Tourist Development Tax collection showed a 34.26% increase in South Walton for August 2021 compared with the previous year. Total collections for August 2021 were $7,402,439.72. When compared to pre-COVID collections (at 2% to eliminate issues of tax rate changes), August TDT collection was a 102.3% increase compared to August 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 efforts, 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 $25,293.29 for August 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.

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There's always a lot of discussion in the community about what we do as an organization and how we are funded, so our Interim Executive Director Jason Cutshaw recently sat down with District 3 County Commissioner Mike Barker to talk about our mission, how our organization is different from the Tourist Development Council (TDC), and other topics like how we can spend funds and who actually contributes to the Tourist Development Tax.

CLICK HERE to watch our tourism talk.

The safety of Walton County remains at the forefront of our minds. We've created a COVID-19 Travel Updates page on our website to share the latest information about safely traveling to Walton County. This page is updated regularly as new information becomes available. 

The Walton County Planning and Development Department held the first of two public workshops to discuss a proposed short-term rental ordinance on Thursday, Oct. 7. More than 5 dozen attendees participated, offering suggestions and providing feedback for county staff. The next workshop is scheduled for Oct. 21 from 6-9 p.m. at the South Walton Courthouse Annex, 31 Coastal Centre Road in Santa Rosa Beach. The workshop is open to the public and Zoom participation is also available. For more information, CLICK HERE.