NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. — The City of North Myrtle Beach officials spoke on Thursday about how they are fighting COVID-19 during the pandemic and also working to bring tourists safely to the area.
Travel has been limited due to the coronavirus pandemic. Many places were shut down at one point to help stop the spread of the virus.
In the past few months businesses and attractions have been allowed to reopen so more people are heading out on the road for vacation.
The City of North Myrtle Beach Mayor Marilyn Hatley says the pandemic has probably been the biggest challenge their city has ever faced.
"From the very beginning when COVID-19 started in our community up to today, the very first thing we did was that we declared an emergency ordinance that would shut down short-term rentals," said Mayor Hatley.
The ordinance was in affect back in April and lasted until Governor Henry McMaster implemented his own ordinance.
The mayor says the tourism industry has been the hardest hit during the pandemic.
"We felt like we needed to do all that we possibly could at the very beginning so that we were able to get our businesses open."
The City of North Myrtle Beach created a recovery task force made up of representatives from businesses in the city and the Chamber of Commerce to be a part of it.
With the tourism industry hurting, the mayor says they wanted to find a way to reopen businesses safely.
"We all decided that the safest way to open our community back up for business was that we placed guidelines and safety measures that would be good for the health and welfare of our residence as well as our visitors," explained Mayor Hatley.
The mayor says hospitality businesses stepped up to the plate and implemented their own safety measures. She believes short-term rental places like homes, motels and condos are probably the cleanest they've ever been.
Right before the Memorial Day weekend, Governor McMaster allowed some businesses and attractions to reopen.
The reopening brought many people back to the coast of South Carolina for the holiday weekend.
After Memorial Day, the City of North Myrtle Beach saw a spike in coronavirus cases in their county. Soon after, the city implemented a face mask ordinance.
"It's amazing how the public stepped up to the plate and were willing to do this," said Mayor Hatley. "Of course, you're always going to have some that will not for whatever reason, but the majority of the people in North Myrtle Beach took that challenge and stepped up to the plate."
Some states have labeled The Grand Strand area as a hotspot. States like Kentucky, Ohio and West Virigina have urged their residents to not travel to the Myrtle Beach area or to quarantine themselves for 14 days when they come back.
"I keep reminding people that the numbers you are seeing from the hotspot is throughout the whole entire county. To put it in perspective, our county is the size of the state of Rhode Island. We are a huge county," explained Mayor Hatley.
"If you break it down into the Myrtle Beach, North Myrtle Beach area, North Myrtle Beach has less than ten percent of their people who have had COVID-19," said Mayor Hatley.
While some states believe their residents have caught the coroanvirus from places like North Myrtle Beach, the mayor believes that should be challenged because no one is sure where someone came in contact with the virus. She believes people could have potentially caught the coronavirus through travel in other states before coming to their city.
The mayor says it's people who spread the virus, not places.
The City of North Myrtle Beach has been working with other cities and towns along the coast to continue to find ways to reopen safely.
Cheryl Kilday is the President and CEO of North Myrtle Beach Chamber of CDME. They've been taking a three stage approach with their recovery strategy.
"We early on knew we needed a recovery strategy and we didn't know how long this whole situation, this environment would last, but we needed a plan early on," said Kilday.
They've worked on traveling surveys with folks around the country about how they feeling traveling but also how they feel in their own communities as the pandemic continues.
The chamber then talked with businesses about their research and their findings and what their consumers would be expecting once they come into town.
The chamber and city has been making videos for the public to help encourage people following CDC guidelines. The messaging has been included on billboards, social media and advertising. They've been asking people to wash their hands, wear a mask and to practice social distancing.
The chamber says they've been talking with people who take the surveys about what the city is doing to help protect the community's health.
"That messaging really became when the tide brings you back, we'll be ready and then sharing with them what we're doing to be ready," said Kilday.
The chamber plans on sending out a road trip tool kit for people who have requested their visitor information over the past 18 months. These kits would go to places where people are not in hotspots themselves.
The city has also chosen not to advertise visiting North Myrtle Beach in some locations due to traveling restrictions in places further away from South Carolina.
Brandon Cox is the chair of the Destination Marketing Committee for the chamber says people are taking part in the Greater Grand Strand Promise.
"The local areas created the Greater Grand Strand Promise... This was an initiative that was born out of the Horry County Welcome Back committee," said Cox. "What it allows is for businesses to make a pledge to do their part and helping prevent the spread of COVID-19 in our area."
Businesses would encourage social distancing, hand washing, using hand sanitizer and other safety measures. Residents and visitors can take the pledge as well.
The city says they plan on sending out the road trip tool kits out soon and stressed the importance that businesses, residents and visitors must all do their part so people can enjoy the area safely.