PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla., – Visit Panama City Beach and the Bay County Tourist Development Council announce an all-time record in tourism development tax collections for Panama City Beach for the month of February. Collections for the month of February 2017 were up 10.0 percent compared to February 2016, and the destination is currently up 14.5 percent for the fiscal year, which began October 2016. These numbers represent the highest bed tax collection numbers ever for the month of February in Panama City Beach. Bed tax collection numbers are the most accurate gauge available to estimate destination visitation numbers.
“We saw great support from our Winter Residents, and were able to encourage visitation through events in February including the Panama City Beach Mardi Gras and Music Festival,” shares Visit Panama City Beach President and CEO Dan Rowe. “With reliably good weather and great events throughout the entire year, visitors never have trouble finding fun in Panama City Beach.”
The destination’s award-winning beaches offer visitors plenty of options for outdoor fun, and fresh Gulf seafood gives visitors more than enough reason to visit year-round. Family-friendly events and early spring weather this year are fueling visitation as well.
The Tourist Development Tax is a five percent bed tax that is collected from a special taxing jurisdiction within Bay County on short-term vacation rentals including hotels and condominiums. The tax funds marketing and promotional activities performed by the Panama City Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau. It is also used for beach cleaning and grooming, product improvement and beach renourishment.
For more information on Panama City Beach visit www.visitpanamacitybeach.com or the Bay County Clerk site https://tdc.baycoclerk.com/TouristTax/ to learn more about the bed tax.
About Panama City Beach
Panama City Beach is situated on 27 miles of sugar-white sand beaches bordering clear, emerald-green waters where the Gulf of Mexico and St. Andrew Bay converge. With 320 days of sunshine annually and attractions such as St. Andrews State Park and Pier Park, the region has long been favored by travelers seeking an affordable beach vacation with year-round offerings for families, couples, groups and adventure-seekers. These include championship golf courses, spas, sporting events, award-winning dining and diverse recreational activities. In addition, Panama City Beach’s Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport offers non-stop flights on Delta Airlines, Southwest Airlines and United Airlines. For more information, call 850-233-5070 or visit the official website of the Panama City Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau at http://www.visitpanamacitybeach.com. Live HD video of the world-famous beach is now available at http://www.visitpanamacitybeach.com/webcam/. Stay connected with Panama City Beach on Twitter (@Visit_PCB) and Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/visitpanamacitybeach).