TOWN OF BLUFFTON INDUSTRY METRICS
FY 26 –Q 3 Update
FY26–Q3 Performance Metrics & Update
January1–March31,2026
As the Town of Bluffton’s official Destination Marketing Organization (DMO), we are the leader in promoting tourism to the destination. By understanding today’s travelers and adapting to the changing landscape of the industry, we are able to execute the comprehensive Town of Bluffton Marketing Plan.
The quarterly report focuses on the metrics outlined within the contract, but we also wanted to share the additional efforts and initiatives worked on during FY26–Q3
TownofBlufftonMarketingPlans,Reports,andPresentations
• 01/05/26, 02/05/26, and 03/05/26 Submitted three monthly reports to the town staff.
• 02/05/26, Submitted the Town of Bluffton FY26-Q2 report to town staff.
• 03/31/26 Submitted Town of Bluffton FY 2026-2027 Destination Marketing Plan Draft to town staff.
Official Bluffton Vacation Planner
January1–March31,2026
The Official Vacation Planner is the first touchpoint visitors receive when planning their visit to the Heart of the Lowcountry™.
We receive requests for this piece from multiple platforms; online, media, and phone inquiries. In addition, we distribute the planner to all state welcome centers, hotels, airports, AAA offices, tradeshows and included in all public relations outreach.
Research
We continue our efforts with the College of Charleston in collecting visitor profile surveys and understanding the demographics of those who are traveling to the Town of Bluffton.
Official Bluffton Vacation Planner: 15,570
Official Hilton Head Island, Bluffton, Daufuskie Island Vacation Planner: 27,362
FY26–Q3 Bluffton Website Performance
January1–March31,2026
92,692
14,136 Website Sessions
+105.9% YOY
Referrals/Click Throughs Made to Area Businesses
+30.6% YOY
In FY26 Q3, the destination website achieved substantial growth in both reach and conversion efficiency compared to FY25 Q3. Total sessions were driven by a strategic expansion of Facebook Paid Social efforts, resulting in a 257% year-over-year increase in traffic from the channel, which now represents more than 64% of the overall traffic mix. Importantly, this was not simply a top-of-funnel awareness initiative; the campaign strategy successfully attracted higher-intent visitors, as reflected in a 203% improvement in the Facebook Partner Referral Rate. These results demonstrate that the increased social investment is not only broadening audience reach but also delivering more qualified traffic that is engaging meaningfully with partner content.
From a geographic perspective, South Carolina remains a cornerstone market with steady 16% session growth and a strong 37% referral rate. At the same time, Florida has emerged as an increasingly important secondary market, with sessions growing 88% year over year. Overall, the data validates a highly effective acquisition strategy in which targeted social investment is translating directly into stronger engagement and a significant increase in partner referral activity across key regional markets.
FY26–Q3 Destination Social Report
January1–March31,2026
Page Likes
52,825
Followers
15,694
X Followers
763
TikTok Followers
2,645
YOY
YOY
POP
Q3 saw consistent growth across all social platforms. Most notably, Facebook Engagements increased +225.9% YOY, Instagram Followers increased +19.4% YOY, X Engagements increased +201.1% YOY, and TikTok Engagements increased +18.2% YOY
We achieved this growth by sharing user-generated content (UGC) that highlights the unique charm of the town, and also by sharing information through local event Carousels.
Our strategy with UGC is to showcase real Bluffton experiences from visitors' perspectives, which establishes trust through firsthand experiences for those who are planning their trip to Bluffton. Potential visitors want to see unfiltered content as opposed to polished ads on organic social so that they can see exactly what their vacation will look like from a visitors’ POV. This encourages users to engage with the content because the aspirational Lowcountry aesthetic resonates with their interest in visiting Bluffton.
We are also seeing success in sharing Bluffton Event Carousels This content is great for increasing Shares and Saves because it targets those in the trip planning phase as travelers want to know what is happening in the town when they visit and everything they need to know about the event By establishing ourselves as an information hub, we increase our authority and therefore grow our Follower count as travelers are using our page as a key source for all things Bluffton.
Focusing on these two content strategies has successfully increased our Engagements and Engagement Rates across all channels, which is ideal when signalling the algorithm and reaching new audiences The 2026 algorithm prioritizes Shares and Saves over Likes and Comments Therefore, creating aspirational content that people want to Save to their travel wishlist and Share with friends/family has successfully grown Bluffton awareness and attracted those wanting to travel to charming Southern towns.
