Travelocity and Coastal Vision 3000 to market Northwest Florida

PANAMA CITY BEACH – Coastal Vision 3000, a marketing organization for Northwest Florida’s beaches, has announced a groundbreaking relationship with Travelocity to market the region’s 181-mile Gulf Coast to travelers near and far.
Known for its white sand beaches and clear emerald waters, the area dubbed “THE Beach” stretches from Pensacola to Port St. Joe in the Florida Panhandle.
Visitors to Travelocity and a new consumer site, www.thebeachfla.com, can now book member hotels and rental units, plus airfare, from their choice of gateways. In the coming months, special packages combining air and lodging will be created with airlines from key market cities, and dynamic booking incentives will be launched.
THE Beach is served by three airports: the Panama City-Bay County International Airport (PFN), Okaloosa County Airport (VPS), and the Pensacola Regional Airport (PNS). A new international airport near Panama City Beach will help position Northwest Florida’s beaches as an international destination. The airport broke ground in late 2007 and is on schedule to open in May 2010. At the airport’s groundbreaking, Florida Gov. Charlie Crist said, “This is America’s first truly ‘Green Airport,’” according to a news release.
“Travelocity is delighted to partner with Coastal Vision 3000, as we see enormous potential in the Northwest Florida market,” Paul Nelson, senior vice president of partner marketing at Travelocity, said in the release. “THE Beach boasts hotels, resorts and condos totaling more than 60,000 units. Average rental rates are competitive, and the snow-white beaches are ranked among the best in the U.S.”
“Our alliance with Travelocity is a key step to build a strong regional brand, attract more competitive air service and visitors from across the globe, and showcase Northwest Florida’s wonderful beach destinations,” Davage “Buddy” Runnels, chairman of Coastal Vision 3000, said in the release. “Coastal Vision 3000 is an unprecedented effort to bring together business leaders from Northwest Florida’s coastal counties to grow our market to everyone’s benefit.”
THE Beach encompasses six counties and 181 miles of some of the world’s most beautiful beaches in the Florida Panhandle.  This Gulf-front area boasts more miles of preserved, undeveloped coastline than anywhere else in Florida. In addition, more than 225,000 acres of the region is protected and maintained by national, state and local parks and preserves.
Coastal Vision 3000 is focused on making Northwest Florida beaches an international destination, attracting new airline service and creating a stronger regional brand identity. Regional business leaders serving with Runnels on the executive committee include: Park Brady, CEO, ResortQuest International; Andy Phillips, president, Counts Oakes Resort Properties; Robert Kamm, president & CEO, Sandcastle Resorts & Hotels; Dawn Moliterno, president & CEO, Walton Area Chamber of Commerce; Mel Ponder, executive director, Coastal Vision 3000; and Jerry M. Ray, senior vice president, strategic alliances, The St. Joe Company.
This article was contributed to The Log by Coastal Vision 3000.