Board of Directors
CONSENT CALENDAR
September 2026
HILTON HEAD ISLAND-BLUFFTON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE BOARD OF DIRECTORS CONSENT CALENDAR September 22, 2026
STANDING COMMITTEES & SUBCOMMITTEES BLUFFTON REGIONAL BUSINESS COUNCIL Bringing Bluffton area business and community leaders together to address shared priorities, influence policy, and support sustainable development. Chair: Diana McDougall Subcommittees: Early Childhood Education High School Internships Colleges internships The first meeting of the restructured BRBC is scheduled for Wednesday, September 23, from 8:309:30 at the Chamber’s new Bluffton office. Future meetings will be held on the 4th Wednesday of every other month, same time and place.
BUSINESS EDUCATION PARTNERSHIP Connecting businesses with schools to prepare the next generation for success. Chair: Ray Warco Subcommittees: Early Childhood Education High School Internships Colleges internships The committee meets in Bluffton on the third Wednesday of every other month at the Culinary Institute of the South. During the September 16 meeting we viewed the first Virtual Job Shadowing video, an interview with leadership and staff of TS Conductor. This and the other videos from the 14 Career Clusters will be provided to the high schools in our 4-county region. We also introduced the BEP’s second project, Project-Based College Internships.
BUSINESS WORKFORCE COALITION Focusing on the four pillars of the working economy: workforce, workforce housing, transportation, and childcare. Chair: Mike Overton Subcommittees: LowcountryJobsNow.org Diverse Abilities Encore Opportunities Affordable Childcare
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Transportation Task Force The committee meets on the second Wednesday of every other month at the chamber. The next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, November 11, when we’ll have updates on the Transportation Task Force’s work on Ride Share, Park-N-Ride, and ferry service, as well as an update on our TriShare childcare funding efforts.
PUBLIC POLICY COMMITTEE Advocating for solutions that impact our economy, infrastructure, and quality of life. Chair: Mary Lee Carns Subcommittee: Environmental Affairs Committee The committee meets on the first Wednesday of every other month. During our September 2 meeting, in addition to national, state, county, Hilton Head Island, and Bluffton legislative updates, we discussed our collaborative efforts to support the upcoming Transportation Penny Tax referendum. We are also planning the South Carolina Chamber’s (now SCMC) 2026 Vision and Voice Tour to be held on Tuesday, September 29, from 11:00 – 1:00 at the Culinary Institute of the South.
COMMUNICATIONS MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS 2025-26 FY Reporting To-Date (July 1, 2026 - August 31, 2026)
STORIES & MENTIONS
IMPRESSIONS
AD VALUE
962
2,571,200,759
$2,129,674.83
MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS - AUGUST 2026
UVPM: 67,242,771
UVPM: 4,825,305
UVPM: 2,455,000)
UVPM: 2,576,884
See 10 Photos of the ‘Today’ Show Anchors on Vacation
Guide to Bluffton, South Carolina, ‘the Heart of the Lowcountry’
Montage Palmetto Bluffton
This Cotton Candy-Pink Bird Is Showing Up Along The Southern Coast—And No, It’s Not A Flamingo
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UVPM: 22,405
The best U.S. beach vacations for families
UVPM: 106,142
This South Carolina Oyster Roast Festival Turns Fall Into A Lowcountry Tradition
EVENTS SEPTEMBER 2026 September 24: Conversations + Cocktails | 5:30 p.m Hilton Head Distillery September 29: Vision and Voice Tour | 11:00 a.m. Culinary Institute of the South
OCTOBER 2026 October 14: Power Hour | 9:15 a.m Zoom October 20: State of the Region | 11:00 a.m Hilton Beachfront Resort & Spa October 20: Conversations + Cocktails | 5:00 p.m Shops at Sea Pines
NOVEMBER 2026 November 5: Chamber Young Professionals | 5:30 p.m Country Club of Hilton Head November 12: Economic Summit | 9:00 a.m. Culinary Institute of the South
MEMBERSHIP NEW MEMBERS - Fourteen members applied for membership in the chamber during the month of August resulting in new revenue of $7,670.00.
DROPPED MEMBERS - Fourteen members were dropped from membership during the month of August resulting in lost revenue of $12,980.00.
