Should Myrtle Beach Join the Wireless Revolution?
When the Travel Industry Association of America in November predicted a slight increase in U.S. domestic travel for 2007, they saw finances and getting away from the office as two factors standing in the way of greater growth. It's the latter factor that presents some eye-opening figures that reflect Americans' current reluctance to take more vacations: less than half of working Americans (47 percent) are using all their vacation time, and about 18 percent use, at most, half their vacation time.
But if one of your favored travel destinations made it remarkably easier for you to leave the office but stay connected as needed, how would that affect your decision to go there? Instead of select locations offering the service, what if the entire Grand Strand became one gigantic, free wireless Internet hotspot?
Before you dismiss the idea as a pie in the sky, consider a couple of facts. First, South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford's stated vow last week to extend high-speed Internet access to the state's poor and rural communities. What does that have to do with Myrtle Beach-area tourism? Well, it could mean plenty, if they consider potentially cost-effective alternatives that might benefit the entire state instead of select pockets. The Verizon spokesperson cited in the Sun News article concluded that extending broadband services to rural areas with few potential customers is "a very costly venture." Well, how much more (or less) would it cost to provide wireless Internet access to these areas, as well as broader geographic regions?
Which brings me to my second point: more than 300 cities and metropolitan areas throughout the country have already expressed their interest in providing such all-access WiFi systems. That includes Suffolk County, N.Y., which summarizes its wireless broadband initiative here. Among its intended benefits: "(To) Improve the experience for individuals vacationing on Long Island and those visiting Long Island for business reasons."
Substitute "South Carolina," "Horry County," "Myrtle Beach" or "the Grand Strand" for "Long Island," and you get the idea. Why shouldn't the state, county or the City of Myrtle Beach at least explore the possibility for themselves?
It would definitely affect my decision on where I travel. I try to keep my work stuff at a minimum when I’m in MB, but universal wireless access would make it that much easier for me to go there.