MYRTLE BEACH, SC – (AP) – It might be small change, but parking meters help show how tourism is booming along South Carolina’s most popular beach after restrictions on the COVID-19 pandemic were lifted.

Myrtle Beach took in as much parking fees in May as it would a typical June, said Brian Schmitt, executive director of the Myrtle Beach Downtown Redevelopment Office The Charleston Post Office and Courier.

“2021 was just crazy,” said Schmitt. “In March we did the April numbers. In April we did May numbers … If this trend continues then we will reach June with July numbers which is usually our best month, our month of $ 360,000, we expect that maybe that will continue . “

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The city no longer just collects coins from counters. There are parking lot terminals that accept debit and credit cards and a mobile app called ParkMobile that allows drivers to stop their cars and pay with one click on their smartphone, officials said.

Myrtle Beach also has more traditional methods of measuring tourism. According to the Chamber of Commerce, the occupancy rate of the hotels has increased this summer compared to 2019.

You are not using 2020 numbers for comparison due to COVID-19 restrictions.

(See below: Myrtle Beach: New rules prohibit digging deep holes)

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