Hotel managers say occupancy rates are modest, typical for the last long summer weekend when travelers opt instead for locales like the beaches of Hilton Head Island.
Although gas prices have topped $3 a gallon and fuel shortages are suspected at service stations across the state because of supply disruptions from Hurricane Katrina, the majority of travelers seem to be sticking with their plans, according to hotel and property managers.
"The gas prices haven't affected anything yet," said Chet Patel, general manager for the Atlantic Inn on Boundary Street, who said occupancy was at about 60 percent, normal for the holiday weekend.
While Hilton Head has an average estimated hotel occupancy of 91 percent for the holiday weekend, according to the Hilton Head Island-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce, Beaufort has traditionally been a less popular destination.
Liz Mitchell, tourism and marketing director for the Beaufort Regional Chamber of Commerce, said Beaufort attracts more visitors during historic home tours held in the fall and spring and during festival weekends.
The chamber couldn't provide typical holiday weekend occupancy numbers Thursday.
"I don't think we notice a major increase (on Labor Day) because we're not a typical beach destination," Mitchell said.
The Beaufort Inn has booked 27 of 30 rooms this weekend but benefited from a Sunday wedding, innkeeper Anne Pufal said.
Harbor Island Rentals wasn't as fortunate with its rental success -- many homeowners are using the island because their homes have gone unrented.
"Labor Day is never a fantastic holiday for us because of children going to school early, but we usually have four times the amount (of rentals)," said property manager Jeanne-Greene Williamson, who said she's booked about 50 rentals when a normal amount is closer to 300.
AAA Carolinas estimated 390,000 South Carolinians, 5,000 fewer than last year, will travel more than 50 miles this weekend, mostly due to high summer gas prices.
On Thursday morning, the S.C. Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism had about 2,700 reservations booked for campsites and cabins at state parks during the Labor Day weekend, and most were still in place at day's end.
"A little bit to our surprise, we have not had a rush toward cancellations," said department spokesman Marion Edmonds, adding that many visitors called to check on gas prices and availability near parks.
Edmonds said there were about 55 cancellations for the weekend, slightly more than normal, and that some visitors had altered instead of dropped their weekend plans because of fuel concerns.
More than 20 reservations were transferred to other parks, which Edmonds said he surmised were closer to visitors' homes, and some reservations were postponed.
Visitor numbers for Hunting Island State Park weren't available from Edmonds and the park office.