Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Beach Properties of Florida Celebrates Five Years as a BHHS Affiliate with Continued Growth and Success

February 18, 2021

By Jennifer Ledesma,
Managing Broker, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Beach Properties of Florida

Berkshire Hathaway Home- Services Beach Properties of Florida recently celebrated its fifth anniversary as an affiliate of the Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Network. Since joining the network in 2016, the brokerage has experienced exponential growth expanding its reach along the Florida Panhandle from the Emerald Coast to the Forgotten Coast and more than doubling the size of its agent roster. The brokerage has also ranked in the top 50 affiliates across the entire Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices network annually since 2016.
Once a small boutique agency focused on South Walton real estate sales, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Beach Properties of Florida is now home to more than 220 agents with eight offices in select locations along the Northwest Florida Gulf Coast including Destin, South Walton, Panama City Beach, Port St. Joe, and St. George Island. On January 19th, a ribbon cutting ceremony with the Destin Chamber of Commerce commemorated the opening of a new Destin office, located at 151 Regions Way Suite 4A.

2020 marked a momentous milestone for Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Beach Properties of Florida with over $1 billion in sales volume recorded for the year. The brokerage further established its presence in the Northwest Florida Gulf Coast market by ranking as the number one listing brokerage for the 30A Beaches market, a top five listing brokerage for Panama City Beach, and a top three brokerage on the Forgotten Coast.

“Since joining the brand five short years ago, Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Beach Properties of Florida has seen its gross commission income grow from $10,900,000 in 2016 to $32,586,000 in 2020,” said Jimmy Burgess, chief growth officer at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Beach Properties of Florida. “The addition of the Destin office provides our brokerage the ability to continue its strategic growth in Northwest Florida. With our amazing group of agents, the best tools and technology available, and our reputation as the most trusted brand in real estate, the best is still yet to come!”

In more exciting news for the brokerage in the year ahead, Bay County-based broker associate Amanda Corbin was recently appointed as president of the Central Panhandle Association of Realtors (CPAR), and the New Homes Division, dedicated exclusively to overseeing new construction opportunities and strategic development for select area builders and developers, and continuing to expand its offerings along the Gulf Coast. New opportunities in popular Bay County communities Breakfast Point and SweetBay, as well as Churchill Oaks and Cottage Grove in South Walton are now available in addition to the division’s robust offerings in Kaiya Beach Resort, Watersound Origins, The Village at Grayton Beach, and many more.

“Berkshire Hathaway Home- Services’ focus on the customer is the driving force behind our company’s remarkable growth. We go to great lengths to stay focused on what buyers and sellers need and want so we can exceed those expectations,” said Hunter Harman, broker and owner at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Beach Properties of Florida. “With the growth our area is currently experiencing coupled with the continued ideal lending climate for homebuyers, we anticipate 2021 to be an extraordinary year for the local market.”
To stay up to date on the latest news from Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Beach Properties of Florida, visit www.beachpropertiesfla.com.

Creating Your Demand

February 14, 2021

By Marta Rose-Thorpe

I love the topic of “Creating Your Demand.” Think about the law of supply and demand. What business owner wouldn’t want an infinite amount of demand if they could have it? Wouldn’t it be great if we could actually create our own demand? I believe we can, and I believe that creating your demand is primarily about mindset, and secondarily about how you share yourself. Now, I could say “how you promote yourself,” but I’m talking about something that goes much deeper than anything a TV commercial or a Facebook post or a print ad can do for you. This has to do with the essence of YOU, and how you share that with others. Whatever your vocation – whatever your profession, 90% of this is about self-development and can apply to everyone. I’ve broken Creating Your Demand down into a three-step formula that I’ve shared in past presentations and I’ll share with you here: 1) Narrow Your Niche; 2) You are Your Brand; and 3) Take Action.

Step one is not an easy one. Have you heard the saying, “He wears many hats?” We all have. The guy who does it all… he’s multi-faceted, multi-talented. But how about this one, “He’s a jack of all trades, master of none.” You see, when we focus on everything, nothing can become great. Sometimes you’ve got to say no to great opportunities. Sometimes you’ve got to focus on a narrow niche. Is finding your niche like finding your purpose? For years I went through life hoping to find my true purpose one day. I knew what I was good at, I knew what I was passionate about, and I knew how to get good jobs and keep building my career. But off to the side I would secretly wonder, what is my true purpose?

