Walton County Tourism
If you know the neighborhoods of South Walton, you know their offerings and attractions are expansive — eclectic restaurants and boutiques, biking and running trails, upscale spas, and sugar-white sand beaches.
There’s so much more to Walton County Tourism than the beach. There’s the natural beauty and historic charm of Authentic Walton just north of Choctawhatchee Bay, and Keep Walton County Beautiful, an affiliate of Keep America Beautiful, dedicated to preserving the area’s stunning shoreline and forests through beautification, waste reduction, and recycling.
Zehnder's Role
When Zehnder began working with Walton County Tourism Department in 2012, the destination had recently changed its name from The Beaches of South Walton. The client needed a strong new message that elevated the area’s profile while advancing the conversation about South Walton’s 16 distinct beach neighborhoods.
As the destination has evolved, so have our marketing challenges. The volume of travelers visiting South Walton has skyrocketed in recent years as our original objectives were met and then exceeded. Currently, Zehnder’s primary focus is on helping the Walton County Tourism team attract highly affluent travelers to South Walton throughout the year, not just during the popular spring and summer seasons. Promoting the destination’s non-beach attractions such as dining, shopping, and eco-exploring is a cornerstone of our strategy.
Zehnder’s brand activation team has delivered the South Walton experience to target audiences in key markets at highly acclaimed events such as New York City Wine & Food Festival, Cattle Baron’s Ball, and Music City Food + Wine. We also work to keep South Walton top-of-mind with travelers through engaging, inspiring digital content including blog posts, search and display ads, email blasts, and more. To date, we’ve helped grow the brand’s social media presence to more nearly 400,000 users, and engagement levels are at an all-time high.
In recent years, Zehnder has also developed brand platforms and marketing for additional segments of the destination, including Authentic Walton, and key initiatives such as Keep Walton County Beautiful (an affiliate of Keep America Beautiful) and Walton County Tourism, the local-facing tourism department brand.
