South Walton Tourism Almost Tripled in May

[Jim Tucker]

Yeah but the pandemic ... but tourists still almost doubled May 2019!

How is this possible you ask? Occupancy for May 2021 was near 100% - could May 2019 really be that much lower? Well remember we have also added a lot of new rentals in 2 years ... We keep packing in more and more people. Adding so many new rentals every year is why bed tax collectors want most of the tax money spent on advertising. To them it is all about heads in beds.

Tourist Development Tax collection showed a 280.46% increase in South Walton for May 2021 compared with the previous year. Total collections for May 2021 were $6,215,632. When compared to pre-COVID collections (at 2% to eliminate issues of tax rate changes), May's TDT collection was an 81.46% increase compared to May 2019.

The Tourist Development Tax, or bed tax, is a five percent tax collected on hotels, condos, and other short-term rentals south of Choctawhatchee Bay. It is the best way to gauge visitation and demand trends in South Walton. The revenue supports tourism marketing and beach operations including cleaning and maintaining beaches, lifeguards, destination improvements, and preservation initiatives.

Tourist Development Tax collection on short-term rental accommodations north of Choctawhatchee Bay totaled $32,522.77 for May 2021.

The Tourist Development Tax, or bed tax, is a two percent tax collected on hotels, condos, and other short-term rentals. It is the best way to gauge visitation and demand trends. TDT revenues must be collected for a full year (until March 2022) before they can be spent.