How is the coronavirus affecting business on Hilton Head?
As the spreading coronavirus causes changes in travel plans, Hilton Head Island’s booming tourism industry could see a major impact.
At the Days Inn by Wyndham Hilton Head near Shelter Cove, the hotel has received at least 19 cancellations Thursday over coronavirus fears. Hotels across the island said they are receiving “plenty” of calls from guests canceling reservations, blaming the virus.
With St. Patrick’s Day celebrations starting Saturday, a few Hilton Head hotels noted their rooms were less filled than typical St. Patrick’s Day weekends.
The Palmera Inn & Suites near the Shipyard Plantations reported they are expecting a 10-15% decrease this year in rooms filled over St. Patrick’s Day weekend, with the highest occupancy rate likely to reach 67%.
More southeast, the Best Western Ocean Breeze Inn said it is only 63% booked up during St. Patrick’s celebrations, compared to 100% last year. Though, they do see a lot of last minute bookings, noted a front desk representative.
Bigger hotels like the Beach House, Hilton Head Island near Coligny Beach, the Marriott Hilton Head Resort & Spa near Palmetto Dunes, and Disney’s Hilton Head Island Resort reported very few cancellations and normal St. Patrick’s Day weekend numbers.
Fewer travelers could have downstream effects on the local economy. In 2018, tourist spending brought in $1.4 billion for Beaufort County, according to a study from Regional Transactions Concepts LLC.
It is on the minds of small business owners who make up the web of shops in Coligny Plaza Shopping Center.
Even with a bevy of college students on elongated spring breaks and nice weather outside, shop owners like Brody Kenneweg said there is a lot of uncertainty about the effects of the coronavirus.
“I’ve got hurricanes down pat, I don’t know what to expect at all with this,” said Kenneweg, who owns the Haskins & Co. boutique clothing and gift shop. “I’m sure it will impact business with all these closings.”
Next door, Sophie Templeton, manager of the longtime gift shop Pelican’s Pouch, wonders the same thing.
“We are anticipating impacts, especially with everything you hear on the news. We just don’t know who will be traveling here,” said Templeton. “We’ll just have to wait it out.”
Templeton did note strong spring break crowds populating the shopping plaza, likely boosted by a slew of colleges across the U.S. extending spring breaks or suspending classes.
Some owners said their typical foot traffic has not changed, but they have taken some extra precautions with coronavirus fears.
Zoran Vojnovic, general manager of the seafood restaurant Fish, pointed The Island Packet to the new hand sanitizer machines installed next to the business’ open doors. Felton McEntire, manager of The Spice & Tea Exchange, said the company removed food samples to avoid sharing germs.
This story was originally published March 12, 2020 at 3:57 PM.
