We must redefine tourism and our promotional boundaries

Pegging Emerald Coast tourists as out-of-towners visiting to enjoy our beaches and shopping is pretty much the norm. Admit it. When you think of tourists you think of all those folks flocking to our beautiful beaches and the hundreds of shopping opportunities.
We’re all guilty to some extent.
But we all benefit if we modify our thinking and redefine our idea of tourism and tourists. In this era when more and more individuals and families are turning to a ‘greener’ lifestyle every day, we must all begin paying more than lip service to eco- and agri-tourism. We must embrace this lifestyle because the tide is shifting it to a true change in the fabric and culture of our entire country.
Many vacationers seek opportunities to get back to nature. While Six Flags and Disney World will always hold a certain fascination for the young and young at heart, tourists who revel in the quiet beauty of our unspoiled lands are beginning to seek those places with determination.
And don’t think that our sometimes-crowded beaches are their idea of getting back to nature. No, the screaming of children, dodging of kites and the persistent coconut smell of suntan lotion won’t thrill them at all.
They want peace. They want nature untouched. And if there are other visitors around, they want them to be like-minded folks who hold their surroundings in the highest regard.
South of the Choctawhatchee Bay we have an abundance of parks and forest lands awaiting exploration by nature lovers. With just a little walking, these vast expanses of untouched land offer natural surprises and wonders out of sight and sound of the hustle and bustle surrounding us.
In the northern regions of Walton County our opportunities abound. Sun staffer Lori Ceier’s four-part series (the third installment is into day’s edition) on agri- and eco-tourism highlights intriguing places many of you probably did not know about. These are places nurtured by those who love the land.
That brings us to our second point: Those of us in Walton County must include the vast parts of the county north of Choctawhatchee Bay when we think of tourism. We must embrace the stark differences that make this county so diverse. Instead of clashing over perceived cultural differences, we must look at the opportunities these dissimilarities afford us.
Walton County should be one in all ways. But if we can’t agree politically, we should be able to agree when it comes to tourism. Because at the end of the day, much of our economic health is about tourism.