Will pilgrims travel for the holiday? Click here to find out

Despite a dwindling economy and predictions that Thanksgiving travel will drop for the first time since 2002, local businesses and hospitality workers say the holiday weekend will bring just about the same number of tourists to Hilton Head Island as it did last year.

Charlie Clark, vice president of communications for the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce, said Thanksgiving typically is a slow time.

Clark said hotels and villa rentals are about 45 percent occupied, citing the advanced reservation reports the chamber collects. That's 2 percent less than last Thanksgiving.

"When you look at this year's economy versus last year, to be relatively even isn't a bad place to be," she said. "Flat is the new up."

Joe Kramer, director of marketing for the Crowne Plaza Resort on Hilton Head, said business is consistent with last year -- a 30 percent occupancy rate.

Ray and Linda Moloney of Beach Properties of Hilton Head are seeing the same rates with their rentals, and no decrease in business from last year.

Other hotels and property rentals are reporting an increase in business compared to last Thanksgiving.

Hilton Head Marriott Resort & Spa is getting a boost from a Models of the South Annual Conference. "We're

doing better than in previous years, but mostly because we have a group in-house," said David Sulak, the resort's director of marketing. "We are going to run upwards of 70 percent capacity on Friday."

Though gas has dropped below $2 a gallon, AAA Carolinas expects about 15,000 fewer South Carolina residents to travel by road or by airplane this Thanksgiving. Still, the daily price drop for gas might encourage some to make last-minute travel plans.

Ann-Marie Adams-Arrington, executive director for the Hilton Head Area Hospitality Association, expects those last-minute decisions because of unique local events this weekend, such as the community tree lighting, Santa at Coligny Plaza and the snow machines at Shelter Cove Community Park.

"I think that's to our advantage," she said, "so what we program locally is key."

POLICE STEP UP HOLIDAY WEEKEND PATROLS

• State and local police will be out in force this weekend, patrolling roads, directing traffic and working to stop an expected uptick in property crimes at the start of the Christmas shopping season.

• Neither the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office nor the Bluffton Police Department has plans to set up traffic checkpoints, although both will have extra officers on the road and at busy shopping areas. The S.C. Highway Patrol will have additional troopers working, and the agency said checkpoints might be held throughout the state.

• Last year, 11 people died in 10 fatal wrecks statewide during the long holiday weekend. Drunken driving remains a major concern. On average, one person is killed or injured in an alcohol-related crash every two hours in South Carolina, according to the highway patrol.

-- Daniel Brownstein