As summer memories linger in our minds, we’re also grateful for the cooler days ahead. Now that we can take time to reflect on this past season and its successes, we can also reflect on the impact of tourism and how the visitor economy supports our residents and the community as a whole.
In essence, tourism is the lifeblood of Walton County. In 2024, tourism generated almost $5 billion in economic impact, including more than $4 billion in direct visitor spending.
Tourism also supported close to 34,000 jobs — directly and indirectly — and $1.4 billion in wages and salaries. From our restaurant servers, cooks and chefs, to our hotel staff, beach vendors and property managers, tourism is present in most industries.
Year-round visitation to Walton County allows residents and visitors to have access to more than 200 restaurants and amenities that are traditionally not found in smaller markets, including locally owned boutiques, eclectic art galleries and incredible entertainment opportunities.
Local restaurant owners and retailers will tell you the tourism economy helps sustain their business — and provide for their families. Without this year-round visitation and support, our businesses would struggle.
We are home to world-class cultural offerings and natural wonders — from an award-winning songwriters festival to North America’s first underwater art museum. Endless adventures beckon among our bay, rivers and numerous dive reefs – not to mention some of the best fishing you can find along the Gulf Coast!
Some of these experiences can only happen here, which makes this a pretty special place.
Preserving, maintaining and sustaining these experiences and natural resources are made possible through tourism funding — both direct visitor spending and Tourist Development Tax (TDT) revenues.
TDT — or bed tax as it’s commonly known — is collected on short-term rental stays of six months or less in an accommodation. This can be campgrounds, RV parks, hotels, condos or single-family rental homes.
TDT collected south of the Choctawhatchee Bay is 5%. North of the Bay, TDT collected is 3%. Walton County is currently home to more than 20,000 rental units.
As a reminder, Walton County residents do not pay the bed tax unless they are taking a “staycation” in a local accommodation.
TDT funds are spent in a variety of ways through the Tourism Department, the actual marketing/promotion arm of the county. Appropriate use of funds is monitored by the Tourist Development Council per Florida Statute 125.0104, providing oversight and recommendations to the board of county commissioners. However, the Tourism Department is funded exclusively through TDT funds, not the county’s general revenues.
The Tourism Department encompasses marketing, communications, group sales and the Visitor Center. Tourism Beach Operations, which is also funded by the TDT, encompasses beach maintenance and all its various functions, including restorations.
Beach Operations allocates millions of dollars annually for all maintenance of boardwalks, beach access points and bathhouses, as well the entire 19-mile multi-use path and other county buildings and parks. This doesn’t include funding of capital improvement projects. They also collect more than 1,000 tons of trash annually from our beaches.
The Tourism Department funds public safety initiatives critical to a beach destination. This includes South Walton Fire District’s Beach Safety Lifeguard program, which totaled more than $3 million in 2024, and dedicated funding to the Walton County Sheriff’s Beach Patrol.
Entertainment — whether arts events or live music — is a big part of our culture and is enjoyed by residents and visitors alike. Tourism supports these local activities through a reimbursable grant program, which in FY24 backed marketing efforts for more than 60 county-wide events.
One of the biggest uses of tourism funds has been the acquisition of land for beach access and parking expansion. Since 2016, the Tourism Department has spent more than $76 million for projects, including the Grayton Central parking facility, Grayton Community Center and Miramar Beach parking featured in the following TDT Dollars at Work story, as well as the nearly-complete Seagrove Beach Regional Beach Access.
The economic benefit of tourism extends directly to our residents. In 2024, visitors accounted for 71% of spending in Walton County, generating a net tax benefit of more than $68 million to Walton County government and saving each local household over $2,000 in taxes annually.
The tourism economy truly supports our residents and community — directly and indirectly, elevating Walton County’s quality of life and community vitality.