Hilton Head chamber begins planning for when tourism gets the ‘go-ahead’
A plan to reopen businesses and other economic drivers on Hilton Head Island is in the works, and is being spearheaded by business leaders, not the Town of Hilton Head Island.
The Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce announced Monday it would appoint committees to begin planning how to safely reopen restaurants, retail, lodging, recreation/attractions, and small businesses, according to a email blast to chamber members.
While the island’s leaders have not even discussed an official reopening plan, the chamber email said chamber leaders hope to have their “Path Forward Readiness Plan” prepared by the end of April or early May.
Chamber officials have appointed committee chairs, who will then decide who serves on their committee. The appointment of planning committees by the chamber underscores the chamber’s intimate connections to and management of town government functions, although it is not a public entity itself.
Committee members will come from the business community and town government, and will also include residents and health care leaders, the email to chamber members said.
The committees will consider the following issues in their meetings:
- Safety of customers and staff
- Risk management
- Rules and restrictions specific to outdoor spaces
- Enforcement of measures to be followed by the public
“We are all looking forward to getting the economy up and running and our community back to work safely,” the chamber’s plan for the committees says. “But doing so will require careful planning and coordination to ensure the health and safety of our residents, visitors and workforce.”
Who will be involved?
The committees have not been announced, and there is no formal application process.
Committee members are chosen by the chairs, by chamber staff and by those in the community who have asked to be part of the committees, chamber spokesperson Charlie Clark told The Island Packet.
“We’re envisioning that each task force would have a member of both Bluffton Town Council and Hilton Head Island Town Council, with the goal of public/private partnership,” she added.
Council members were asked to recommend a resident representative to serve on each task force.
Parts of the planning process appear to be more public.
Clark said the final virtual meeting of the planning committees will be open to the public for input.
Once finalized, the “Path Forward Readiness Plan” will be distributed to local businesses and local governments. They will follow the plan once the governor lifts restrictions on business and travel.
When will tourists be back on Hilton Head?
The chamber also operates the town’s visitor and convention bureau, which is responsible for marketing the island to millions of tourists.
While rental companies acknowledged in a March 24 letter to island leaders that tourism has come to a “screeching halt” during the coronavirus, many Hilton Head residents are apprehensive about when visitors to the island will return in their normal numbers.
The chamber’s plan to reopen does not address the timing, but says the “Path Forward” materials will “serve as a marketing tool to reassure visitors that the island is a safe vacation destination.”
“The Path Forward Readiness Plan will put us at an advantage and ensure we are ready to keep our residents safe and welcome back visitors as soon as we are given the go-ahead,” the plan said.
This story was originally published April 22, 2020 at 5:00 AM.
