Myrtle Beach may not rival Times Square as a New Year's Eve destination, but more tourists this year are making their way to the Grand Strand to ring in the new year.
This is the second year in a row the Trollinger family from Durham, North Carolina has come to Myrtle Beach for the week after Christmas.
"Myrtle Beach is just a fun place to be any time of year," said Dan Trollinger.
The Trollingers enjoy the sun, the heated pool and the many things to do on the Grand Strand.
"There's lots of fun stuff like, we can go putt-putt golf and stuff," said Trollinger's daughter, Joelle.
The Trollingers are staying at the Island Vista Resort, where manager Steve Chapman expects nearly every room to be filled over the New Year's holiday weekend.
Chapman expects much of that business will be last minute walk-in traffic.
"Kind of like we saw this summer, people realize the amount of inventory that's in Myrtle Beach and the amount of rooms and sometimes you get your best deals just walking in," Chapman said.
Numbers from Coastal Carolina University's tourism center show hotel occupancy to be up 5 to 6 percent for this New Year's weekend, compared to last year.
CCU officials say the trend has shown steady increases since Thanksgiving weekend.
Chapman thinks the Grand Strand is getting to be better known and better marketed as a drive-to tourist destination for the holiday season.
"In particular with the shows that we have here and the publication of things to do in the off season, the shopping whether it be before the holiday or the after holiday sales, with all the venues that we have for shopping and theaters."
Chapman says there will be more marketing dollars for the Grand Strand to spend on advertising next year than ever before and he's optimistic about 2010, though he says it's too early to say how much better next year will be.
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