Then one day I attended the Beach Chamber’s annual Women’s Symposium, held every year at FSU-PC, and the morning keynote speaker stated, flatly, “You don’t find your purpose, you choose it.” “Wow!” I thought. “It’s that easy?” All these years I was waiting to find it, and all I had to do was figure out what I wanted it to do – and then DO IT. And just like choosing your purpose, you must choose your niche. Ask yourself these questions: What are you the most passionate about? What extraordinary results do you deliver? What is your methodology? What is the most pressing problem your clients face? What does your target audience need the most? What are they willing to pay the most for? What niche could you offer your existing clients?

In the second step, understand that you are your own brand, so the real question is, what is your authentic brand foundation? Ask yourself, is your lifestyle congruent with your brand? The way you live, the places you go, the way you present yourself, the activities that occupy your time, the people you spend time with. Are there discrepancies, or is everything consistent and harmonious? Step three is to take action. The universe responds to action! We exist in familiarity, but greatness requires a massive leap of faith. A leap into the unknown, a leap into the unfamiliar, a leap into the uncomfortable. Think about this: Things will start to happen when you are more afraid of staying where you are, than of taking the jump.

One final pearl of wisdom I learned along the way is, Better is not Better; Different is Better. Find something unique about yourself and then amplify it. I love the analogy the book ‘Blue Ocean Strategy’ gives, stating that lasting success comes from creating blue oceans, or untapped new market space ripe for growth. Make yourself different so you have no competition; skip the bloody red oceans of rivals and create your very own blue ocean.
And in doing this, you’ll be creating your own demand.

A Brief History of Gold

February 18, 2021

By Tracy Miller, Tracy’s Fine Jewelry

Gold has been used for thousands of years in armor, jewelry, objet d’art, coins, and crowns, a glittering symbol of power and wealth throughout history. Thanks to its malleability, gold, compared to other precious metals, was easier for ancient cultures to forge and shape. The fact that it didn’t corrode only increased its value, and accounts for the discovery of historic gold pieces in modernity that are still in relatively good condition. Its association with the rich and powerful even in times of antiquity made this warm yellow color a symbol – and object of desire – for many warriors and kings.

Early cultures first discovered the precious metal near the surface, close to rivers in Asia Minor. Later, Egyptians and Romans would learn how to mine for gold underground. The oldest gold jewelry found dates back to around 4,400 BC, and was discovered at a burial site, the Varna Necropolis, not far from the shores of the Black Sea in Bulgaria. Along with actual burial plots, symbolic empty graves filled with grave gifts provided a literal bounty of archeological booty, including gold rings, animal figures, and even a scepter.

Dating to a time far more contemporary (1323 B.C.), the discovery of a fantastic trove of gold artifacts on November 4, 1922, in King Tutankhamun’s tomb (in Egypt’s fabled Valley of the Kings) is much better known. Not only were the walls in his burial chamber covered in gold, but the innermost layer of his sarcophagus was made of 240 lbs of solid gold, his mummy adorned with an elaborate gold funeral mask (not to mention numerous other gold treasures readied for the anticipated afterlife).

While it might attract less attention, the Cheapside Hoard found in London in 1912 by workmen is notable as the greatest single collection of Elizabethan and Stuart jewelry ever found in the world. This hoard is believed to have been hidden by a goldsmith in the late 1600’s. The location had once been a bustling jewelry district, part of Goldsmith’s Row in Cheapside. By 1625, other businesses had entered the area, and this batch of artifacts was lost under derelict buildings. It’s possible the hoard would have never been kept intact were it not for the antiquities trader and pawnbroker, George Fabian Lawrence, who made an arrangement with the demolition workers. “Stony Jack,” as he was known, would pay them in cash or pints of beer for any interesting finds during the demolition. Otherwise these treasures, buried for nearly 300 years, would have in all likelihood lined the pockets of the workmen who found them. The hoard included pieces like an exquisite gold cross pendant set with spinels, a gold and amethyst brooch, and an intriguing gold and pearl ‘ship pin’ (the head of the pin is actually a miniature ship with a baroque pearl as the hull), and had both real value and great historic worth. See select pieces from this collection at www.museumoflondon.org.uk.

There are many other examples of historic treasure discovered in the past two centuries, but no matter the era of origination, it’s clear that gold has been a highly prized commodity for thousands of years.

