Hotel/Bed & Breakfast Member Benefits
Membership in Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce, the Myrtle Beach Area Hospitality Association, the South Carolina Hospitality Association and the American Hotel and Lodging Association
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Membership in these organizations will boost your visibility, deliver added value to your business and enhance our local hospitality industry’s lobbying power at the local, state and national levels. To keep our members on the cutting edge of the industry, we offer members many benefits and opportunities including identity and credibility for your business.
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Member Resources |
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- Grand Strander, member newsletter, mailed to members monthly. Members also can view it online.
- The Grand Strander Express, a recap of important dates and events, is faxed and e-mailed to members weekly.
- Communications, Newsletters & Updates members receive the association's monthly magazine Hospitality News. Hospitality Snapshot is our weekly e-mail newsletter, keeping you informed of issues and happenings impacting the industry, you and your customers. You will always know what's hot, what's not and what's on the horizon!
- MBAHA Membership Directory and Planner: Offers easy desktop access to member contact information and contains a new built-in planner.
- Hospitality Hotline Newsletter: Stay abreast and keep informed about industry issues and MBAHA activities.
- True Blue employee health Insurance options from BlueCross BlueShield.
- Hospitality Cares Indemnity Health Care benefits program.
- Hospitality Insurance Program members can access an array of insurance products designed for your industry. Members receive great prices and industry-specific coverage on workers compensation, property and casualty, employment practices liability and even employee benefits.
- Communications to stay informed with industry information on local, statewide and national issues.
- Research Department gives you access to research information that will help make your business more profitable. The department publishes the Going into Business in the Myrtle Beach Area brochure, and an annual Myrtle Beach Area Statistical Abstract, also available online, which provides important area statistics, basic demographic and tourism information.
- Member-to-Member Discount Program offers discounts to other members on your products or services. Every member receives an identification card with a brochure naming participating members and the discount available.
- Hospitality Smart Buys HASC has developed a cooperative member-to-member buying program for you! As a member, you can receive special deals and discounts from a variety of supplier members’ products and services. We are committed to serving you by helping add dollars to your bottom line.
- Hospitality Credit Card Processing Heartland Payment Systems offers special pricing and features tailored for your business. In addition to the capability of managing your account information online, be assured that an HPS Relationship Manager is always ready to provide exceptional service.
- Bad Check Recovery Service Fars Marketing offers our members a waiver on their normal $99 enrollment fee and collects 100% of the face value of bad checks and bank fees at no cost.
- Buying Services that save you money on products and services that you already purchase.
- Overnight Mail and Parcel Service receive discounts on overnight letters and package services from United Parcel Service. There are no minimums and you do not have to have a collection box.
- Credit Union you and your staff can take advantage of outstanding financial packages, including checking, savings, ATMs, credit cards and loan services.
- U.S. Chamber of Commerce complimentary membership.
- South Carolina Chamber of Commerce complimentary access to eVoice.
- Grand Openings and Ribbon Cuttings for new member businesses.
- Hot Fax Advisories to alert members to crimes being committed against businesses in the area.
- Annual Progress Report
- Hospitality Scholarship Program
- Travel Show Program 15 dynamic consumer travel shows promoting the Myrtle Beach Area.
- Visa, MasterCard, Discover & American Express charge your membership and services.
- AH&LA has partnered with Location Management Services, LLC, to help members take advantage of the many state, local and federal credit and incentive programs applicable to the hospitality industry. Available incentives include tax credits, grants, property tax abatements, tax increment financing, job retention/creation incentives, state enterprise zones, and specialized programs designed to encourage rebuilding after a natural disaster.
- Job Board offers employers a free and simple way to post jobs for displaced workers affected by Hurricane Katrina and for employees to find jobs nationwide.
Many free or discounted products and services that save money and increase profits, including: Free subscription to Lodging magazine for members; subscriptions to newsletters: Lodging HR, Lodging Law, and AH&LA Smartbrief Free to members; (formerly $513 per year); Broadcast-quality version of AH&LA's new Guest Safety Video Free to members; a $25 value.
- Discounts on products, services, seminars, conventions and other products offered by the American Hotel and Lodging Association. Click here to learn more.
