Destination Master Plan

North Myrtle Beach is a distinctive community that has steadily emerged as a thriving destination to thousands of visitors each year and continues to grow with new first-time visitors and people moving here as their permanent home. North Myrtle Beach is a growing community in part because visitors travel here throughout the year creating jobs for year-round employment. Nearly all our local businesses are impacted directly or indirectly by travel, tourism, and hospitality.

Destination North Myrtle Beach has spent the last 18 months working on a destination master plan. The plan was developed with considerable community input. The destination master plan defines a shared community vision, 4 strategic initiatives for the implementation of the plan, and an implementation plan. The Destination NMB approved the plan during their regular meeting on April 27, 2023. Now, the work has begun to incorporate the implementation plan into the strategic plan for the organization and build support for plan components that are beyond the scope of Destination NMB.

The vision in the destination master plan states that in 2023 North Myrtle Beach will be a year-round family destination known for our collection of distinct neighborhoods and leadership in the care and protection of our beaches and natural areas. The newly adopted destination master plan includes four strategic initiatives:

Develop year-round experiences, cultural, and event offerings
Improve accessibility and connectivity
Ensure economic and environmental sustainability
Expand placemaking in neighborhoods

Use this link to read the plan. Watch for the implementation plan as the details for 2024 and beyond are ready for the actionable steps.

The Project Background

Destination North Myrtle Beach retained MMGY NextFactor to lead a process and develop a strategic and actionable long-term planning document that provides a conceptual layout to guide future growth and development in North Myrtle Beach. The Destination Master Plan includes research and analysis, inclusive community engagement and identifies roles and processes for destination management moving forward.

Our role as an organization is more than just increasing membership and attracting visitors. It’s much greater than that. We believe in our mission of advancing prosperity in North Myrtle Beach. We know this community is growing as seen by the increase of 26.4% in the latest census. And, we believe that we can plan for and attract the type of development our community desires by providing the framework by which our city leaders, elected officials, and community boards and organizations may collaboratively share in bringing to fruition.

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Scope of Work

DMP Phases

Developing a destination master plan provides the roadmap to sustain the community through planning and development for businesses, residents, and visitors. It will provide a plan and programs that will support a stable, high-quality workforce that is essential to sustainable economic growth.

What We Are Aiming For

DMP Aiming For

Community Engagement

Vital to the successful development of the destination master plan is an engagement process to help align the varied partners, residents, business owners, elected and public officials who comprise our diverse stakeholders in the community. Inclusive and transparent are keys to demonstrating genuine interest in gathering input and perspective.

This was achieved through:

24 interviews of business and elected leaders
12 focus groups
2 resident town halls
2 resident sentiment surveys
A business survey that served as a community assessment

What Community Leaders Are Saying

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Mendel Bell, Touch MedSpa

“Keeping a strong and developing growth plan for North Myrtle Beach is important. The Destination Master Plan will keep us on a path to informed decisions and planning that will secure us as a place of sustainable growth and development that will enhance the quality of life for all and provide a plan that will support a stable high-quality workforce.”

Brandon Cox, Elliott Beach Rentals

“Businesses who are and remain successful continue to invest in their own business and their employees. It’s equally important to be involved within the community and to help grow the community. Planned growth for a community directly affects the growth of business. Developing a Destination Master Plan is a vital community asset.”

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Monica Vehige, McLeod Health

“Having a vision that is long-term reminds us that we are “just passing through.” We need to leave this place better than we found it. To realize that so many of our enjoyments today are because of work that was done years before. The Destination Master Plan will provide the focus we need to move forward; If we aren’t moving forward, we are moving backwards.”

Destination Master Plan Partners

Destination North Myrtle Beach retained the expertise and consulting of MMGY NextFactor. Their team worked with our steering committee, board, and staff to develop the destination master plan through an inclusive and transparent process. Learn more about MMGY NextFactor here.

MMGY

“We believe in the transformative power of travel. We realize that to be a leader in the tourism sector today is to be an architect of future economies, societies and possibilities. We provide the intelligence, insight and inspiration these leaders require to make a meaningful, sustainable and equitable difference in their communities.”