This August, Visit Myrtle Beach launches its fall tourism campaign and encourages travelers to Escape to The Beach. The fall season has always been a great time to visit the Myrtle Beach area. While other areas are cooling off, it still feels like summer in Myrtle Beach. With 60 miles of wide-open spaces and even more elbow room during the fall, it’s an ideal time to escape day-to-day life, change the scenery, and socially distance at the beach. Following is an overview of the campaign, including key messaging, sample creative, advertising, public relations, promotions and ways CVB partners can get involved.
There’s Still Time to Escape to the Beach
The campaign will highlight how the area’s wide-open beaches, outdoor activities and dining, and relaxing atmosphere offer those who were unable to get away this year, a chance to do so safely and easily this fall. Within that theme, it will also offer a reminder that the Myrtle Beach area is “your beach,” a place many visit year after year, have established memories and connections in and provides a level of comfort in these trying times that other destinations cannot.
Travel Confidently
Visitors can also travel confidently knowing that the Myrtle Beach area has taken proactive measures to reduce the spread and now has a low incidence rate for new COVID-19 cases. Area businesses have made the Greater Grand Strand Promise to re-open safely, and extra measures, such as mask mandates, have reduced spread significantly. Travelers are asked to visit responsibly and pack their masks!
When You’re Ready, We’re Ready
We know that not everyone will be ready to travel. This campaign will include messaging that let visitors know that “when they’re ready, we’ll be ready” via television and video spots. We’ll also show travelers that now is the time to act by either escaping to the beach immediately or booking travel now for a future trip.
Advertising Media & Markets
For the fall, the primary focus will continue to be on drive markets, as well as air service markets that resume nonstop service. Drive destinations will still be top of mind for travelers for the remainder of the year and it will be crucial to connect to visitors by showing how the area offers a stress-free escape. The campaign will also target those who can work from anywhere and are attending school virtually by showing that it’s an easy destination to just pack up and go to for a few days of work and play.
Approximately $3 million has been allocated for the fall campaign advertising that will run from late August through October. This media budget includes approximately $1 million in broadcast media to drive awareness of the destination, and $2 million in targeted digital advertising to drive demand and bookings. Digital advertising includes digital video, display advertising, native, email, search and social media with many executions optimized over time to maximize results. Following are a few sample television and digital ads for this campaign as well as the markets targeted.
Allentown, PA
Asheville/Greenville/Spartanburg, NC
Atlanta, GA
Augusta, GA
Baltimore, MD
Boston (Portsmouth - Rockingham Cty), MA
Buffalo-Niagra Falls, NY
Charleston-Huntington, WV
Charlotte, NC
Charlottesville, VA
Chattanooga, TN
Chicago, IL
Cincinnati, OH
Clarksburg, WV
Cleveland, OH
Columbus, OH
Detroit, MI
Greensboro, NC
Greenville/New Bern/Washington, NC
Hartford, CT
Islip (NY DMA), NY
Johnstown, TN
Knoxville, TN
Lexington, KY
Louisville, KY
Macon, GA
New York, NY
Norfolk, VA
Orlando, FL
Philadelphia (Atlantic City), PA
Pittsburgh (Latrobe), PA
Raleigh, NC
Richmond, VA
Roanoke, VA
Syracuse, NY
Trenton, NJ
Tri-Cities, TN
Washington DC (Hagerstown) DC
Wheeling-Steubenville, WV
PUBLIC RELATIONS
From an earned media perspective, Visit Myrtle Beach will pitch why the fall season is an ideal time to escape to the beach and will showcase how easy and safe it is. Summer-like temperatures, more elbow room in our wide-open spaces, outdoor adventures, special packages and more. For those not quite ready to getaway, Visit Myrtle Beach will share the beach virtually and encourage them to book now for future trips. Visit Myrtle Beach will also welcome media influencers and journalists back to the beach through hosted trips and virtual deskside visits.
Campaign/Escape to the Beach National Press and MAT Releases
Media Outreach and Pitching
Virtual Deskside Visits
Media Hostings
PROMOTIONS
Escape to the Beach Photo Memory Contest
Did you miss your trip to Myrtle Beach this year? Show us your favorite Myrtle Beach memory for a chance to win a trip back to the beach.
FALL GETAWAY GUIDE
VisitMyrtleBeach.com will have a Fall Getaway Guide updated shortly with the latest “Escape to The Beach” stories, offers and content. Visit Myrtle Beach e-newsletters will feature all the reasons to escape to the beach this fall, including special packages, offers and openings.
WHY I LOVE MYRTLE BEACH LOCAL’S PROGRAM
A new component for this fall campaign is a new local ambassador program where we ask residents to tell us why they love Myrtle Beach, especially during the fall season. We’ll share these insider recommendations with potential visitors. We’ll also highlight locally owned businesses, offering special hours or events at attractions just for residents and thanking them for being ambassadors of the destination.
HOW PARTNERS CAN GET INVOLVED
CVB Leisure Tourism Investment Partners can submit special fall packages and deals via the Partner Extranet. Everyone is encouraged to submit their area fall events via the Submit Event form.