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Business Connections |
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Events and programs to network and create new business:
- Business After Hours provides the opportunity for members to make valuable new business contacts in a relaxed, social setting. Sponsored by different chamber members, these monthly casual gatherings offer a great opportunity to exchange business cards and ideas as you meet new business associates and strengthen established ones
- Connections Marketplace a fun way to capture a week’s worth of contacts in less than two hours
- Annual Membership Meeting informational and educational presentations and speakers, the chamber’s year in review and business and individual awards
- President’s Gala honoring Citizen of the Year and Ashby Ward Pioneer of the Year
- I.C.E. Awards Impeccable Customer Experience Awards on Feb. 21, 2008
- Networking & Meeting Opportunities throughout the year members work with members to solve problems, create innovative solutions, and meet common goals. Maximize your network through local, statewide, and national industry gatherings that promote, educate, and represent your interest and your business. Learn and share your ideas at a monthly chapter meeting in Charleston or Columbia, or attend quarterly or regional activities in other areas like Myrtle Beach, Hilton Head, Rock Hill, Spartanburg, and Greenville.
- Tabletop Expos include Member to Member, North Strand, South Strand, Can-Am Days, monthly meetings with “New Member Table” and “New Member Expo” where you can increase your name recognition, gain exposure for your products and services, generate business leads and meet new customers.
- Annual Hospitality Job Expo heralded as the largest and most successful job expo in South Carolina.
- “Warm Welcome” new member reception with benefits and services overview and networking.
- Ambassadors meet new clients while contacting members on behalf of the chamber.
- Time Warner/HBO Hospitality Classic Scholarship Golf Tournament.
- Gold Star of Excellence Awards: Presented annually by MBAHA for achievement of a “Spotless Reputation in Cleanliness.”
- Total Quality Destination Program: Offers a comprehensive business practices review.
- Schedule an American Hospitality & Lodging Association officer to speak at your event.
- Discounts to Conventions & Shows including Annual Conference & Convention with Hoteliers, restaurateurs and suppliers from around the state come together for training, education, exchange of ideas and great fun; Annual Tourism & Hospitality Education (T.H.E.) Foundation Gala each October celebrating the H.E.R.O.'s of the industry and hospitality education; Annual Hospitality Golf Classic held at the prestigious University Club in Columbia.
- Chapter Golf Tournaments Midlands Lowcountry Upstate.
- Annual Benefit Dinners Midlands Lowcountry Upstate.
- Taste of Charleston.
- Taste of Columbia.
- Lowcountry Oyster Festival.
- & Many More!
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Education Programs |
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Training and education programs that improve your business:
- Celebrate Hospitality a fun-filled 3 ½ hour session teaches the art of hospitality and the chamber’s role in tourism. Plus, lunch is included at one of our premier restaurants
- Business Series This series helps businesses learn what they need to know about sales, marketing, advertising, customer service, team building, time management, leadership skills and a host of other important topics.
- Technology Series From Microsoft Office Suite training to Web base marketing, these workshops are designed to keep your business competitive in the fast-paced business world.
- Personal Development Series From health & fitness to stress management and personality profile, this series enables you to put your
best foot forward.
- Hospitality Series These classes are specifically geared to the hospitality industry. From ServSafe training to mastering excellent customer service and efficient check-in procedures, this series will keep your business at the top of their game.
- Hospitality-specific educational opportunities.
- Horry Georgetown Technical College Education Partnership Program.
- Learn key tips on ways to promote your property to groups, conventions and meetings in the Myrtle Beach area.
- Hospitality Education Consortium and Hospitality Education Programs in High Schools and Higher Education.
- Discounts on Training Materials & Seminars.
- Information & Research whatever your question, whatever your need, we are a great source of information. No matter the issue concerning hotels and lodging, if we do not know it, we can find it for you. Our national association also maintains free informational research libraries for their members.
- Professional Development lodging members also receive ongoing training and education by participating in workshops and seminars from hiring, firing, and retaining to effectively handling worker's comp claims, to workplace violence and sales building classes. Members pay discounted or no registration for Hospitality Association of SC and Tourism & Hospitality Education. (T.H.E.) Foundation training.
- Sales & Marketing Training Resources access to videos, CD rom, how-to manuals, and other training material. Members receive substantial discounts.
- Workforce Development The Hospitality Association of South Carolina's Educational Foundation - T.H.E. Foundation - provides culinary arts, hotel and restaurant management programs in more than 50 public high schools throughout the state encouraging over 1,500 high school juniors and seniors to seek a career in the lodging and restaurant industry. In addition to helping improve the hospitality workforce, these programs are changing the public perception of jobs and careers in the hospitality and tourism industry.
- Training Materials HASC members can purchase NRA Educational Foundation Training materials at a major discount off the already discounted NRA member price when ordered through the state association's web site or office.
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Marketing Strategies |
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- Member directory listing in Grand Strand Living® relocation/newcomers guide and Stay & Play® vacation guide; Advertising in these guides.
- Web site business directory listing on MyrtleBeachInfo.com, MyrtleBeachAreaChamber.com, SCHospitality.org and MBHospitality.org with link to your URL.
- Web Site category links under “things to do” from the home page of MyrtleBeachInfo.com.