ISO: PCB’s Best Appetizers

February 18, 2021

By Jack Smith

The term ‘appetizers’ seems to have appeared simultaneously in England and America in 1860 as an English alternative to the French word, hors d’oeuvres. But though the name might vary, appetizers, in some form or another, have graced many a cultured table over the centuries. Ancient Greeks and Romans were known for their wine, olive, and cheese platters, while Renaissance physicians toted pre-dinner meat morsels to promote digestion. As part of a multi-course spread, appetizers were primarily found in the more privileged corners of society. It’s hard to imagine Genghis Khan sitting down to enjoy finger foods, while Daniel Boone would’ve been hard pressed to pronounce hors d’oeuvre, much less divine its meaning. Today appetizers, aka ‘starters,’ have evolved into their own food group. Portion conscious consumers are known to treat appetizers as a main course (who among us has not made a feast of wings, nachos, or even fried pickles?). My wife is convinced that soup and salad constitutes a full course meal. My advice? Enjoy all the oyster sliders and spinach dip you desire, and be merry. Main course optional. Bon appétit!

Schooners
5121 Gulf Drive, PCB | (850) 235-3555
schooners.com
Everything tastes better with a view of the beach, and Schooners is famous for having one of the best views in the U.S.A. Add two Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes served with Tropical Fruit Salsa and Creole Remoulade, a chilled glass of wine or ice cold local craft beer, and you have the perfect makings of a lifelong beach memory!

Capt. Anderson’s Restaurant
5551 N Lagoon Drive, PCB | (850) 234-2225
captandersons.com
Capt. Anderson’s has published a lot of cookbooks over the past 54 years, but there is always one recipe missing. As a matter of fact, you won’t find this recipe anywhere. It is Capt. Anderson’s most closely guarded secret…you have to taste to believe! The #1 appetizer of all time! Capt. A’s FAMOUS Grilled Bay Shrimp!

Christo’s Sports Bar & Grill
2903 Thomas Drive, PCB | (850) 708-1878
christossportsbarandgrill.com
Christo’s jumbo wings are cooked to order and we offer 9 different sauces and 3 dry rubs! Try them grilled. Get wild and mix up different sauces. Wednesday’s special is 80 cent wings all day (dine in only). Our wings were voted top 3 Best of Bay.

The Wicked Wheel
10025 Hutchison Boulevard, PCB | (850) 588-7947
thewickedwheel.com
As the reigning champion of Bay County’s Best Fried chicken, The Wicked Wheel also serves up some of the best wings around with unique flavors to choose from. Get ‘em tossed in the original hot or mild buffalo sauce, or try something different like their Apalachicola flavor sauce or their Jamaican Jerk Dry Rub. These wings are so good they’ll make ya lick your eyebrows!

Barefoot Hide-A-Way
15405 Front Beach Road, PCB | (850) 249-2031
barefootrestaurants.com
All Barefoot Restaurants offer crispy chicken wings tossed in a variety of sauces including mild, hot, garlic and BBQ sauce. Barefoot Hide-A-Way is also known for their blackened wings. Pair a basket of wings with their daily Bucket of Beer special ($15 for a domestic bucket/$20 for an imported bucket) for the perfect sports-watching experience!

Sisters of the Sea
3901 Thomas Drive, PCB | (856) MER-MAID
sistersofthesea.net
Try our succulent alligator tail, fried to perfection and served with cajun tartar sauce! Indoor and outdoor dining overlooking the beautiful Grand Lagoon. With 10 TVs inside and outside, it’s a great place to stop and watch the game. We’re making a splash in Panama City Beach with a menu of award-winning dishes in seafood and New American cuisine.

Mike’s Cafe and Oyster Bar
17554 Front Beach Road, PCB | (850) 234-1942
mikescafeandoysterbar.com
Our family opened Thomas’ Donuts on the west end of Panama City Beach in 1971 and we have been serving old friends and making new ones ever since. Mike’s Diner was opened in 1986 with a commitment to providing friendly service and the best quality food. In 2011, we changed Mike’s Diner into Mike’s Cafe & Oyster Bar.

Time with Wine: Mad Hatter

February 23, 2021

At Kwiker Liquor, we know that the key to having a great selection of fine wines is knowing a great selection of Vintners and Winemakers. And we take pride in cultivating these relations to bring the very best to our customers in the Panhandle. This month we called on our friends from Mad Hatter wines to share their story with us:

Created as the second label to Dancing Hares at Amulet Estate in St. Helena, California, Mad Hatter has developed its own unique place in the market, found in personal cellars as well as anchored on notable wine lists at upscale restaurants all over the country. At a more approachable price point, Mad Hatter is known universally as a wine of both value and substance.

