Jackson County Tourism Achieves Record-Breaking Growth In 2024-25

Visit Florida has released its latest Economic Impact Report, and Jackson County’s visitor economy continues to demonstrate exceptional growth, marking its third consecutive year of record-breaking performance.

According to the 2024 report, visitor spending in Jackson County reached nearly $223 million, an increase of $23 million over the previous year. Since the appointment of the current Tourist Development Council (TDC) Executive Director, visitor spending has increased by 28 percent, placing Jackson County among the top ten counties statewide for percentage growth in visitor spending.

Tourist Development Tax (TDT) collections also reached a new milestone, recording the third straight year of record revenues, with $928,500 collected in Fiscal Year 2024–2025. This represents a 138 percent increase compared to pre-Hurricane Michael collections, reflecting sustained recovery and long-term economic momentum.

While regional tourism reports across Florida show average growth rates ranging from 0.2 to 2 percent, Jackson County experienced year-over-year growth of 12–15 percent in both 2023 and 2024—an outstanding result for a rural county competing alongside destinations with significantly larger marketing budgets.

Tourism continues to provide meaningful benefits across the community. In 2024 alone:

•More than 2,500 local jobs were supported by visitor spending

•$42 million in local, state, and federal taxes were generated

•Local services, educational institutions, and infrastructure were strengthened through tourism-driven revenue

“As we continue to see more businesses open, new projects and development take place, and countless opportunities to support Jackson County, I feel blessed and honored to have my team lead the way on our tourism efforts,” said the TDC Executive Director. “Our commitment to strategic, data-driven decisions while focusing on the quality visitor over the quantity of visitors has helped to ensure Jackson County continues to see outstanding results like this.”

Jackson County’s continued success highlights what can be achieved through strategic leadership, collaboration, and a shared vision for sustainable growth.

To Subscribe To The Graceville News Visit Pricing Plans.