Destin-Fort Walton Beach Tourism was recently awarded the Destination Marketing Accreditation Program (DMAP) seal with distinction by Destinations International. 

• This award was in recognition of the organization’s commitment to industry excellence and meeting the industry standard for performance and accountability of destination organizations around the world.

“This accreditation is a huge achievement for our County and our local tourism industry,” said Okaloosa County Board Chairman Trey Goodwin. “It demonstrates our continued dedication to be good stewards of tourism revenue that benefits both locals and visitors especially as we fund projects countywide with the newly expanded bed tax district.”

The accreditation program requires that a destination organization successfully comply with a multitude of mandatory and voluntary standards that span a variety of performance areas to gain this momentous achievement. 

The standards cover nearly all aspects related to the management and marketing of destination organizations including governance, finance, human resources, sales, communications, destination development and research, according to the county. 

• Destin-Fort Walton Beach now joins the ranks of more than 200 destination organizations that have obtained DMAP recognition.

“By achieving DMAP accreditation, Destin-Fort Walton Beach has demonstrated that they have developed strategies for the direction of their destination and the policies and procedures to safeguard the use of public dollars,” said Maura Allen Gast, FCDME, executive director at Visit Irving, and Immediate Past Chair of the DMAP Board.

The process for gaining the DMAP accreditation required a comprehensive look into all aspects of the Destin-Fort Walton Beach organization and was achieved with the help of a focused team of committed individuals.

“We are incredibly proud to receive DMAP accreditation with distinction as it’s the highest possible recognition for a destination organization,” said Jennifer Adams, tourism director, Destin-Fort Walton Beach. “This achievement is a testament to our team’s commitment to quality and performance standards, and as we look to the future we remain focused on implementing innovative strategies that uphold these high standards to benefit our tourism community, residents and valued visitors.