Who are the partners in this partnership?

• The Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce
• The Myrtle Beach Area Hospitality Association (local organization)
• The Hospitality Association of South Carolina (state organization)
• American Hotel & Lodging Association (national organization)
• National Restaurant Association (national organization)

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What significant changes will occur?

• The hospitality association will return to its roots as a trade organization for the hospitality industry and focus on issues & opportunities affecting the industry.
• The chamber will continue to be the primary marketer of the MB area and the accommodations tax funds previously directed to the hospitality association will be redirected to out-of-market promotion aimed at bringing more visitors here.
• Chamber membership will also include membership to the local and state hospitality associations for hospitality industry businesses. As an added bonus, if you are a restaurant, nightclub or hotel business, you will automatically gain membership into either the National Restaurant Association or the American Hotel & Lodging Association. Membership to these organizations will increase your visibility, deliver added value to your business and increase our local hospitality industry’s lobbying power at the local, state and national levels.
• The Myrtle Beach Area Hospitality Association will be housed in the chamber’s Oak St. office, saving money through shared resources.

What types of businesses are considered to be in the hospitality industry?

• Accommodations/Lodging Nightclubs
• Restaurants
• Camping Resorts/Campgrounds

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What’s in this partnership for me and my business?

• There are many benefits as a result of this partnership including more educational and networking opportunities and increased lobbying power at local, state and national levels.
• Chamber membership will also include membership to the local and state hospitality associations for hospitality industry businesses. As an added bonus, if you are a restaurant, nightclub or lodging business, you will automatically gain membership into either the National Restaurant Association or the American Hotel & Lodging Association. Membership to these organizations will increase your visibility, deliver added value to your business and increase our local hospitality industry’s lobbying power at the local, state and national levels.
• To find more specific information regarding benefits to your business, click here.

What impact will this have on the chamber?

• The chamber mission & operations will not change. The chamber will continue to serve the hospitality industry in the same manner it currently serves, but this partnership will give the chamber added resources to enhance its programs and services.
• The hospitality association will work closely with the chamber on day to day activities and issues involving hospitality members. The chamber will have hospitality industry experts at the local and state level formally tied to its efforts, focused entirely on the needs of the hospitality industry. This opens two avenues – the collaboration of three organizations on hospitality issues, yielding more lobbying power, and allowing the chamber to place added emphasis on general business issues that impact businesses outside of the hospitality industry.

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What impact will this have on the local hospitality association?

• The local association will focus on two key areas – local industry government relations and education. The association’s formal partnership with the state association enables it to have a constant voice in Columbia representing its views.
• As a result of the chamber focusing on marketing and being a resource for visitors, the hospitality association will be able to focus on issues facing the industry. The partnership will open up networking and educational opportunities for member businesses that could not have been provided previously.
• The partnership allows the association to save money because they will be sharing resources at the chamber.

How will this partnership affect my membership dues?

• The dues structure for tourism members will be changing slightly when renewals are sent out in May 2006. Businesses that are members of the chamber, the local hospitality association, the state hospitality association and the national hotel/motel or restaurant association currently will see their dues decrease slightly. Those members that were not involved with the two organizations locally or with the state hospitality association may see a slight dues increase, but with that increase comes a great deal of added value. The dues changes will be outlined and explained to each member during the renewal process.
• Non-tourism business members will not see a change in their dues structure based on this partnership.

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How will this benefit the business community?

• By joining forces, the chamber and the hospitality association will have a stronger lobbying voice for local and state issues.
• The chamber will have added resources and experts to assist its hospitality members.
• With the increased focus on hospitality industry issues, the chamber can continue to serve the hospitality industry while keeping its focus on general business issues and needs. Hospitality members will become members of the state and national associations. Likewise, non-hospitality businesses can enjoy the benefits of the state and national chambers of commerce. Regardless of your industry, local membership in the chamber of commerce delivers added value specific to your industry.

Who will the new hospitality association chief executive officer report to?

• The Myrtle Beach Area Hospitality Association’s CEO will continue to report to the hospitality association's board of directors. This board will continue to set the association’s policies. The CEO will work closely with the President & CEO of the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce on issues directly impacting the hospitality industry. The CEO will also work closely with the President & CEO of the Hospitality Association of South Carolina on issues impacting the industry on the state level. The chamber President & CEO will continue to oversee day-to-day chamber operations, such as marketing, communications, group and convention sales, call center, visitor mailing and area festivals.

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Two organizations under one roof – is this a conflict of interests?

• Not at all. This is a natural partnership between three organizations that have the interests of the business community in mind. Working together will only enhance each organization's efforts. The Myrtle Beach Area Hospitality Association will maintain a unique identity but will operate out of the chamber's main office, with shared resources and a shared facility. And though theHospitality Association of South Carolina is based out of Columbia, SC, it will now have an even greater presence in our area on a frequent basis.

Will the chamber continue to give the hospitality association accommodations tax money?

• No. The hospitality association will not be involved in marketing the area. Those funds will be invested in new or expanded marketing initiatives to bring more visitors to the area.

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How will sales be handled?

• The chamber has reorganized its sales staff with one sales manager entirely focused on the hospitality industry. Sales of memberships and most advertising & sponsorships will be handled by this person (click here to contact our Hospitality Sales Manager). The chamber’s Education Coordinator will continue to offer a variety of educational programs and some of these offerings will be offered through the Hospitality Association of South Carolina’s education program.
  
  Special upgraded hospitality memberships are available, offering individual businesses added exposure and prestige. These sales will be handled by the CEO of the Myrtle Beach Area Hospitality Association and the Hospitality Association of South Carolina’s sales staff.

Has anything really changed, or is this the same old memberships packaged together?

• Actually, a lot has changed. By combining resources, these organizations will be working together in an unprecedented manner to better serve businesses like yours. The results will be more training, better networking, increased advertising and full-time representation in Columbia. And that’s just the beginning. If there is anything you need that is not represented on the list of membership benefits, just let us know and we’ll be happy to look into it for you.

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What about the consumer trade shows and email newsletters previously handled by the Myrtle Beach Area Hospitality Association?

• The trade shows will be handled by the Myrtle Beach Area Convention Bureau. In 2005, the bureau staff attended over 75 shows and next year’s schedule is just as full. Many of these shows offer opportunities for individual businesses to attend. For more information, contact Danna Lilly at LillyD@mbchamber.org.
  
  The e-newsletter to visitors previously sent by the association will be merged with the chamber’s visitor e-newsletter. This will ensure that all potential visitors get regular reminders of our great destination, with active links to various parts of the promotional website, www.VisitMyBeach.com.

How will lobbying be handled?

• The chamber will maintain a full-time presence in Columbia through a partnership with a lobbying firm, as well as by utilizing contract lobbyists as needed. The chamber will employ contract lobbyists at the federal level as necessary. Likewise, the chamber will continue to host and attend functions in Columbia and D.C. enabling it to appropriately influence legislation.
• The local association will work through the Hospitality Association of South Carolina, which employs a full-time lobbyist at the state level, as well as various contract lobbyists that work on specific issues as needed. The local association will focus its efforts on government relations at the local level and supporting the chamber and the state association at the state and federal level as necessary.

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