123,941
14,444
Engagements
271
TikTok Engagements
817
FY26–Q3 Destination Metrics
January1–March31,2026
As the Official DMO for the Town of Bluffton and based on our official contract, below are the quarterly metrics for the time frame of January 1 – March 31, 2026
This quarter delivered mixed results for the lodging sector. January posted strong ADR growth, but February experienced a slight decline in ADR alongside a more significant drop in occupancy. In March, occupancy rebounded with year-over-year gains, though ADR continued to trail prior-year levels. Looking ahead, the trend appears to be continuing. Occupancy is pacing ahead of last year, while ADR remains slightly below 2025 levels. This pattern is consistent with trends seen in other markets, reinforcing the importance of maintaining a healthy balance between occupancy and rate.
Source: Keydata
FY26–Q3 Public Relations Overview
BlufftonStoryHighlightsJanuary1–March31,2026
January
Travel + Leisure (UVPM: 2,455,000): This Charming South Carolina Town Is Known As the ‘Heart of the Lowcountry’-and It Has One of the Best Resorts in the State
Yahoo! Creators (UVPM: 575,394):
I gave myself 3 months to try three things that scared me—and each one surprised me
Veranda (UVPM: 129,735): You’ll Fall in Love with These 25 Dreamy Valentine’s Day Escapes
Source: Critical Mention / BurrellsLuce / Weber Shandwick
February
Time Out USA (UVPM: 5,463,667): Here are the 10 best hotels in the U.S. for 2026 according to a new trusted report
Conde Nast Traveler (UVPM: 1,453,292): Where to Go for Memorial Day Weekend 2026
Southern Living (UVPM: 2,576,884): Where To Go For Spring Break This Year, According To 4 Southern Travel Advisors
$1,037,892
March
AARP (UVPM: 4,861,535):
5 Scenic Spring Road Trips
World Atlas (UVPM: 1,006,409):
11 Best Downtowns In South Carolina
Southern Living (UVPM: 2,576,884):
15 Small Towns In South Carolina We’d Move To In A Heartbeat
FY26–Q3 Events
January1–March31,2026
For FY26-Q3 time frame, our organization’s events included:
EVENTS
• Conversation + Cocktails at Tanger Outlets
• JobsNow Expo at the Culinary Institute of the South
RIBBON CUTTINGS
• Refine Aesthetics
• Lowcountry Tutoring & Test Prep
FY26–Q3 Ribbon Cuttings
January1–March31st,2026
Refine Aesthetics
Lowcountry Tutoring & Test Prep
FY26–Q3 Budget
January1–March31,2026
DestinationMarketingOrganization
Meet Your Team
Executive
BILL MILES, IOM, CCE
President & CEO
bmiles@hiltonheadisland.org
CONNIE KILLMAR
Assistant to the President ckillmar@hiltonheadisland.org
Communications
HEATHER WOOLWINE
Vice President of Communications hwoolwine@hiltonheadisland.org
KATIE STETTLER
Events & Programs Manager kstettler@hiltonheadisland.org
HALLIE MARTIN
Director of Communications hmartin@hiltonheadisland.org
DASHAE MIDDLETON
Visual Content Coordinator dmiddleton@hiltonheadisland.org
JORDAN MATTHIS
Visual Content Coordinator jmatthis@hiltonheadisland.org
Finance & Administration
DEBBIE MYERS
Controller dmyers@hiltonheadisland.org
KELLY MCCALLISTER
Assistant Controller kmccallister@hiltonheadisland.org
Visitor & Convention Bureau
ARIANA PERNICE
Vice President, Visitor & Convention Bureau apernice@hiltonheadisland.org
ZACK SHEDD
Senior Sales Manager zshedd@hiltonheadisland.org
CHASE O’DELL
Research Manager codell@hiltonheadisland.org
ROBERT OBERNIER
Website Administrator robernier@hiltonheadisland.org
RACHEL MCLAIN
Sales and Marketing Coordinator rmclain@hiltonheadisland.org
TARA FRANK
Director of Sales tara@hiltonheadisland.org
Information Specialist
KATHY WININGS
Information Specialist kwinings@hiltonheadisland.org
LAURA HIGGINS
Information Specialist lhiggins@hiltonheadisland.org
LINDA LANIER
Information Specialist llanier@hiltonheadisland.org