The intention of Mad Hatter, vintage after vintage, is to create a Bordeaux based Proprietary Red Wine that remains consistent in style—enjoyable both in its youth and age-worthy as you would expect from a Napa Valley wine comprised primarily of Cabernet Sauvignon.

The 2018 growing season offered a bountiful crop of high-quality fruit, allowing for many lots to choose from for the final Mad Hatter blend. This vintage marks the first, start to finish, at the helm for Winemaker Shawn Johnson, who noted the following about the wine’s profile: “This wine expresses aromas of black plum, wild hyacinth, and clove. The palette evolves into flavors of black cherry, dark chocolate, and baking spice further enhanced by the wine’s velvety tannins, and long finish.”

Mad Hatter is only beginning its journey and growth within the industry. While it maintains a significant place in the history of the estate, it is a wine that will also have a strong presence in its future. This may not be the first time and will certainly not be the last time you will read about Mad Hatter Napa Valley Red Wine.

Hearing Loss Speeds Up Brain Shrinkage and Could Lead to Dementia

February 23, 2021

Research at Johns Hopkins University

The brains of all people shrink with age but the brains of people with hearing loss shrink more rapidly – they lose an extra cubic centimeter of brain a year.
Hearing loss is associated with increased risk of dementia, falls, hospitalization and poor mental health.

Ear Examination — ENT physician looking into patient’s ear with an instrument

Researchers at John Hopkins University, in Baltimore, U.S., and the National Institute on Aging, looked at the on-going Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging to compare the brains of elderly people with normal hearing and those with impaired hearing. The Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging was started in 1958 by the National Institute on Aging to track various health factors in thousands of men and women. Previous research from other studies linked hearing loss with marked differences in brain structure compared to those with normal hearing, both in humans and animals.

In particular, structures that process information from sound tended to be smaller in size in people and animals with impaired hearing. Dr. Frank Lin, an assistant professor at the Johns Hopkins University schools of medicine and public health, says it was unknown, however, whether these brain structural differences occurred before or after hearing loss.
As part of the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging, 126 participants underwent yearly MRI scans to track brain changes for up to 10 years. Each also had physical examinations at the time of the first MRI in 1994, including hearing tests.

At the starting point, 75 had normal hearing, and 51 had impaired hearing, with at least a 25-decibel loss.

After analyzing their MRIs over the following years, Dr. Lin and his colleagues found those participants whose hearing was already impaired at the start of the study had accelerated rates of brain deterioration compared to those with normal hearing. They found that people with impaired hearing lost more than an additional cubic centimeter of brain tissue each year. Those with poor hearing also had significantly more shrinkage in particular regions, including the superior, middle and inferior temporal gyri – brain structures responsible for processing sound and speech. The middle and inferior temporal gyri, for example, also play roles in memory and have been shown to be involved in the early stages of Alzheimer’s disease. “Our results suggest that hearing loss could be another ‘hit’ on the brain in many ways,” Dr. Lin explained. That structures responsible for sound and speech are affected in those with hearing loss was not a surprise, says Dr. Lin.

Hearing loss speeds up brain shrinkage and could lead to dementia, researchers claim.

People with hearing loss lose an extra cubic centimeter of brain tissue every year – this puts them at increased risk of memory loss and even dementia. He explained that shrinkage in those areas might simply be a consequence of an ‘impoverished’ auditory cortex, which could shrink from lack of stimulation. However, he added these structures don’t work in isolation, and their responsibilities don’t end at sorting out sounds and language.

The study also suggested that it is important to address hearing loss quickly.

Dr. Lin said: ‘If you want to address hearing loss well, you want to do it sooner rather than later. If hearing loss is potentially contributing to these differences we’re seeing on MRI, you want to treat it before these brain structural changes take place.
Dr. Lin and his colleagues say they plan to eventually examine whether treating hearing loss early can reduce the risk of other associated health problems.

Call All Clear Hearing Centers today and start hearing better tomorrow.

