Tourism at ‘all-time’ high in May on Panama City Beach

PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla. (AP) – Officials say tourism is thriving on Panama City Beach.

Records show bed tax revenues from people staying in motels, hotels and short-term rentals were at an all-time high in May. Tourism officials say that’s up more than 15 percent from the same month in 2014.

The News Herald of Panama City  (http://bit.ly/1HjSdlV ) reports Panama City Beach bed tax collections are up 13.5 percent for the fiscal year, which began in October.

Bay County Tourist Development Council Executive Director Dan Rowe says the numbers who Panama City Beach is “embraced as a year-round vacation destination.”

He says the Thunder Beach Motorcycle Rally in May had record-breaking attendance.

Rowe credits a new advertising campaign that’s promoting the beach as a “great destination.”