Sally
Beach Fanatic
By Deborah Wheeler
Walton County Tourist Development Council celebrated 20 years at its annual luncheon Oct. 24 with a recounting of its challenges and victories.
The past year has been a year of milestones, said Executive Director Kriss Titus.
After the previous year?s storms took their toll on the beaches and number of visitors to the coast, the TDC faced the challenge of developing a comprehensive research plan to make sure there was a return on their marketing investments. Marketing messages were refocused on aggressively pushing messages to targeted cities that communicated a message of recovery in South Walton, said Titus.
Proactive Internet strategies were also initiated with a newly-designed Web site.
Thirty-nine new beach walkovers were built and the option of installing removable boardwalks is being explored.
The TDC?s Autumn Tides events promote the area during the shoulder season in an area where tourists currently are responsible for bringing $685 million into the local economy yearly.
Its Artist of Year program was implemented to draw attention to the arts in the community.
Beach safety was also a top priority as the TDC partnered with South Walton Fire District last year to put lifeguards at six regional beach accesses.
Counted as a milestone was the implementation of a large-scale beach restoration project. The project should be completed prior to the spring tourist season, she said.
Titus said all the TDC?s efforts were successful, as evidenced by a bed tax increase of 7.5 percent over the last year.
The TDC?s efforts were acknowledged at the Governor?s Conference on Tourism as among the top in state.
The TDC has also recently begun an agri-tourism program to take visitors beyond the beach experience. Walton County is one of two counties in the state to receive a grant from VisitFlorida to partner in a rural pilot program. Agri-tourism businesses including Shoal Sanctuary Nature Preserve and Sculpture Trails in Mossy Head; Rocking B-A-B Ranch in DeFuniak Springs; Glendale Memorial Nature Preserve; and Muskogee Nation in Bruce.
The TDC also oversees a naturebased certification program for businesses that have completed the naturalist program. Thirteen businesses have achieved certifi cation. New inductees of the Nature Based Certification Program include Sharon Beck, American Star Nature Cruise; Kerry Jones, Not a Dog Charters; and Alan Knothe, Tours by Alan.
Walton County Tourist Development Council celebrated 20 years at its annual luncheon Oct. 24 with a recounting of its challenges and victories.
The past year has been a year of milestones, said Executive Director Kriss Titus.
After the previous year?s storms took their toll on the beaches and number of visitors to the coast, the TDC faced the challenge of developing a comprehensive research plan to make sure there was a return on their marketing investments. Marketing messages were refocused on aggressively pushing messages to targeted cities that communicated a message of recovery in South Walton, said Titus.
Proactive Internet strategies were also initiated with a newly-designed Web site.
Thirty-nine new beach walkovers were built and the option of installing removable boardwalks is being explored.
The TDC?s Autumn Tides events promote the area during the shoulder season in an area where tourists currently are responsible for bringing $685 million into the local economy yearly.
Its Artist of Year program was implemented to draw attention to the arts in the community.
Beach safety was also a top priority as the TDC partnered with South Walton Fire District last year to put lifeguards at six regional beach accesses.
Counted as a milestone was the implementation of a large-scale beach restoration project. The project should be completed prior to the spring tourist season, she said.
Titus said all the TDC?s efforts were successful, as evidenced by a bed tax increase of 7.5 percent over the last year.
The TDC?s efforts were acknowledged at the Governor?s Conference on Tourism as among the top in state.
The TDC has also recently begun an agri-tourism program to take visitors beyond the beach experience. Walton County is one of two counties in the state to receive a grant from VisitFlorida to partner in a rural pilot program. Agri-tourism businesses including Shoal Sanctuary Nature Preserve and Sculpture Trails in Mossy Head; Rocking B-A-B Ranch in DeFuniak Springs; Glendale Memorial Nature Preserve; and Muskogee Nation in Bruce.
The TDC also oversees a naturebased certification program for businesses that have completed the naturalist program. Thirteen businesses have achieved certifi cation. New inductees of the Nature Based Certification Program include Sharon Beck, American Star Nature Cruise; Kerry Jones, Not a Dog Charters; and Alan Knothe, Tours by Alan.