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| Bright News from the Tourist Development Office |
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We’ve seen a strong surge in vacation guide requests over the past year, and we’re excited to announce that our brand-new guide is now available and being distributed to partners across the county.
Our year-long study with Downs & St. Germain Research is off to a great start. Since launching on June 1, the team has already collected 563 completed surveys—an encouraging early indicator of strong engagement and valuable insights to come. We are excited to share the 1st quarter report with you all next month!
Patrece represented our destination at the Summer Showcase held at the I-10 Welcome Center in June, sharing information about Navarre Beach with travelers making their way through the Panhandle.
In July, Monica had the opportunity to speak with Santa Rosa County Leadership about the vital role tourism plays in our community. We also wrapped up this year’s Rise program—our student participant, Emily, did an exceptional job assisting with photoshoots and welcoming guests at the Visitor Center.
We also completed our annual family photoshoot this summer and have updated our promotional materials with the new photography, helping us better showcase the beauty and diversity of our destination.
We’re excited to share that new sidewalk connections and enhanced lighting have been completed at the boat ramp parking lot on Gulf Blvd, making it safer and easier for pedestrians to cross and be seen in the area.
Plans for Beaches to Woodlands are coming together, and printed event calendars will be available in the coming weeks. Stay tuned!
The next TDC meeting is scheduled for September 4 at 8:30 a.m. in Milton at the BOCC: 6495 Caroline St. #M, Milton, FL 32570.
On the numbers front this is what our data is showing for the month of August: The ADR is down 6% at $288, Adjusted RevPAR is up 3% at $154 and Adjusted Paid & Owner Occupancy stands at 58.1% which is a 4% increase from last year. Additionally, the average total stay value is the same as last year at 2.1 thousand dollars a 5% decrease.
Looking ahead to Labor Day Weekend from the Friday before August 29th through September 1st we are seeing the ADR down 1% at $292, Adjusted Rev Par is down 1% at $129, the Adjusted Paid & Owner Occupancy is down 2%. Finally, the Avg. Total Stay Value remains the same at 2 thousand dollars.
For future planning purposes we attached the Fall school holiday schedule below. |
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| Top Visitor Markets and What They’re Spending On |
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In June, 85% of visitors to the area came from out of state, and 56% of all visitors stayed overnight in the destination. Visitors from Atlanta were the most likely to stay overnight, followed by those from Birmingham. Atlanta visitors accounted for the highest overall spending, with the Dallas–Fort Worth area following closely behind. Households with an income between $101,000–$150,000 were the top spending group, with the $150,000+ income category coming in second. Across the board, food and beverage remained the top spending category, followed by accommodations for both in-state and out-of-state visitors.
We would love to hear what you’re seeing on the ground, share your insights from June with us! |
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| Partner Opportunity: Upcoming Meeting with Visit Florida Next Week |
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| MEET GUEST SPEAKER: MATT TUCHMAN |
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| Matt Tuchman, Regional Partnership Manager with VISIT FLORIDA, serves and supports tourism and hospitality organizations across all thirteen counties in Northwest Florida. This includes any and all tourism and hospitality related entities in the region, no matter if public or private, for-profit or not-for-profit, large or small. VISITFLORIDA strives to increase visitation to the State through their destination marketing efforts, while strengthening and supporting the State's tourism industry through their Partnership Programs and its dedicated Regional Partnership Managers across Florida. |
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Prior to joining VISIT FLORIDA in 2021, Matt's sales and marketing career has been focused in Tourism: Ranging from JetBlue to The National Basketball Association to Medieval Times Dinner & Tournament...as well as Partnerships: Crafting partnership programs for major Florida School Districts, and other county level public agencies. His passion for tourism, and eagerness to help, drives him to earn the most out of every relationship for the partner.
Matt lives and works remotely from the Panhandle to best help all of VISIT FLORIDA's Northwest Florida Partners. As a lifelong Floridian, Matt believes working at VISIT FLORIDA is adream job, where he is honored to help and support all tourism organizations in the Panhandle, while promoting Partners and the Sunshine State to the entire World.
In addition to VISIT FLORIDA, Matt also serves as an Adjunct Professor, teaching hospitality and tourism leadership courses at the Gulf Coast State College - College of Hospitality, in Panama City. A father, avid chess player, and UCF Double Major Graduate, Matt enjoys sports, travel, and spending time with loved ones. |
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We are pleased to announce an upcoming partner meeting scheduled for August 13th at 2:00 PM and August 14th at 9:00 AM.
He will provide detailed insights into partnership inclusions and access to invaluable data. Each Meeting will be an hour long at 8543 Navarre Parkway.
Please RSVP to Monica McBrien by August 7th if you plan to attend. Both sessions will feature the same presentation, allowing you to choose the time that best suits your schedule. We look forward to your participation! |
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| National & Regional Pitching Opportunity |
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| Mark your Calendar: Add in Sunshine! |
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| Join Us For Events in Santa Rosa County |
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Explore our calendar of upcoming events and activities. This comprehensive resource will help you and your guests plan your itinerary accordingly, ensuring you don't miss out on the excitement and experiences Santa Rosa County has to offer!
Additionally, if you would like a downloadable PDF version of the events or need further assistance, please feel free to contact Monica at Monica@santarosa.fl.gov. |
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| *Last Call* Beaches To Woodlands |
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| Deadline: Thursday August 7th |
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| Thursday, August 7th is the last day to submit an event for the 22nd annual Beaches to Woodlands event series and be included in the hardcopy calendar. Events submitted after August 7th will still be able to be in our digital calendars. Please submit your events to Guy Stevens so they can be added to the hard copy calendar which will be distributed to partners at the end of this month. |
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| Have questions? Reach out to our team. |
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