surprising that the destination is seeing its group business growing by leaps and bounds.
(www.VisitMyrtleBeach.com)