here where I live on the US Gulf of mexico coast our tourist development council tried for many years to lure snowbirds from canada/michigan etc here because our winters are comparatively mild yet we still have seasons and prices are cheaper than further south florida. Then someone got the bright idea that promoting our beaches as a spring break destination would rake in tremendous tourist dollars. so then Girls Gone Wild and MTV came in and now we are known globally as a place where college girls can come to get knocked out on rape date drugs and be videod for porno films internationally romping with one another in motel shower stalls. oh, also we have bike week, gee why do we keep trying to compete with daytona beach even tho daytona beach is scrambling like crazy to distance themselves from their spring break/motorcycle club reputation...
So now. Damage control. all the nice snowbird tourists moved to the next county where they promote the beaches as pristine and desolate, lots of snowbird activities, no bikers. So panama city is trying to clean up their image. But I fear its too late for a long long time! Where I work, in South Walton county, santa rosa beach, destin etc, it has gotten so classy its now getting more expensive for snowbirds, infamously cheap, they make tomato soup by ordering hot tea and when the hot water comes they put the ketchup packets and coffee cream on the table into the hot water and with free crackers, voila, a meal! even with cheap gosh I will take snowbirds any day over Girls Gone Wild film crews. i particularly enjoy canadians. They will stop their cars in the middle of the road and jump out all excited to take a picture of an early azalea bloom in march. janice -- yipie tie yie yo
