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Beaufort County airport asks ATAX committee to fund $150,000 inbound marketing campaign
Summary
The Beaufort County airport director requested $150,000 in ATAX funding to support inbound digital and cooperative marketing aimed at reducing travel leakage and strengthening seasonal air service; he also updated the committee on terminal renovation timelines through early 2026.
John Rumbold, airport director for Beaufort County, asked the Accommodation Tax Advisory Committee for continued ATAX support for airport inbound marketing, describing the airport’s role in converting visitors who can fly in rather than drive.
“We are asking for $150,000,” Rumbold told the committee, noting that amount represents roughly half of the airport’s inbound marketing effort and equates to about $1.50 per tourist the airport brings in under current estimates. He said the airport leverages digital targeting and cooperative campaigns with the Visit Hilton Head brand to direct travelers to nonstop options and reduce leakage to other regional airports.
Rumbold also gave a construction update: terminal renovation work that began in February is on schedule for substantial completion in early 2026, and road‑work phases are expected to finish in the coming months. He told members that FAA rules limit use of airport revenue for destination advertising, which makes ATAX support important for the airport’s destination‑level campaigns.
Committee members asked for metrics that link marketing spend to route stability and passenger growth; Rumbold said the airport and its air‑service consultants coordinate with carriers and monitor market performance, and he offered to provide route‑by‑route results to committee staff.
The committee did not make a funding decision at the hearing and asked airport staff to provide supporting performance metrics before the next meeting.
