Visit Myrtle Beach Fall Release Reaches a Potential Audience of Over 98 Million

Visit Myrtle Beach distributed a national press release in early August designed to show travelers why fall is so much more than just an extension of summer along the Grand Strand. The story combined coastal traditions, community events and new visitor experiences to position the season as the perfect time to plan a Myrtle Beach getaway.

The release, “The Local Secret About Fall in Myrtle Beach is Out” was distributed nationally through PR Newswire as part of Visit Myrtle Beach’s ongoing effort to generate positive exposure, support year-round visitation and elevate perceptions of the destination.

Sharing a Different Side of Fall

The release began with the local perspective that many residents consider fall one of the best times of year to experience The Beach. Pleasantly warm days make it possible to enjoy the ocean and spend time outdoors, but the story emphasized that the season’s appeal extends well beyond the weather and the beach.

From the Loris Bog-Off Festival and North Myrtle Beach’s Witches Sunrise Surf to Conway’s monthlong City of Halloween transformation, the release highlighted traditions travelers are not likely to find anywhere else. It also introduced new reasons to visit, including Little River Waterfront Fright Nights, NMB Live!, the Purdy Center at Brookgreen Gardens and the inaugural Myrtle Beach Songwriters Festival.

Additional experiences included the SOS Fall Migration, Myrtle Beach Jazz Fest, Harvest Home Weekend and fall adventures on the water with Crazy Sister Marina, helping to demonstrate the variety of activities available across the Grand Strand from September through November.

Together, these stories gave media outlets and potential visitors a picture of what fall is like in Myrtle Beach and showed it as a season shaped by local flavor, community traditions, live music, outdoor adventure and unexpected experiences.

Initial Results 

PR Newswire reported the following results from the national distribution:

• Total potential audience: 98,776,651

• Total pickups: 635

• Total engagement: 10,233 click-throughs, shares and downloads

The 635 pickups extended the story well beyond Visit Myrtle Beach’s owned channels, while more than 10,000 engagements showed that readers took action after encountering the content.

Why This Exposure Matters

Fall is a great time to inspire travel beyond the traditional summer vacation period. National distribution helps keep Myrtle Beach top of mind as travelers consider fall getaways and gives them timely, specific reasons to plan their trip. By connecting major festivals with local traditions, new attractions and individual businesses, the release also created visibility for communities throughout the Grand Strand. This broader destination story encourages visitors to explore more of the area and discover experiences that may lead them to stay longer. 

This type of storytelling supports the community by promoting the events, attractions, accommodations, restaurants and businesses that shape the visitor experience. Visit Myrtle Beach will continue pursuing positive national exposure and sharing stories that distinguish the Grand Strand throughout the year. 

Read the complete fall press release on PR Newswire.

June Communications Efforts Bring National Attention and Local Impact

Throughout June, Visit Myrtle Beach worked with national media, local news outlets and content creators to keep the Grand Strand top of mind for travelers planning vacations.

These efforts help inspire future trips, support area businesses and strengthen the local economy.

One of the month’s biggest highlights came June 9, when Myrtle Beach was featured on “The Kelly Clarkson Show.” Nationally recognized travel expert Emily Kaufman, also known as “The Travel Mom,” destination in a South Carolina road trip series that introduced viewers to iconic attractions such as the Myrtle Beach Boardwalk, SkyWheel, Broadway at the Beach and Ripley's Aquarium. Visit Myrtle Beach supported the production with local coordination and destination video assets, helping showcase the Grand Strand to a nationwide audience.

Other national coverage reached travelers with a variety of interests. Travel + Leisure named Myrtle Beach one of the 10 most affordable places to visit in the U.S. in August, highlighting the destination’s Make More Myrtle Moments lodging offers, family entertainment, dining scene and seasonal experiences. Forbes included comments from Visit Myrtle Beach President Stuart Butler in a story about lower fuel costs and summer travel, helping position the Grand Strand as an affordable and accessible destination. Myrtle Beach was also featured in Allegiant’s Nonstop Life magazine, reaching airline passengers, while ConventionSouth introduced meeting planners to the area’s wineries, breweries and distilleries. Together, these stories kept Myrtle Beach in front of families, business readers, airline passengers and meeting planners as they considered future travel.