Book Review: The Brotherhood of War By W.E.B. Griffin

February 23, 2021

Review by Jack Smith

Planning a trip to St Bart’s in the late eighties, I needed enough reading material to last two weeks. I went to Barnes & Noble and found this series on the “just published” rack. As a fan of historical fiction, I thought this might be the answer. It certainly was. The Brotherhood of War is a series of nine novels that explores the lives and exploits of a group of men from World War Two through Vietnam. They start with the group as The Lieutenants, The Captains, The Majors and so on. Hailed by Tom Clancy as an “American epic,” The Brotherhood of War series is a sweeping saga that invites the reader to step into the world of the military both on duty and off. It probes the hearts and minds of those who serve and their companions, which makes them ideal reads for either gender.

One of the main characters is Craig Lowell who, after being thrown out of West Point, is drafted as a private and sent to Germany. The commanding general, who is the Captain of the Army polo team, finds out that Lowell is a nationally ranked player. The only problem for Lowell is that team members need to be officers. His promotion from private to lieutenant begins the first book of the series. The characters are masters of the art of war, of carousing, and of keeping each other out of the guard house.

After the first week of that St. Bart’s vacation, other members of the group ran out of reading materials and picked up my first volume. They enjoyed it so much they began to pester the current reader to hurry up and the refrain of “read, read” could be heard both day and night. The success of Brotherhood prompted Griffin to write a similar series on the marines called The Corps. In all, Griffin has written more than thirty epic novels in five series including The Brotherhood of War, The Corps, Men at War, Badge of Honor, and Clandestine Operations. All have been listed as best sellers in New York Times, Wall Street Journal and many more.

The Sonder Project Returns to its Roots After Nearly Two Years of Hurricane Michael Relief Projects

February 23, 2021

By Anna McKay

It’s often said that leaving a positive impact on the world begins at home. After over two years of community restoration projects following the destruction caused by Hurricane Michael, The Sonder Project is returning to its roots as a non-profit focusing on sustainable development in Africa. Its mission is “to do the most good” for impoverished communities that need it the most through projects such as building schools, drilling wells for clean drinking water, and increasing food security. Chad Zibelman, CEO, sat down with PCB Life to provide an update on their current international projects.

Can you explain an overview of the process to those who are not familiar with TSP?

TSP: The Sonder Project approaches our global communities as partners. We do not invest in projects for a community but with a community. Every project we undertake begins by holding mass meetings where we are working and assessing needs and interests. Once a community is selected, we work with the community to nominate a Project Leadership Committee to mobilize and oversee the project. The community directly contributes to all projects, typically in the form of sourcing raw materials and providing necessary manual labor. By the time the project is complete, they are fully invested.

Can you provide an update on TSP’s current projects?

TSP: In 2020, we expanded our international operations and opened an office in Malawi, which is in Southeastern Africa. Collectively, we increased access to clean water for over 18,000 people through our wells. On the local level, we brought our Hurricane Michael housing recovery efforts to a close and completed the construction of a school garden at Walton High School to support their new agriculture program. In 2021, we plan to drill 10 new wells, new school blocks in Malawi, and revitalize our Community Farms program in Burkina Faso. Additionally, we are excited to be unveiling a new sponsorship program to support students in our schools that are vulnerable to dropping-out due to financial hardship. More details to be announced soon!

We also met Kurt Freudenreich when his Rotary Club, the Mid-Bay Rotary Club, volunteered with us for a hurricane recovery project and our partnership has been serendipitous since. Kurt shared his vision to fund a well in the developing world by backpacking the Triple Crown (Appalachian Trail, Continental Divide Trail, Pacific Crest Trail). With over 2,000 miles hiked, he raised $12,129 in tandem with fellow hiker James Stiely to fund a well in Burkina Faso.

Since the onset of the pandemic, I’ve been unable to visit our project countries, and we had to postpone group trips as well but I have excellent communication with our project managers on the ground, and we were successful in meeting all of our 2020 goals.
How would you encourage those who wish to get involved with TSP to help locally?
TSP: In this altered landscape due to Covid, we have temporarily canceled all of our in-person fundraising events. Your support is greatly appreciated to make a donation, or support us on AmazonSmile. You can also check out our website to learn other ways to Get involved! If you have specific non-profit experience, such as grant writing, fundraising, or marketing and would like to lend your time, please feel free to email chad@thesonderproject.org.

