The warm weather has Myrtle Beach businesses saying this tourist season is off to a good start.
Business owner Nathan West runs Airbrush 66 off Ocean Boulevard. He's been in business for five years now with his son. West expects with the weather and Myrtle Beach's comparatively low gas prices will have a positive affect on business this summer. He says gas prices are cheaper here than where he previously ran an airbrush shop, Daytona Beach, Florida.
"If I was a mother and father and had three kids and I'm going to go on vacation, if I could save six to 700 dollars, then I'm going to Myrtle Beach," he said.
Tourists seem to be agreeing. Numbers from the Clay Brittain Jr. Center for Resort Tourism show spring break tourism is slightly up this year from last by 2.3 percent.
The current average unleaded gas prices in Myrtle Beach are around $3.65 cents. That's more than 20 cents below the national average of $3.84. It's also far below competitor beaches like Wilmington where the average is $3.85 and Daytona Beach where the average is $3.92.
Annie Melton and her family drove from Louisville, Kentucky to Myrtle Beach for spring break this year. She says gas and weather were the deciding factors into why they came here.
"Well first of all gas was $3.99 in Louisville, which is outrageous. Today they said it was 68 there, rather cool. But here it's beautiful!" Melton said.