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RENEWALS 123 Drive! Driving Academy, Inc., member since 10/1/2010 6th Sense World® Historic Ghost & Cemetery Tours, member since 5/1/2019 A Call to Action, member since 8/1/2025 Absolute Merchant Services LLC, member since 5/1/2023 Alfred’s Restaurant, member since 3/1/2020 Aunt Laurie’s, member since 4/1/2015 Beaufort Jasper Housing Trust, member since 9/1/2024 Belk Department Store, member since 5/1/1988 Bishop Eye Center, member since 10/1/2009 BriteLife Recovery, member since 4/1/2020 Broad Creek Marina Adventures, member since 5/1/1997 CamelliaArt Hilton Head, member since 8/1/1985 CENTRIC, member since 6/1/2025 Charles Sampson, member since 6/1/2013 Courtney Bend Apartments, member since 3/1/2016 Cross Island Cruises, member since 5/1/2024 Culligan Water, member since 3/1/2013 Davis Landscape, LTD, member since 4/1/2021 Dawn Morgan_REALTOR@ Realty ONE Group Inclusion, member since 8/1/2025 Dominion Energy, member since 5/1/2021 DX Print & Mail, member since 2/1/2018 Exit Realty Hilton Head, member since 6/1/2020 Fiesta Fresh Mexican Grill-North, member since 5/1/2004 First Citizens Bank, member since 6/1/2004 Fraser Construction Company, LLC, member since 6/1/1999 Fusion Audio + Video, member since 10/1/2025 Grayco Hardware, member since 4/1/1984 Grey Cardinal Insurance Group, member since 4/1/2025 GW Services, Inc., member since 6/1/2013 Habitat for Humanity of the Lowcountry, member since 9/1/1995 Harbor Cove Memory Care, member since 6/1/2011 Heritage Library Foundation Inc., member since 10/1/1998 Hilton Head BMW, member since 6/1/2012 5
Hilton Head Choral Society, member since 10/1/1998 Hilton Head Health Wellness Resort & Spa, member since 9/1/1989 Hilton Head Insurance & Brokerage, member since 6/1/2015 Hilton Head Island Motorcoach Resort, member since 9/1/2022 Hilton Head Lexus, member since 6/1/2013 Hilton Head National Golf Club, member since 10/1/1989 Hilton Head Preparatory School, member since 8/1/1982 Howard Hanna Allen Tate Real Estate | Bluffton Office, member since 9/1/2019 Howard Hanna Allen Tate Real Estate | Hilton Head Office, member since 12/1/2003 Island Financial, member since 9/1/2007 Island Restaurant Equipment & Design, member since 2/1/2023 JCB Roofing, member since 6/1/2015 Jones Brothers Tree Surgeons, member since 6/1/2015 Kenneth Kowalyk, D.M.D., member since 6/1/1997 Kinghorn Insurance Agency, LLC, member since 6/1/2013 Latitude Margaritaville Hilton Head, member since 10/1/2018 Legendary Golf, member since 6/1/2013 LOCAL Life Magazine, member since 9/1/2017 Lotus Health, member since 5/1/2024 Meeting Dynamics, member since 1/1/1994 Mikkelson Law Firm, member since 6/1/2015 Morris Center for Lowcountry Heritage, member since 9/1/2015 Moss Creek Owners Association, member since 6/1/1997 Noble Jones Tours, member since 6/1/2013 Old Town Bluffton Inn, member since 6/1/2018 Old Town Bluffton Merchants Society, member since 11/1/2002 Omni Waste & Recycling, member since 7/1/2025 Optical Solutions of Bluffton, member since 8/1/2011 Optical Solutions, Inc., member since 6/1/1989 Palmetto Breeze, member since 6/1/2015 Phillys Tiki Shack, member since 1/1/2011 Pirates HHI, member since 6/1/2016 Principal Financial Group, member since 6/1/2018 Programs for Exceptional People (PEP), member since 6/1/2003 RobMark Web.Advertising.PR, member since 6/1/2018 Ronald McDonald House Charities of the Coastal Empire, member since 9/1/2006 6
Santa Fe Cafe, member since 5/1/1993 SCE TV/ETV Lowcountry, member since 4/1/2018 Sea Pines Real Estate at The Beach Club, member since 10/1/2012 Second Helpings, Inc., member since 10/1/2013 Shell Ring Oyster Company, member since 6/1/2015 Shelter Cove Company, member since 6/1/2015 Sign D’Sign, member since 9/1/2000 Spartina 449 - Shelter Cove Towne Centre, member since 9/1/2017 Steel Odin Inc., member since 6/1/2025 Street Meet The American Tavern, member since 9/1/2005 Telfair Museums, member since 9/1/2016 The Best Rentals, member since 9/1/2024 The Golf Club at Indigo Run, member since 4/1/2007 Thomas & Hutton Engineering Co., member since 5/1/1993 Town of Hilton Head Island, member since 1/1/1998 Vacation Homes of Hilton Head, member since 4/1/2010 WaterWalk at Shelter Cove, member since 9/1/2018 Whitaker Laboratory, Inc., member since 7/1/2011 Wild Birds Unlimited of Hilton Head Island, member since 4/1/2017 Wood + Partners Inc., member since 7/1/1988 World Affairs Council of Hilton Head, member since 9/1/2020
VISITOR & CONVENTION BUREAU INTERNATIONAL EFFORTS 1. Travelling for Business (MUU: 600,000) is a British publication tailored for corporate travelers, focusing on blending professional travel with leisure. It covers global destination reviews, hotel insights, and industry trends, such as technology in travel and eco-conscious options, aimed at enhancing efficiency and comfort for professionals. 2. India Outbound (MUU: 325,000), the leading outbound travel media in India, with a clear focus on producing original and high-quality content, including articles, interviews, videos as well as social media posts that are immensely valued by the travel trade in India and overseas for its incise reports.
