Since the oil spill interest has waned, we’ve been overwhelmed by interest in knowing what the beaches are like. What is the algae situation like? Is there any June Grass? Is it bad? Is the surf up? These seem to resound continually on our Facebook page, so we’re responding by shooting some quick video every week to show you.
This week we’re at the city pier across from Pier Park. If it seems like we’re here a lot, it’s because we are. Our office is on the west end, I live out here, so the beach out here is very accessible.
The beach conditions weren’t bad this week, the algae was hardly present, but you could see indication of June Grass some distance out. Here’s the video.
Despite a very dismal looking outlook at the beginning of the summer, the actual numbers for June are showing nearly even bed tax collections this year, compared to last year. In June, a total of $1,88,269.21 was collected. This compares to $1,946,037.92 in tax revenue that was collected in June of 2009. The actual variance is just over $61,000, or -3.17%.
This was an interesting summer, we had tons of things lined up to all but guarantee the best summer tourist season we’ve had in years. Ironically, right before the season began, there was what some may call a monstrous accident just a few short hundred miles away. After a summer of weekly and even daily threats, the damaged perception left our local industry practically starving for business and pleading with their customers to keep their reservations. The rental climate changed from one of knowing how the numbers were going to be all summer before Memorial Day, to guessing what the next week would hold for rental revenue. Shops and restaurants had no idea what to expect, but were bracing for the worst. Talking to retailers and resorts, numbers were way off this year. Obviously some fared better than others, but overall most suffered to some degree.
But lets get back to the bed tax numbers. The numbers were only down 3.17% this year. That doesn’t seem all bad, right? Well, you have to consider that a deficit of any amount is going to spread hurt across the board. You have to consider that with any new additions to the rental or retail inventory, plus some businesses ability to reach their customers over other businesses, that 3.17% can mean quite a different story for different people.
All in all, I think we are blessed to have done as well as we did, in Panama City Beach, despite the looming threat that impaled the perception of our beach this summer. Hopefully next year no outside forces will impede all the work that has been put into increasing our local tourism business.
July’s numbers should be out within the week, which will be the real test to see how the summer really fared. Stay tuned!
The oil spill threat this summer took it’s toll on the opportunity for us to have a slammin’, jammin’ summer, but it wasn’t all bad. Our image was certainly tarnished, our tourism numbers were down a bit, but on the plus side, the Panama City Beach Convention and Visitor’s Bureau received $2 million from BP to be used for marketing the beaches of Panama City Beach. This influx of marketing money has saved our CVB $750,000 from their regular marketing budget this year so far and has freed up some cash to use in other arenas.
One of the cool things about bringing in Southwest Airlines to the new Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport was that we get to take advantage of SWA’s amazing marketing success. This proven track record of creating an immense brand awareness so far has proven invaluable so far in marketing Panama City Beach, and it couldn’t come at a better time.
Tuesday, August 24, the Panama City Beach Tourist Development Council (known around these parts as the TDC) will meet to discuss various invoices to be paid, the possible build of a new Monument Sign, this summer’s bed tax numbers from June and July and a few other things that we’ll report on in greater detail tomorrow.
It’s been a couple of months since they’ve held a TDC meeting, but they’re usually pretty fun. And, we’re always on top of covering them and providing the latest as to what’s happening, live, during the meeting. Instead of cluttering up your Facebook feed with status updates on our page, we’ll hop over to our Twitter feed and post regular updates on what’s happening during the meeting.
The Panama City Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau, a REAL.FUN.BEACH. destination offering something for everyone, has announced REAL.FUN.MUSIC., a three-day contemporary Christian music festival featuring Point of Grace, Chris Tomlin, Michael W. Smith and Amy Grant. Part of Panama City Beach’s SUMMER OF FUN campaign, REAL.FUN.MUSIC. will take place Friday, Aug. 20 – Sunday, Aug. 22 on the beach across from Pier Park at the City Pier,* and is free for all visitors and residents.
“We are so pleased to offer a weekend that is inspirational and uplifting,” states Dan Rowe, president and CEO of Panama City Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau. “Our gorgeous sugar-white sand beaches and crystal-clear emerald green waters set the stage for three nights of praise, worship and reflection.”
Gulf World Marine Park has had great success in de-oiling sea turtles and leading the way for them to return to their natural habitat over the last couple months. The only de-oiling facility for sea turtles in Northwest Florida, they’ve seen hundreds of turtles come through their program since the Gulf oil spill crisis, but have seen it slow down considerably over the last couple weeks. Right now, they have around 60 turtles that are preparing to be released back into the wild. They just did a huge release yesterday of 23 turtles.
At a recent Panama City Beach City Council meeting, it was decided to move forward with figuring out how to obtain some Gulf-front property and build a city owned and maintained park. This a much wanted city amenity and the city of Panama City Beach wants to take advantage of a down real estate market to snatch up some land at a good deal, if they can secure a grant to do so.
This past weekend was probably one of the biggest weekends Panama City Beach has ever seen. I speak not in magnitude of tourist dollars being spent, but in global fame enjoying the same amenities that hundreds of thousands enjoy every year. Regardless of opinion of the visitors, Panama City Beach is definitely on the map now. Panama City Beach was THE Presidential buzz last weekend.
A National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) official announced at a Panama City Beach press conference today the reopening of 5,144 square miles in the Gulf to finfish fishing.
NOAA Administrator Dr. Jane Lubchenco visited Capt. Anderson’s Marina to inform commercial and recreational fishermen that the federal waters from Pensacola to Cape San Blas and south into the open Gulf are open, as no oil has been observed in those waters since July 3.
Fish caught in the area, she said, have shown no signs of contamination but would be further tested. READ MORE
