Hilton Head tourism comes to ‘screeching halt:’ 12 rental companies close for 2 weeks
A dozen rental companies on Hilton Head Island have agreed to refuse new reservations until April 9 to slow the spread of coronavirus and respond to mounting community pressure to discourage tourists from coming.
In a letter to Hilton Head Island’s Town Council on Thursday, the companies and the president and CEO of the Hilton Head Island - Bluffton Chamber of Commerce wrote: “We understand that in these unprecedented times, it is critical that residents feel safe in their own community.”
The companies will not accept additional arrivals from March 27 through April 9. Guests with existing reservations will still be allowed to come, one rental company owner said.
The move comes as island residents demand more action to limit tourism to the island. They’re talking publicly, posting in Facebook groups and on Next Door and signing a petition, asking town officials to be responsive. While public beach access points are closed, many lament that visitors with private beach access can still use the state-owned beach, which is still open.
Hilton Head’s hesitancy to act is a contrast with bold moves by other tourist destinations. Beaches in Florida are closed to all, and Myrtle Beach officials ordered hotels and accommodations services to reschedule or cancel all reservations from March 28 through April 30.
The letter to the Hilton Head council was signed by the lion’s share of rental companies on Hilton Head:
The Sea Pines Resort
Palmetto Dunes
- Beachside Getaway
- Island Rentals of Hilton Head
- Island Time Hilton Head
Destination Vacation
- Beach Properties of Hilton Head, Inc.
- Coastal Home and Villa
- BESTNEST by Beverly Serral
- Hilton Head Properties Realty and Rentals
- Island Getaway Rentals
- Vacasa South Carolina - HHI
Tourism comes to ‘a screeching halt’
The letter painted a grim picture of tourism on Hilton Head Island, including acknowledging that “tourism as we know it has come to a screeching halt.”
As all major events have been canceled and restaurant dining rooms closed, Hilton Head visitors who have long vacationed on the island have arrived to an alternate reality. While the sun still shines and waves still crash on the beach, residents and business owners voluntarily sheltering at home mirror the barren streets visitors from New York, Chicago and Ohio may see at home.
Rental companies wrote that home and villa occupancy rates on Hilton Head are hovering around 21% as opposed to 57% at this time last year.
And traffic to and from the island appears to have diminished as well.
On March 16, the third Saturday in March 2019, the S.C. Department of Transportation traffic counters reported 55,448 cars traveled over the Hilton Head bridges.
On the third Saturday in March 2020, the day the closure of public beaches went into effect, only 34,101 cars passed over the bridges.
The company owners also addressed a growing frustration with out-of-state license plates spotted on the island by residents.
“A large percentage of those units are currently occupied by their second homeowners versus renters,” the letter said. “The 60-day beach ban has already dissuaded many potential renters from pursuing an island stay.”
That message was echoed by Mayor John McCann at a Thursday town council meeting, where he addressed residents’ anger about seeing New York and other northeastern state license plates.
The rental companies’ letter, which said it was written in partnership with the chamber of commerce, also appeared to criticize the government’s plan for a local “shelter-in-place” order.
It said a local order, which has not been implemented, should last only 14 days.
“We know that anything longer than a two-week mandate would further devastate the health and economic well-being of our workforce and their families, which will have a lasting impact long after the COVID-19 threat has passed.”
The letter also suggested that the town lighten up on the beach closure, which currently lasts two months.
“The current beach ban impacts future reservations, perhaps unnecessarily,” the letter said.
Should I still vacation on Hilton Head?
While it’s a deeply personal decision to choose whether to travel, many have taken to Facebook groups and even The Island Packet to ask whether they should cancel upcoming trips to Hilton Head.
Here are some facts that may help you make your decision:
- Island restaurants and bars have been forced to close dining rooms as of March 18.
- Public beach access points and parking lots were closed for 60 days starting March 21.
- Law enforcement and emergency services are active and responding to calls.
- Rentals from 12 different companies have paused check-ins until at least April 9.
- RBC Heritage Presented by Boeing, originally set for April 13-19, has been canceled.
This story was originally published March 27, 2020 at 2:26 PM.
