ECONOMIC OUTLOOK FOR SPRING

Sun, Mar. 12, 2006 – Analysts forecast a banner year. Al Parish, director of the Center for Economic Forecasting in Charleston says, “It is going to be a very strong spring. The statistics look terrific.”

The predictions, as always, are based on major hurricanes staying away.

Tourism - The season is gearing up with golf and spring breakers. Easter is later this year - April 16 - which traditionally means the beach will be busier than when the holiday falls earlier. The spring predictions also include May, when two biker rallies dominate tourism and lure as many as 500,000 bikers combined.

Gas prices have stabilized and should be a none-issue for travelers, experts say, even though more than 90 percent of the Grand Strand’s visitors get here by car.

Getting here by air isn’t getting easier, though. Growth at the Myrtle Beach International
Airport is slowing.

Retail – Parish expects retail sales for the three-month period will top $3.1 million - the most of any quarter, including last summer when sales reached $3 million.

“That’s a very large increase,” Parish said of the predicted jump in sales. “You have a number of new places to shop, and the number of people shopping has increased as well.”

Real estate – Expect continued growth in real estate this spring – specifically in single-family homes. About 2,050 single-family home permits will be issued in March, April and May, Parish predicts. The only thing that could slow it down would be a dramatic rise in interest rates.

Source: Dawn Bryant, The Sun News, Myrtle Beach, SC