The communications team also worked with local and regional media to promote events happening across the Grand Strand. Ahead of Independence Day, Visit Myrtle Beach shared a guide to July Fourth celebrations, including free fireworks, flyovers and family activities planned for America’s 250th anniversary. Providing these details in one place made it easier for news outlets to inform residents and visitors while helping people plan where to celebrate. The team also participated in local media interviews surrounding Carolina Country Music Fest. The interviews highlighted the excitement of the event along with its positive impact on area businesses and the local tourism economy.

Recent content creator partnerships continued producing strong results in June. Videos from Alexia Hargrove’s May visit received more than 3 million views and 200,000 reactions, comments and shares, making it Visit Myrtle Beach’s highest-performing creator partnership of the year so far. James Barrett’s “Merman’s Guide to Myrtle Beach” also reached new audiences through online coverage, social media and a newsletter that achieved a 32% open rate. Partnerships like these allow travelers to discover local restaurants, attractions, accommodations and communities through relatable, firsthand experiences.

During June, Myrtle Beach media coverage generated more than 1.2 billion potential views across television, online, print and other platforms. That exposure was estimated to be worth $16.1 million in advertising value. So far this year, communications efforts have generated more than 13.2 billion potential views and nearly $280 million in estimated advertising value. These figures show how widely the Grand Strand’s story is traveling and how continued media exposure can encourage visitation, support local businesses and contribute to a stronger quality of life for residents.

Much of the team’s work in June will continue producing results in the months ahead. The team is preparing for a national Family Fun Month television interview series, developing late-summer and fall story ideas, planning future visits for travel writers and coordinating upcoming content creator partnerships. These efforts will help keep the Grand Strand visible as travelers plan fall getaways and future vacations and will keep Myrtle Beach top of mind as a year-round destination.

July 4th Holiday Weekend Recap: Independence Day Drives Tourism Performance

The Grand Strand's Independence Day holiday weekend reflected evolving summer travel patterns, with lodging demand peaking on Saturday, July 4, as visitors timed trips around the holiday itself. 

Sunny beach weather, community celebrations for America 250 and the Fourth of July falling on a Saturday for the first time since 2020 contributed to high occupancy on Independence Day. At the same time, the region continued moving toward the completion of its beach renourishment project, with only limited sections of shoreline still under construction during the holiday weekend. 

According to CoStar, hotel occupancy reached 93.2 percent on Saturday, July 4, a 13.2 percent increase over last year, while Friday occupancy remained consistent with 2025 at 92.3 percent. Vacation rentals also saw increased holiday demand, with Key Data reporting 87.5 percent occupancy on Saturday, a 5.1 percent year-over-year increase. 

The Myrtle Beach area maintained that momentum during the week ending July 11, with CoStar reporting weekly hotel occupancy increased 5.9 percent year over year. The largest gains came immediately after the holiday, with occupancy rising 12.4 percent on Sunday and 9.9 percent on Monday compared with the same days last year, showing many visitors extended their beach vacations beyond Independence Day.

Vacation rentals also saw post-holiday gains, with KeyData reporting adjusted paid occupancy increasing to 67.5 percent on Sunday, July 5, from 63.7 percent last year, and edging up to 63.4 percent on Monday, July 6, from 62.6 percent. 

Myrtle Beach also posted one of the strongest occupancy increases among its competitive destinations during the week of July 5-11, despite having significantly more hotel rooms than most other beach markets.

Myrtle Beach was recognized as Tripadvisor's No. 1 destination for Fourth of July travel and among KAYAK's best-value holiday destinations. Throughout the weekend, communities across the Grand Strand hosted fireworks, parades, flyovers and family-friendly events that generated activity for regional businesses. 

The holiday also highlighted the importance of collaboration across our tourism industry. From lodging partners and attractions to restaurants, retailers and local governments, our community worked together to deliver the experiences that continue to make the Grand Strand a destination visitors return to year after year.