7 days ago
Myrtle Beach hotels, motels reflect on this year's season before busy CCMF weekend
MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. (WBTW) — With the summer season just around the corner, Myrtle Beach hotels and motels are reflecting on this year's season before this weekend's Carolina Country Music Fest.
The event draws in thousands of people to the city each year, which means local hotels and motels typically anticipate fully-booked rooms. But Theresa Willey, a desk worker at Midtown Inn & Cottages, says she feels this weekend may look a little different.
For years, Willey said the motel has had every room booked for months for the CCMF weekend. She said people who have come each year have turned into family as they watch the concerts from the motel's balconies.
But Willey feels this year's lineup may be the reason why not every room is booked. She's unsure if the economy or tariffs play a role in the motel's business this year.
'The big names that they're used to for country music aren't here like they normally are,' she said. 'A lot of people don't look at Kid Rock as a country artist. Jelly Roll, I think because he is the new artist, that a lot of people are excited about him. But they still don't know what side of the fence he's on.'
Willey said this year's season for business has been up and down due to weather. With this weekend's forecast showing rain, she hopes it doesn't turn away even more guests.
In years past — rain or shine — Willey said country music lovers have made their way to the motel to watch the concert from the motel. Which makes her believe the lineup is the main reason why some familiar faces won't be returning to stay at Midtown Inn & Cottages.
'I'm going to miss a lot of them, because it's like a big family weekend, like a reunion, you know?' she said. 'So I'm going to miss a lot of the people who are normally here. But then you get to meet new faces that are coming in.'
Willey said the motel will continue to rely on CCMF for business, but she said they may need to rely more heavily on bike week events moving forward.
Down the road along the boulevard, Oceans One Bar Harbor and Bermuda Sands Hotels' executive director of operations, Ray Booth, said this year's season has been steady. But he says the hotel's rates are different.
'The rates are a little bit depressed. A lot of competition in the area, and it seems like people were a little bit more on a budget looking for a deal,' he said.
Booth said CCMF is also one of their best weekends for bookings of the entire year. He said they plan to have more bookings made for the event later in the week and anticipates most of the guests coming in Thursday.
Booth said he believes inflation has more to do with the hotel's business fluctuation this season.
'I think inflation has more to do than anything than tariffs do,' he said. 'You know, people have had their wallets pinched for the last few years and they're trying to to save as much as they can. But hopefully with some prices coming down now, gas prices are coming down — Hopefully you will see a lot more people traveling this summer.'
Although some out-of-towners have been concerned about recent crime on Ocean Boulevard, Booth feels that's not a main reason impacting the hotel's business.
'I've had people call and say, 'Well, I heard there was a shooting or something.' You know, and they wonder whether it's safe. Obviously, you tell them that we are safe, that the police do everything they can do, and hopefully they can limit those types of incidents,' he said. 'Then you ask them where they're from and they tell you Chicago. So, it's all relative. Even though we're a small town, we still have the crime just like everybody else does.'
Booth said being in a market where other hotels compete just around the corner, making sure the business stays on top isn't easy.
'Most of the hotels last year, I think, were probably down 6 or 7%. You know, we're still coming off a down year, but increasing prices are not something you do when you're in a market that has heavy competition,' he said. 'We just have to deal with it and overcome it.'
Carolina Country Music Fest begins Thursday and ends Sunday.
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Gabby Jonas joined the News13 team as a multimedia journalist in April 2024. She is from Columbus, Ohio, and graduated from Kent State University in May 2023. Follow Gabby on X, formerly Twitter, Facebook or Instagram, and read more of her work here.
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