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MARKETING PARTNERSHIPS AND MEDIA (JULY 2026 - SEPTEMBER 2026)
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WEBSITE REPORT HILTON HEADISLAND.ORG
182K
64K
254K
-26% YoY Visits
-34% YoY Link Clicks
-34% YoY Pageviews
23K
6K
31K
+45% YoY Visits
+6% YoY Link Clicks
+36% YoY Pageviews
VISITBLUFFTON.ORG
*Hilton Head Island Note: Beginning this year, we shifted one of our paid website campaigns from a continuous, year-round approach to a series of shorter, strategically timed campaigns focused on driving visitation during the shoulder and off-seasons. This approach is intended to improve efficiency by concentrating investment during periods when it can have the greatest impact. As a result, website traffic metrics may appear significantly lower than in prior years during periods when the campaign is not actively running. These decreases should not be interpreted as a decline in overall website performance, but rather as a reflection of the revised strategy. As additional campaign periods occur throughout the year, year-over-year comparisons will become more representative of the new marketing approach.
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MONTHLY HOTEL REPORT LODGING PERFORMANCE SUMMARY
Hilton Head Island
MONTHLY PERFORMANCE
OCCUPANCY
ADR
REVPAR
75%
$304
$229
Year
Occupancy
2025
Year
ADR
Year
RevPAR
75%
2025
$304
2025
$227
2024
74%
2024
$295
2024
$218
2023
80%
2023
$303
2023
$241
Bluffton
MONTHLY PERFORMANCE
OCCUPANCY
ADR
REVPAR
78%
$290
$225
Year
Occupancy
2025 2024 2023
Year
ADR
Year
79%
2025
$272
2025
$214
75%
2024
$272
2024
$203
81%
2023
$282
2023
$227
Market
RevPAR
MONTHLY PERFORMANCE
OCCUPANCY
ADR
REVPAR
73%
$262
$190
Year
Occupancy
Year
ADR
Year
2025
71%
2025
$254
2025
$180
2024
70%
2024
$243
2024
$170
2023
74%
2023
$254
2023
$186
RevPAR
UPDATE TO REPORTING Hotel performance is now sourced from CoStar rather than Keydata, the industry-standard provider for lodging benchmarking. Because the underlying data source has changed, figures in this report may not reconcile with historical numbers previously reported under Keydata. This reflects the improved data source, not a shift in underlying market performance. Forecasting is now conducted at the market level, encompassing the broader Beaufort County region rather than a single submarket. This provides greater insight into visitor trends and cross-pollination between areas such as Hilton Head Island and Bluffton.
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MARKET FORECAST - BEAUFORT COUNTY Month
Occupancy
ADR
REVPAR
August
71%
$244
$145
September
70%
$196
$116
October
74%
$199
$122
MONTHLY SHORT-TERM RENTAL REPORT Short-term rentals had another steady month in July. Occupancy is running a touch behind where it was in 2025, but strong nightly rates are making up the difference, keeping overall revenue performance close to last year’s pace. Looking ahead, we expect this same pattern to hold in the near term. One bright spot to watch: September is shaping up to be a standout month, with early bookings pointing to solid gains in both occupancy and rate as we head into the shoulder season.
