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The Town Council in early March agreed to release $300,000 to the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce to advertise the region to potential visitors in markets within driving distance, such as Atlanta. The idea is to target new visitors who may consider driving to the island for vacation even in a tough economy.
“There’s just a concern here that most projections are that tourism is going to be down throughout the region (and) across the country,” town manager Steve Riley said. “How do we try to grab a little more than our normal share?”
The money comes from an emergency advertising reserve fund, a money source the town established to advertise the island and help the local economy bounce back from a major disaster such as a hurricane. The money comes from portion of hospitality tax charged on prepared food and beverages and a portion of local accommodations tax charged on overnight lodging. Those taxes usually put about $200,000 a year into the fund, which means the town will be dipping into its savings this year to provide money for the chamber. Last year it granted a similar request from the chamber for $200,000.