Grand Lagoon Life

February 23, 2021

By Marta Rose-Thorpe

Life in the Grand Lagoon a.k.a. the “East End of Panama City Beach” is wonderful as we roll into February! The Thomas Drive Corridor is abuzz with activity, both in terms of new establishments developing and events being held every night in various locations. The Grand Lagoon Coalition, created to provide a platform for the revitalization and promotion of the Grand Lagoon area, has its 2021 events lined up, so get your calendars out and save some dates.

The Coalition’s second Tacos & Tequila Fest, back by popular demand, happens Mother’s Day Weekend on Saturday, May 8 at Hammerhead Fred’s. This fierce but friendly competition is the ultimate quest to find the Grand Lagoon’s best tequila cocktail and best taco, and everyone votes! Freedom Rocks, the coalition’s Independence Weekend fireworks show off a barge in the middle of Grand Lagoon, happens on July 3. Pirates of the High Seas Fest, a weekend-long event over Columbus Weekend, takes place at Capt. Anderson’s Marina on Sunday, October 10. And the Bloody Mary & Music Fest, the Coalitions long standing signature fall festival, happens on Saturday, November 6 back at the Sheraton PCB Golf Resort & Spa, following the second annual Grand Lagoon Golf Tournament taking place on Friday, November 5.

A key initiative of the Grand Lagoon Coalition is to build awareness for the unique personality of the Grand Lagoon. The area embodies an entrepreneurial spirit and sense of adventure, evidenced by its dense and diverse collection of independent owner-operated businesses, bars and restaurants and its popularity with locals and visitors seeking a Gateway to the Gulf… or path less traveled. The Coalition held its first meeting of the year in January, and a new Board of Directors was voted in. For 2021 the Board includes Pam Anderson of Capt. Anderson’s Marina, President; Curtis Flower of Beach Liquors, Vice President; Grant Wittstruck of LAT30° Partners, Secretary; Terri Hoehn on Centennial Bank, Treasurer; Rob Hammer of Hammerhead Fred’s, Events; Matt Sutherland of Sheraton Panama City Beach Golf & Spa Resort, Marketing; and Trudy White of Dat Cajun Place, Membership. The Coalition’s website, GrandLagoon.com, was created to highlight the natural attributes of the Grand Lagoon and encourage visitors to explore all it has to offer. The Coalition also maintains social platforms on Facebook and Instagram to engage both locals and visitors and encourage them to share their experiences. Interested in what we’re up to… or in possibly joining the Coalition? Visit our website and shoot us an email!

The new Capt. Anderson’s Event Center, situated on the water between Capt. Anderson’s Restaurant and The Grand Marlin, is alive with fun happenings! On Friday, February 12, check out Prom Night – Dancing Through the Decades. Did you miss your high school prom… or didn’t have the ideal night you dreamed of? Well, this is your makeup – your redemption! From 7 to 10 PM dance your way through the 60’s, 70’s, 80’s and up to current day tunes. Light hors d’oeuvres and spiked punch (!!!) will be served and SUIT UP for the Best Dressed Competition and Dance-Off. Tickets are $25 per person, available at the door.
Save the dates for Comedy & Cocktails (February 17 and March 17), The Pittman’s Magical Variety Show (March 13), Bridal Expo (March 21), Parrothead Night on the Harbor (March 27), and Wine Down Wednesdays – Swirl. Smell. Sip. Repeat! (March 31).

For details on any of these events call Capt. Anderson’s Event Center at 850.691.5653. Visit captainandersonseventcenter.com. Located at 5550 North Lagoon Drive.

PCB Recognized by Tripadvisor as No. 2 Emerging Destination in the World

February 24, 2021

Panama City Beach is pleased to announce that it has been named the No. 2 “Emerging Destination” in the world by Tripadvisor’s Travelers Choice 2021 Best of the Best Awards. Known for its 27 miles of sugar-white sand beaches, brilliant emerald-green waters and 320 days of sunshine annually, Panama City Beach has become a beloved destination for families, couples and friends.

“We are thrilled to be named one of the top emerging destinations in the world by travelers,” says Visit Panama City Beach President and CEO Dan Rowe. “This honor, especially following such a difficult year in the tourism industry is a testament to our community, its scenic beauty and our unparalleled visitor experience embodied in the brand of Real.Fun.Beach.”

In spite of the challenges faced by Panama City Beach over the past year, the destination is seeing continued investment in the community, including hotel openings, innovative RV parks and new direct flight markets that position the destination to succeed in 2021 and build on its reputation as one of the world’s most beautiful beaches.

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