Monthly Performance
JULY 2026
OCCUPANCY
ADR
73%
-1% YoY
Year
Occupancy
2025
REVPAR
$604
+1% YoY
$439
-1% YoY
Year
ADR
Year
RevPAR
74%
2025
$600
2025
$443
2024
76%
2024
$596
2024
$455
2023
81%
2023
$601
2023
$486
KeyData On-The-Books Pacing “On-the-books” means reservations already confirmed for a given month. To gauge how a month is shaping up, we compare what’s booked as of today (8/26/26) to what was booked for the same month on this same date last year (8/26/25) - giving us an early, apples-to-apples read on demand before the month actually arrives. Month
Occ. 2025
Occ. 2026
ADR 2025
ADR 2026
RevPAR 2025
RevPAR 2026
August
50%
46%
$483
$498
$239
$229
September
29%
34%
$358
$375
$104
$126
October
24%
25%
$327
$349
$79
$88
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GROUP MEETING SALES SNAPSHOT 2026 VS 2025
2026 Performance Highlights GROUP LEADS
ROOM NIGHTS
+48%
93
vs. 2025
2025: 63
+29%
24,951
vs. 2025
2025: 19,336
Lead Stats By Status Category Year Number of Leads Room Nights 2025 93 Hotel Leads 2026 63
24,951
2025 18 Bookings 2026 15
1,024
19,336
630
NOTES Room nights represent the total number of hotel rooms projected for leads and confirmed for bookings. Data includes all Meeting Sales group types.
HHI AIRPORT ENPLANEMENTS/DEPLANEMENTS ENPLANEMENTS 2023 2024 2025
r em be
r ec D
em be
r N
ov
ob e ct O
be r em
t us
Se pt
ug A
ly Ju
ne Ju
ay . M
il pr A
h ar c M
y ru ar
Fe b
Ja
nu ar
y
2026
12
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
2023
3,852
3,564
5,310
9,785
13,266
12,951
14,316
12,943
11,527
9,905
4,512
3,692
2024
3,651
4,423
6,026
11,026
13,760
13,192
13,444
12,586
10,744
10,646
5,965
4,824
2025
3,593
3,453
7,521
12,765
14,309
14,799
15,105
14,402
12,063
11,500
6,432
4,736
2026
3,344
4,438
7,532
14,593
17,344
16,009
16,133
15,175
DEPLANEMENTS 2023 2024 2025
r em
be
r ec D
N
Se
O
ov
ct
em
be
er ob
r be
pt
A
ug
em
us
t
ly Ju
ne Ju
ay . M
il pr A
ch ar M
Fe
Ja
br
nu
ua
ar
y
ry
2026
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
2023
3,658
3,725
5,905
10,346
13,100
13,466
14,758
12,950
11,967
9,565
4,532
3,756
2024
3,498
4,718
6,213
11,024
13,838
14,012
13,929
13,304
10,372
10,453
5,724
4,950
2025
3,412
3,772
7,853
13,491
14,621
15,942
16,125
14,509
11,775
11,563
6,109
4,832
2026
2,806
4,821
8,217
15,128
17,133
16,804
16,901
15,250
SAV AIRPORT ENPLANEMENTS/DEPLANEMENTS ENPLANEMENTS 2023
r em be
D
ec
r
ov
em be
r ct O
r be
ob e
N
Se
pt em
t ug us
ly Ju
ne Ju
ay . M
pr il A
ch ar M
A
Fe
br
ua
y ar nu
2026
Ja
2025
ry
2024
13
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
2023
113,592
117,200
161,231
188,411
192,157
183,472
187,742
164,104
156,498
177,658
163,318
139,408
2024
116,066
127,303
176,567
193,997
206,880
200,972
190,225
166,810
162,858
188,292
173,625
159,687
2025
114,508
124,731
182,081
199,750
207,137
205,334
205,366
185,657
172,197
190,986
172,462
153,763
2026
122,614
129,779
184,119
210,380
209,630
195,709
195,983
DEPLANEMENTS 2023 2024 2025 2026
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
2023
113,125
121,793
170,031
186,222
188,709
184,675
189,937
163,366
160,398
178,436
155,748
140,301
2024
118,759
132,250
182,538
190,872
206,164
199,001
196,322
166,905
162,802
190,868
165,951
158,667
2025
116,214
129,954
183,690
200,210
203,355
205,864
211,009
181,861
171,568
196,740
164,493
155,601
2026
121,501
136,710
193,337
206,955
202,991
193,925
203,696
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