January Tourism Numbers on the Rise in Walton County

WALTON COUNTY, Fla. — March 6, 2019—Tourist Development Tax collection showed an impressive 22.67-percent increase in South Walton for January 2019, compared with the previous year. Walton County recorded approximately $614,976 in Tourist Development taxes in January, an increase of approximately $113,044.

“We’re glad to see this kind of growth in what is traditionally a slower time for tourism – glad not only for ourselves, but for the help it offers our neighbors, too,” notes South Walton Director of Communications David Demarest. “I think what it shows is just how versatile and robust the tourism economy can be, and how an economy built on providing a service to visitors also serves as an important resource for locals.”

The Tourist Development tax, or bed tax, is a four percent tax collected on hotels, condos and other short-term rentals. 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.

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