When will greenville overtake Myrtle Beach in tourism? (Charleston, Edisto: sales, hotels)

[cyclingdawg]

What does the upstate need to compete with the Grand Strand for tourism. I think Greenville is only a few theme restaurants and a major attraction away from overtaking Myrtle Beach for the states number 1 tourist city. With in 5 years this will happen. The upstate already is more popular than the Grand Strand and when more hotels are built then they will overtake them. This market is ripe for an ESPN Zone and a Margaritaville.

[Chromekitty]

Won't ever happen...

[PawleysDude]

Hmmmm...... Sea level needs to rise about a 1000ft. Guess it depends upon rate of climate change. Couple million years, maybe....

[motonenterprises]

Greenville is a more business climate. While I like tourism I wouldn't want Greenville to be based on just that. Most jobs in tourism are low paying jobs and we need to keep attracting high paying jobs. Greenville will grow for a long time, but it will be based on the business climate.

[Greenville]

Greenville is certainly working to increase its tourism, but the type of tourism is very different from what Myrtle Beach sees. People go to Myrtle Beach during the summer, and often stay for a week. It drops off dramatically in the cooler months. Greenville, on the other hand, is working to attract more people for weekend trips to shop, dine, see live performances, etc. There is also a push to market Greenville as the gateway to the Blue Ridge Mountains. This will hopefully generate more of a year-round pattern of tourism.

Plans will be released soon for an incredible visitor center downtown, as well as another visitor center closer to the mountains. Both of these visitor centers will be iconic, and will likely take Greenville to another level with regard to tourism. Even at that, the Upstate isn't likely to see the volume of tourists Myrtle Beach does. I think that's okay with Greenville residents and city leaders, because tourism isn't intended to be the area's bread and butter like it is in Myrtle Beach. Rather, it's just another piece of the pie.

[PawleysDude]

The upstate already is more popular than the Grand Strand...

I'll bet that's based on some interesting statistics.

Greenville makes some excellent points, and IMO, a better question is why would Greenville *want* to overtake MB in tourism? It's definitely a shakey base for building an economy, and it brings with it a ton of problems - overcrowding, insufficient roadways, transient crime, high DUI rates, conflict of interests between residents and tourists, etc, etc, etc. MB's battles over bike weeks is a prime example. The conflict has gone on for years, and there's no good answer that will satisfy everyone. Tourism? Be careful what you wish for.

You want a Margaritaville? Take MB's M'ville, please! The place may be the mecca of tourist tacky, and you can always find expensive bad food somewhere else. We thought they would at least occasionally bring in some decent mid-level entertainment, but the same bands they use also play other local places that are more enjoyable, much cheaper and serve far better food.

[myrc60]

People go to MB for the ocean and Greenville won't have that for a very long time if ever. It will never happen in our lifetime.

[waccamatt]

Why would you want to? Tourism-related jobs are very low paying and the owners of most of the resorts, etc. live out of state. Tourists do add to sales tax and accommodations tax revenues, IMO, the jobs created by tourism are virtually worthless to the state. We need more high paying tech related and manufacturing related jobs, not more tourism jobs.

[gvillesc]

The Upstate currently generates 15% of the state's tourism dollars. Greenville is simply looking to turn people's day trips into over night stays, and over night stays into two night or weekend stays. The Upstate is an absolutely beautiful region of South Carolina, and Greenville recognizes its opportunity to act as the home base and excursion point for the region's various sites and events. This is going to be done by the two previously mentioned visitor centers in order to make people more aware of the opportunities that surround them...

And yes, without the ocean at our front door. Imagine that!

[Skyliner]

If people ever love Greenville for the same reason they love Myrtle Beach as a tourist mecca, then it will be an extremely sad day for this city. I enjoy occasional visits to places like Olando, Fl, and Charleston, SC, but I would never want to live there if I had the option. In fact, I dislike the tourist-centric vibe of Myrtle Beach so much, that I rarely visit the place and typically opt for a nostalgic, relaxing, coastal vacation on Edisto Island, where I always find real quality and authentic appeal without being bombarded by all the advertisements for tourist traps everywhere I turn.

I love Greenville and love the way our leaders have decided to focus on the natural appeal of the surrounding region, along with the vibrant, eclectic atmosphere in downtown - rather than trying to create something fake or generic just to lure people and their money here. Greenville is a business-oriented city with many other industries interwoven, forming a solid and diverse urban fabric that is perfect for everyday living and short vacationing. As such, I do not see Greenville's level of tourism ever overtaking that of Myrtle Beach. Greenville stands much taller in several other industries (corporate business, manufacturing, engineering, etc...), while tourism is by far Myrtle Beach's main source of revenue. I don't see either city's industry orientation ever changing much.