beyond the headlines

 

Spring Tourism Numbers Up From Last Year On The Emerald Coast
By Joni Williams
While travel across the nation may be decreasing as gas prices continue to rise, the latest data shows that travelers are still filling their tanks and flocking to the beautiful beaches across the Emerald Coast.

Compared to last year, tourism in South Walton County was up by more than 11 percent through February 2008. By the end of March, Destin and the neighboring area of Fort Walton Beach was up 8 percent, while Panama City rose by 13.9 percent. In Pensacola, lodging revenues are up 4 percent over last year (Oct. 1 to April 30).

The data was compiled by local destination marketing organizations based on room tax collection.

However, despite the glowing numbers, Dan Rowe, president of the Panama City Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB), said that when the data for April is compiled he expects it will show a “soft” month due to Easter’s early arrival in March.

As for the summer months, given the everrising price of gasoline, Rowe said he is cautious about making predictions.

“I think what we will find is people will still come; but, from what our research shows, people are shopping around,” Rowe said.

What they are shopping around for, in addition to a good time and beautiful beaches, is value, he said. And the CVB aims to give it to them, Rowe said. To that end, the CVB’s marketing strategy was recently tweaked to include a bevy of money-saving options and incentives dubbed the “Summer White Sale.”

“If we can make it through June and July (with the numbers continuing to increase), then we’ll know it’s a good year,” Rowe said in June. “But right now, that’s anybody’s guess.”

The Pensacola CVB is leveraging the area’s unique culinary offerings in a marketing program entitled Pensacola Celebrity Chefs to entice visitors to the area this summer season and beyond. The program will feature local chefs, recipes and culinary events in printed material and on the campaign’s website, PensacolaCelebrityChefs.com.

“Pensacola is a world-class dining destination, and we want to make more travelers aware of the extraordinary dining opportunities here,” said Ed Schroeder, director of the Pensacola Bay Area CVB. “We have a distinctive blend of flavors in the Pensacola Bay Area, with our fresh produce and seafood, our many cultural influences and our Southern traditions.”