Visit South Walton - TDC Newsletter 5/19/11

[Kurt]

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VISITOR GUIDE - Advertising Opens TODAY, May 19
Planning has begun for the 2011-2012 South Walton Visitor Guide. Advertising opportunities in this guide will be open to lodging partners and businesses in Walton County on a first come, first served basis. All bed tax collectors will have a FREE basic listing as well as the option to purchase an enhanced listing or ad. Pricing is as follows:
Enhanced Listing: $750
¼ page ad: $1,500
½ page ad: $2,500
Full page ad: $4,500
Lodging listings will be pulled from the partner extranet. Stay tuned for more information on how to update your listing for the guide. For more information, contact Kelli Carter, kcarter@beachesofsouthwalton.com.

NRDA Workshop - Today, May 19
The first of two Natural Resource Damage Assessment workshops will be held at 5:30 p.m. today, Thursday, May 19 at the TDC offices. Hosted by Beasley Allen and the Adkinson Law Firm, the law firms representing Walton County in claims related to the oil spill, topics include: what NRDA is and the process for receiving funds, the types of projects that can be funded, the Early Gulf Coast Restoration funds currently allocated by NRDA, prioritization of the initial project list that was sent to FDEP, and future funding options under NRDA.

Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport Anniversary Celebration - May 23
Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport is hosting a one year anniversary celebration on Monday, May 23, with a 10:00 a.m. press conference followed by a reception. Please RSVP by May 20 to Liz Shawen at 850-224-0174 or liz@moore-pr.com.

NRDA Workshop - May 24
The second of two Natural Resource Damage Assessment workshops will be held Tuesday, May 24 at 5:30 p.m. at the South Walton Courthouse Annex. Hosted by Beasley Allen and the Adkinson Law Firm, the law firms representing Walton County in claims related to the oil spill, topics include: what NRDA is and the process for receiving funds, the types of projects that can be funded, the Early Gulf Coast Restoration funds currently allocated by NRDA, prioritization of the initial project list that was sent to FDEP, and future funding options under NRDA.

E. O. Wilson Biophilia Center Grand Opening - June 3
Take advantage of your last chance to experience this fantastic, fun, new activity for visitors to South Walton FREE of charge on Friday, June 3 from 9 a.m. - 2 p.m. Nestled on the Nokuse Plantation, one of the most biodiverse areas in the continental U.S., the hands-on learning center will be open to the public Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from June 3 - August 31. For more information, visit eowilsoncenter.org.

Product Definition Study - Data Due June 6
A Product Definition study, identifying comparative information on average daily rate, length of stay, average travel party size, and average occupancy rate is underway. To participate, please contact Kelli Carter at 850-267-1216 or kcarter@beachesofsouthwalton.com. (See story at right.)

TDC Advisory Council Meeting - June 7
The TDC Advisory Council will meet on Tuesday, June 7, at 9 a.m. at the TDC offices located ar the corner of Highways 331 and 98.

Tell us how we're doing
Our goal is to provide the South Walton tourism industry with the latest relevant information to enhance your ability to be successful. Please send your comments to Elisa Smith. We welcome your feedback! If you no longer wish to receive this weekly email, you may opt out by clicking unsubscribe from this list, below. If this email was forwarded to you, and you wish to add your name to the list of subscribers, please email your name and email address to info@beachesofsouthwalton.com.


Brand Evolution Moves Forward with New Logo and Tagline

On Tuesday, the TDC Advisory Council unanimously approved a logo and tagline for the evolving South Walton brand. Both will be presented to the Board of County Commissioners at their meeting on Tuesday, May 24, for final approval. The TDC conducted more than 12 public workshops, detailing specific brand evolution findings and milestones, and prompting open discussion and public feedback. “After thoughtful consideration of all the feedback we’ve received, we determined that the overall brand and core philosophy that there is a beach that will appeal to each person within our collection of 15 was solid,” said Dawn Moliterno, executive director of the Walton County TDC. “The new tagline expresses the individuality and choice offered by our beach neighborhoods, while clearly and simply capturing the essence of our brand as defined in the brand story. The community feedback is critical and was always part of the evolution plan, and we're grateful to all who took the time to attend the workshops and offer their input.”
Scott Brannon, Chairman of the Walton County TDC Advisory Council and District 1 County Commissioner, added “In addition to the tagline and logo, we are developing TV, radio, print and digital ads as well as a brand-new website. All of these components are included in the original $1.3 million brand plan approved by the BCC in January and paid for with TDC funds. The advertising is expected to be in the marketplace before the end of summer.”
To support the overwhelming response to the TDC’s co-operative program, the brand evolution process includes the development of a partner “tool kit” aimed to provide partners with print, online and radio marketing tools to be used in conjunction with the TDC’s efforts. Information on the TDC’s brand evolution process, workshops and other important information can be accessed via the partner website at partners.beachesofsouthwalton.com.


Bed Tax Collectors Only: Data Needed for Product Definition Study
The TDC hosted research workshops on Tuesday, May 17, to solicit public input regarding the agency's research strategy as it refines and expands its tourism marketing efforts. Moving forward, one of the primary goals is the creation of a larger, more representative database collected from a broader pool of bed tax collectors. Expanding the data pool will allow for greater accuracy in research findings and more effective marketing efforts for the the TDC and bed tax collectors. It's important to note that, based on a legal opinion from TDC attorney Clay Adkinson, Florida's Public Records Law exempts information submitted for research purposes. Therefore, any and all information submitted by bed tax collectors specifically for the purposes of research will remain private and confidential. Data will be collected on behalf of the TDC by independent research firm, Kerr & Downs.
The first study will be Product Definition, identifying comparative information on average daily rate, length of stay, average travel party size, and average occupancy rate. Kerr & Downs is currently soliciting input from a number of bed tax collectors in each of the 15 beach communities, and will provide a summary report on each community to bed tax collectors free of charge with sufficient participation. Please note that this study pertains to property information only and does not require any customer information. If you are interested in participating, or have questions related to this or other research projects, please email Kelli Carter at kcarter@beachesofsouthwalton.com. The deadline for data submission is Monday, June 6.