- Web site and e-mail products including monthly e-Newsletter, which goes to over 300,000 e-mail addresses requesting Grand Strand area information and an e-Postcard, which goes out from one exclusive advertiser twice each month.
- Distribute your brochures through our official welcome centers. More than 300,000 visitors, vacationers and locals stop at our welcome centers each year.
- “Chamber TV” have your 30 second commercial continually before visitors in three welcome centers.
- Backlit display ads in Aynor Welcome Center where many visitors access these for “things to do” and “places to stay”.
- Member Business Referral Service includes Web site, call center and welcome centers referrals of your business to inquirers.
- Online coupons which can be printed out at welcome centers for visitors.
- “Arm Chair Fams” familiarize welcome centers management and staff with your business so they can give referrals to visitors with accurate information.
- Purchase Membership List on disk or e-mail spreadsheet.
- Co-Op Advertising Programs receive advertising discounts by calling HASC. Members receive a 10% discount on individual ads in the South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation& Tourism's “Smiles” book, distributed to millions of travelers throughout the world. Receive up to a 50% discount in Leisure Fun magazine and many others.
- South Carolina Sales & Marketing Council the SCS&MC is a group of sales and marketing professionals working together to provide leadership, professional development, and training. Its mission is to raise the level of excellence and encourage the exchange of ideas among sales and marketing professionals for the betterment of the industry and participating members. Don't miss the chance to interact with your peers or attend the next sales seminar. Join SCS&MC today!
- Sales & Marketing Articles get up-to-date- industry information to help market your hotel! Our local, state, and national associations monitor industry happenings and provide members with the latest news on issues impacting your business. From a marketing perspective, our members always know what's hot, what's not, and what's on the horizon. Read selected online articles from HASC and AHLA publications.
- Free Members Listings all Grand Strand area HASC members receive a free listing on schospitality.org Web site by company name, phone, address, services, amenities and much more! Lodging properties also receive a free bold listing in PRT's “Smiles” book valued at $1,200 annually. Our association is consistently seeking additional avenues to maximize member exposure.
- Hotel & Lodging Internet Reservations South Carolina properties have received millions in revenue since the state association brought the WorldRes program to our state. Heads in beds and incremental business year round through over 2,000 web portals. Members pay a 10% commission for reservations and no start up costs or ongoing fees. Enroll your property today!
- Videos, CD Rom, manuals, seminars and other sales and marketing training resources.
- Member Only Marketing Resources.
- Public relations and image management.
- Mailing Services include Central Mail a direct mail from member sent with Stay & Play® Vacation Guide and Grand Strand Living® Relocation Guide; Inquiry Service Visitor and Relocation Leads send your own direct mailing; Reader Response responses from ads placed in national and Canadian publications, along with reader response cards.
- Convention Bureau group marketing, leads and promotion.
- Partner with the Convention Bureau at group and meeting planner trade shows and consumer shows.
- Advertising in Group Planner Guide and Guide to Meeting Planning.
- Cooperative and consumer trade advertising.
- The Myrtle Beach Visitor Guide MBAHA Visitor Guide distributed through travel shows and welcome centers.
- Event sponsorship opportunities including monthly events.
- Festival sponsorships including Sun Fun Festival, Christmas Towne, Canadian-American Days Festival, Grand Strand Fishing Rodeo and Take a Kid Fishing Day.
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Government Relations |
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- Government relations on legislative issues affecting lodging properties.
- GovNet receive the latest legislative updates and learn about our legislative positions in this biweekly e-newsletter.
- Legislative Luncheon with elected officials.
- Legislative Alerts.
- Annual MBAHA Candidates Forum televised by Time Warner.
- COMBO Council of Myrtle Beach Organizations Board.
- Governmental Affairs Programs.
- South Carolina Travel & Tourism Coalition.
- Members receive the benefit of “strength in numbers,” as the largest combined voice for the foodservice, lodging, and tourism industry in South Carolina. Everyday our Association is expressing our concerns on important issues that affect your business to state legislators and officials in your community, and even the Halls of Congress. By working together through the association, our members help make sure laws and regulations are not put into effect without a full understanding of their impact on your business. The national association: helped ensure passage of a comprehensive federal tax package; helped ensure the appropriation of $50 million in federal funds to promote travel to the U.S. and the creation of the U.S. Travel and Tourism Promotion Advisory Board (which includes four AH&LA members); worked for the passage of legislation to ensure the availability of and reduce the cost of terrorism insurance; helped the passage of legislation to increase funding of Small Business Administration (SBA) loans and helped avert excessive safety and health rules; working to continue keeping Internet transactions free from unfair and excessive taxation.
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