Gov. Henry McMaster’s order to evacuate South Carolina’s coast ahead of Hurricane Florence is draining Charleston’s tourism business at what is typically one of the best times of year for Lowcountry tourism, The Post and Courier reported Tuesday.
McMaster issued the order Monday, requiring residents of all coastal evacuation zones to leave beginning at noon Tuesday. A separate order closed schools and state offices in 26 counties. The reversal of Interstate 26’s eastbound lanes, to carry traffic from Charleston toward Columbia, started ahead of schedule Tuesday, the governor’s office said.
By Tuesday afternoon, forecasts had shifted north, and McMaster lifted the order for Beaufort, Colleton and Jasper counties, except Edisto Beach. It remains in effect for Charleston, Berkeley, Dorchester, Georgetown and Horry counties. Florence, a Category 4 hurricane, is expected to make landfall in North Carolina early Friday, the newspaper reported.
Charleston-area hotels typically run about 85% full this time of year. Many are relaxing cancellation policies that normally require 48 to 72 hours’ notice. At least 26 conventions and meeting groups have canceled events this week, said Helen Hill, CEO of the Charleston Area Convention and Visitors Bureau, and the Charleston Visitor Center is closing for the rest of the week.
“Unfortunately, it’s a big loss for us,” Hill said.
The pain reaches hourly workers. A King Street bartender told the newspaper that diners were calling to cancel reservations and that he would keep working his shifts, because missed shifts mean missed pay. A food runner at another King Street restaurant said she would stay rather than risk her job.
Factories have stopped, too. Boeing suspended operations at its North Charleston 787 campus Tuesday, and Volvo Cars’ plant near Ridgeville and Mercedes-Benz Vans’ North Charleston plant also shut down as the evacuation order took effect, the companies said.
The State Ports Authority said Monday that it was keeping normal hours at its facilities in Charleston, Georgetown, Greer and Dillon while it watched the storm. Carnival said the Ecstasy’s Sunday departure from Charleston for Bermuda was still on schedule.