BCC Approves Beach Bonfires During Turtle Nesting Season - Permit Required

At their meeting on May 10, the Walton County Board of County Commissioners (BCC) reversed their previous decision prohibiting beach bonfires between May 1 and October 31 each year. The prohibition was the result of bonfires being regarded as "point sources of light" as defined in the Wildlife Lighting Ordinance, and therefore a danger to nesting sea turtles. After extensive review of the ordinance, County Attorney Lynn Hoshihara concluded that bonfires are allowable as they do not meet the specific criteria defining prohibited sources. As outlined in County Ordinance 2003-07, Section 4-B, a temporary beach bonfire permit allows for a bonfire on the beach (gulf front property) for one night, with payment of a $50.00 fee for the permit. The application must be submitted to the South Walton Fire District, for approval prior to the bonfire. Applicants must provide their own fire container and burning material.

Vision Airlines Opens Hub at NW Florida Regional Airport - Adds Over 100 New Routes

Vision Airlines announced on Tuesday that the company would offer passengers the opportunity to connect to other cities it serves through its hub at Northwest Florida Regional Airport, creating more than 100 new options for flights. The new schedule takes effect on June 1, 2011. “When we launched our service in March, we felt it would be prudent to keep things simple, which meant only allowing passengers to fly directly to a destination. Now, by opening our entire system with connections, our customers will have many new destination options. For example, the Atlanta passenger could only travel to Louisville, Destin or Gulfport prior to this announcement. Now, the Atlanta passenger can travel to 14 different destinations including Ft Lauderdale, St Petersburg/Tampa and Las Vegas” said David Meers, Vision Airlines’ Chief Operating Officer. “This will give our passengers so many more options to take advantage of our low fares and we are very happy to deliver this value at a time when it seems airfares from other air carriers are skyrocketing” added Meers. By adding these connections, Vision Airlines is taking a giant step forward in the ability to connect more cities throughout the southeast with its leisure destinations. Visit www.visionairlines.com for a complete list of new connections. The new routes are on sale now.

I Fly Beaches Now on Social Media

Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport (NWFBIA) recently launched Facebook and Twitter pages to increase awareness of NWFBIA; interact with target audiences; and, along with their partners, promote travel and tourism to our region. You can help promote this valuable gateway to our destination by liking I Fly Beaches on facebook, following @IFlyBeaches on Twitter and sharing this announcement with your contacts and on your social media platforms.

Groupon Seeking Merchants for B'ham Beach Week Promotion
Groupon is considering running a Beach Week special in their Birmingham market, which has nearly 200,000 subscribers. Groupon markets businesses by promoting discounted deals (at least 50% off) to subscribers for a limited time (usually 48 hours). Participating merchants have the ability to see the age range, gender and zip code of the people who purchased their deal. Typically, the vouchers have a 6 month or 1 year expiration. The goal is for the Beach Week promotion to include a variety of businesses, perhaps one accommodations deal, two restaurants, and one or two activities. If you are interested in participating in this promotion, please contact Courtney Simmons at 205-586-9111 or
csimmons@groupon.com. Learn how Groupon works here.

NOAA Predicts Above-Normal Atlantic Hurricane Season
The Atlantic basin is expected to see an above-normal hurricane season this year, according to the seasonal outlook issued by NOAA's Climate Prediction Center — a division of the National Weather Service. Across the entire Atlantic Basin for the six-month season, which begins June 1, NOAA is predicting the following ranges this year:

• 12 to 18 named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher), of which:
• 6 to 10 could become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher), including:
• 3 to 6 major hurricanes (Category 3, 4 or 5; winds of 111 mph or higher)

Each of these ranges has a 70 percent likelihood, and indicate that activity will exceed the seasonal average of 11 named storms, six hurricanes and two major hurricanes. "The United States was fortunate last year. Winds steered most of the season's tropical storms and all hurricanes away from our coastlines," said Jane Lubchenco, Ph.D., under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator. "However we can't count on luck to get us through this season. We need to be prepared, especially with this above-normal outlook." [Source: NOAA] Click here to view the TDC's Emergency Response Plan, posted on the Partners site. If you wish to be included in the TDC's Emergency Contact List to be included in email blasts related to evacuations, road and bridge closings and other emergency information, please email Jordan Cockrell at jcockrell@beachesofsouthwalton.com.

Maybe You Noticed . . .
Due to numerous requests from subscribers to the Edge monthly newsletter, the Connection will now be distributed weekly to Edge subscribers in addition to the core list of bed tax collectors. We recognize that timely information regarding TDC updates and industry news and trends is important to the economic vitality of South Walton, and want to empower all in the tourism industry with the tools to help you in your marketing efforts. With this issue, the weekly Connection will become the TDC's sole newsletter and the Edge will no longer be produced. Please feel free to forward this newsletter to friends and colleagues.

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[Kurt]

[FONT=&quot]From TDC:

Moving forward this will be our one newsletter for everyone and anyone is welcome to sign up for it. We’d love for you to post inviting people to email info@beachesofsouthwalton.com to receive weekly. Get their TDC/tourism news from the source.[/FONT]