A quick note from Explore Northwest Florida

Your next visit to Northwest Florida will be your best one yet! November 2018 A message from our President... Ten-Ten, it was a day even the most experienced meteorologist feared to forecast. Northwest Florida prepared for a swiftly developing hurricane, possibly a category 4 even reaching a cat 5 level, threatening to bash some of the world’s most beautiful beaches. Some were scarred, some were spared and one we will not forget. Hurricane Michael was fierce and left a destructive mark on the natural landscape, a day the center of our region’s landscape was changed.  With this being said, the other areas of the region remain intact in its natural pristine beauty, and welcome visitors. Coastal and inland communities in Walton, Franklin and sections of west Bay are delighted to receive visitors. The remaining sections of the region are in full swing with clean up and debris removal. Every day progress is made. We see the light and know the hard work of crews, volunteers, and organizations assisting us will get us back in business to welcome visitors to the rest of our region. The sunsets may yield a different view but the sight remains clear, Explore Northwest Florida is quickly rebounding and will soon see the sun shine even all meteorologist will accurately forecast. Choose Your Adventure in Northwest Florida Pam Fuqua, President Natural Pristine Beauty... Marketing and Promoting Northwest Florida We are ready for some Trade Shows 2019 Spring Season Line-up For the third year, VISIT FLORIDA has provided Explore Northwest Florida (ENWFL), the opportunity to add national and international trade show participation to our list of services provided throughout the region that enhance and support the tourism industry. VISIT FLORIDA engaged ENWFL to sponsor the Northwest Rural Area of Opportunity and tasked us to create a consumer trade show program focused on introducing consumers and professionals to the region and informing them about the wide variety of adventures the Northwest Florida region has to offer such as boating, camping, diving, sport fishing, getaway river and beach vacation spots, and other opportunities for exploration off the beaten path.  Through this agreement, ENWFL representatives will attend nine trade shows in the Spring of 2019. Specifically, our organization will promote regional assets with collateral materials, marketing display, and booth designations at the following shows: Boot Dusseldorf, Germany; Atlanta RV & Camping Show; Nashville RV Super Show, New York Times Travel Show; Houston RV Show; Chicago RV & Camping Show; Toronto Outdoor Adventure Show, Canoecopia, Wisconsin; and Ottawa Outdoor Travel Show.  2018 show attendance offered the opportunity to reach 289,660 show attendees, over 500 direct contacts were obtained, 16,250 pieces of regional and partner counties marketing materials were given out and the ENWFL website saw a 50% increase in site visits during the trade show season.  Presentations and Events Explore Northwest Florida now has the only regional organization display offered at Florida Visitor Centers. Both the Hwy 231 Welcome Center and I-10 Welcome Center proudly hold our RiverWay South Region materials for our visitors to have quick access to information as they explore our great natural wonderland. Request Visitor Information Here Providing promotional presentations to boast on our accomplishments and share our future plans to groups and organizations, as well as participation in regional events to market our Northwest Florida adventures are key components to our marketing success. We would love to share our story with you or participate in your events, email us at info@explorenwflorida.comor give us a call 850-323-0567. Educational Opportunities Hospitality, Recreation & Tourism Hospitality is a service industry that includes lodging, food and beverages, and event planning to welcome guests to our region. One of the goals of ENWFL is to provide professional enhancement to front-line hospitality providers for our member organizations. We have initiated a partnership with Florida State University-Panama City to expand and further implement this endeavor. FSU-PC offers courses and degrees in Hospitality Management-Dedman School of Hospitality, as well as Recreation, Tourism and Events Programs. Watch for exciting details soon. Digital Marketing Training Summit ENWFL President Pam Fuqua and Project Manager Betty Webb recently attended a Digital Marketing Training Summit in Tampa Florida, provided by TechMedia. This two-day summit offered a multitude of information on the newest trends in digital marketing. The program provided practical, game-changing insight on the spectrum of the digital industry which will enable Explore Northwest Florida to use for promotion of our region. Social media is a very large component of our marketing strategy. The plethora of information learned at this summit reinforced our work in promotion through digital marketing platforms. More News Northwest Florida Water Management District joins Washington County, Nestlé Waters North America to protect Cypress Spring One of the Panhandle's most picturesque springs will now be protected for public use by a partnership between the Northwest Florida Water Management District, Washington County Commissioners, and Nestlé Waters North America, Inc. The District, Washington County, and Nestlé Waters North America (NWNA) will provide for the long-term protection of Cypress Spring and its surrounding property through a conservation easement. The acquisition covers approximately 300 acres, more than 1,000 linear feet of shoreline along Holmes Creek, and Cypress Spring - a second magnitude spring located in Washington County. The spring features an average recorded discharge rate of 89.47 cubit feet per second and the main vent measures 26 feet deep. After two separate appraisals and an appraisal review, the District agreed to purchase the conservation easement for $812,700, or $2,700 per acre. NWNA will donate the money back to the District to help pay for shoreline restoration projects and to offset ongoing land management costs. "In addition to their recreational value, and being economic drivers for our communities, springs are also the window into the health of our groundwater, the source of 90 percent of drinking water for Floridians," said Drew Bartlett, DEP deputy secretary for ecosystem restoration. "That is why DEP and the water management districts are committed to ensuring springs protection will remain a priority so that Florida's future generations will continue to enjoy these unique natural treasures." For more information or to read the full NWFWMD press release contact: Jim Lamar, Director of Communications, 850-539-5999, jim.lamar@nwfwater.com November Wildflower Alert Pineland rayless goldenrod by Eleanor Dietrich, Florida Panhandle Wildflower Alliance One of the common fall wildflowers in our area is the yellow Pineland rayless goldenrod (Bigelowia nudata). It isn’t technically a goldenrod (genus Solidago), but it looks very similar to them, which is how it got its common name. It is in the Aster or Composite family of plants; flowers in this family have what looks like a single flower, but it is actually made up of many small flowers. What look like petals are called ray flowers, and the center is made up of small tubular disk flowers. In this case, the flower does not have any ray flowers (it is rayless), only the tubular disk flowers. It is frequently found in moist habitats, often visible in large numbers along roadsides, blooming from late summer through fall. For the latest updates on Hurricane Michael recovery efforts visit our website or you may also contact any of our partners listed on the site for a complete listing on the status of county-specific adventures, events and happenings to Explore Northwest Florida. Visit our website Explore Northwest Florida PO Box 473 Apalachicola, Florida 32329 info@explorenwflorida.com (850) 323-0567  ‌  ‌  ‌ RiverWay South Apalachicola Choctawhatchee, Inc. Visit Our Website About Calendar of Events

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