Precautionary Measures Outlined and New Accommodations Deals Available-
PANAMA CITY BEACH, Fla., May 28, 2020 – Panama City Beach, best known for its 27 miles of sugar-white sand beaches and emerald-green waters where the Gulf of Mexico and St. Andrew Bay converge, has officially reopened and is welcoming visitors back to the sunny destination.
On May 19th, Bay County’s safety plan was approved by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulations, allowing visitors to occupy short-term vacation rentals in Panama City Beach. The destination also began executing their full phase one plan on May 18th, allowing 50 percent occupancy in restaurants, museums, libraries and retail stores. A number of attractions, including Shipwreck Island Waterpark, the Panama City Beach Sports Complex and Gulf World Marine Park, have also reopened or will be open by May 29th.
“After months indoors, we know our visitors are ready to relax, put their feet in the sand and enjoy Panama City Beach’s fresh air and wide-open spaces,” says President and CEO of Visit Panama City Beach Dan Rowe. “We are thrilled to be open for business and look forward to welcoming guests from areas where the curve has also flattened. However, we are reminding visitors to follow all of the CDC guidance for social distancing and other measures to help ensure that everyone remains safe as long as COVID-19 endures.”
Please see below for more information on Panama City Beach’s accomodation deals, precautionary measures and a list of open attractions.
Hotel Deals
- The Sheraton Panama City Beach Golf & Spa Resort is offering Florida, Georgia and Alabama residents 15 percent savings when guests book their next stay. This deal is valid until August 31, 2020. To protect staff and guests, the hotel has implemented precautionary measures including providing masks and gloves to guests, limiting elevator usage to two guests at one time, supplying guests with a bottle of disinfectant spray and letting rooms sit for at least 24 hours prior to cleaning. The resort’s restaurant is also using plastic cups and disposable menus only.
- The Resort Collection is offering guests 20 percent off through the end of the year with the code FUNSUN20. The resort collection features 13 Panama City Beach properties, including Edgewater Beach and Golf Resort, and is taking many preventive measures to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Resort Collection will perform extensive sanitizing measures provided by the American Chemistry Council’s guidelines for cleaning in commercial settings, and the resort will practice “social distancing” by spacing chairs on the pool decks at least six feet apart, restricting groups and/or crowds of 10 or more, etc.
- The Holiday Inn Resort is providing 20 percent off Gulf World Marine Park tickets with the purchase of a room and up to 40 percent off green fees for golf. The Holiday Inn Resort has implemented an updated set of cleaning and hygiene protocols set forth by IHG and the CDC, including regular disinfection of exposed surfaces such as door handles, card terminals and elevator buttons with anti-bacterial liquids approved by ECOLAB to kill Covid-19.
- Laketown Warf Resort, a Forever Vacation Rental property, is offering $100 off a seven-night stay. This deal is valid until August 8, 2020.
- Springhill Suites is providing parents and coaches up to $100 nightly hotel credit when booking their travel team for away sports games. For online reservations, use code ZX0. This deal is valid until December 31, 2020. In addition, the hotel is offering a romantic getaway package, which includes one bottle of champagne, one box of chocolates, breakfast for two per night and a 2 p.m. late check-out. For online reservations, use code LVU. This deal is valid until December 31, 2020. Springhill Suites is rolling out enhanced technologies including electrostatic sprayers to sanitize surfaces throughout the hotel and are also testing ultraviolet light technology for sanitizing guest keys and devices shared by associates.
Precautionary Measures
- Condominiums: Rental agencies across the state must follow new sanitation protocols. Both Coral Reef and Ocean Ritz, two high-rise condominiums in Panama City Beach, have outsourced a professional cleaning company that uses fogging equipment with residual features as a means of disinfectant. Most short-term rentals are also allowing additional, adequate time in between each guest’s check-in and check-out.
- Dining: Restaurants are now open at 50 percent occupancy both indoors and outdoors in Panama City Beach, most of which are still open for take-out as well. Runaway Island Beach Bar and Grill is offering live music every night, and Schooners has continued to host their sunset celebration both in-house and virtually on their Facebook page.
- Open Attractions:
- Shipwreck Island Waterpark- Shipwreck Island is currently operating at 50 percent capacity. Precautionary measures include six extra handwashing stations throughout the park. Additionally, some lifeguards and staff will wear sports-oriented, waterproof facemasks, and there will be six-foot distancing marks along the ground.
- Gulf World- Gulf World has strict policies in place, blocking off some parts of the park that do not encourage social-distancing, like the bird theater.
- PCB Slingshot- The team at PCB Slingshot is cleaning rides after every use and checking employees’ temperatures at the start and end of every shift.
- Ripley’s Believe It or Not! Odditorium- Ripley’s is performing daily temperature checks. Personal protective equipment is also required for the Mirror Maze and Moving Theater.
- Pier Park – Pier Park, Panama City Beach’s outdoor shopping center, has removed some lounge furniture on the premises that were deemed too close together. Stores and restaurants are open and plenty of restaurants have outdoor seating. The Grand Theater at Pier Park also offers curbside concessions Friday through Sunday from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m., selling everything off their normal menu. Orders can be placed through the Grand Theater app, Grubhub or by curbside pickup.
- Hidden Lagoon Golf and Racetrack and Coconut Creek – Both fun parks are open and enforcing social distancing by not allowing groups of 10 or more.
- Panama City Beach Sports Complex – On May 29, the Sports Complex is expecting almost 100 teams for its first event, the PG Playmaker May Showcase and Camp. The complex will operate at 50 percent capacity at each field for spectators, and guests are being asked to bring their own chairs as the bleachers will be closed. The Panama City Beach Sports Complex will also be disinfecting the turf fields and providing increased sanitation stations and signage stressing social distancing.
- Shipwreck Island Waterpark- Shipwreck Island is currently operating at 50 percent capacity. Precautionary measures include six extra handwashing stations throughout the park. Additionally, some lifeguards and staff will wear sports-oriented, waterproof facemasks, and there will be six-foot distancing marks along the ground.
Social distancing protocols will continue to be enforced, including maintaining group size to under 10 individuals and having a six-foot separation between groups. For more information regarding protections, visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/visitors.html.
For images of Panama City Beach, visit https://spaces.hightail.com/space/sWUmExMxXb.
About Panama City Beach
Panama City Beach is situated on 27 miles of sugar-white sand beaches bordering clear, emerald-green waters where the Gulf of Mexico and St. Andrew Bay converge. With 320 days of sunshine annually and attractions such as St. Andrews State Park and Pier Park, the region has long been favored by travelers seeking an affordable beach vacation with year-round offerings for families, couples, groups and adventure-seekers. These include championship golf courses, spas, sporting events, award-winning dining and diverse recreational activities. In addition, Panama City Beach’s Northwest Florida Beaches International Airport offers non-stop flights on Delta Airlines, Southwest Airlines and United Airlines. For more information, call 850-233-5070 or visit the official website of the Panama City Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau at www.visitpanamacitybeach.com. Stay connected with Panama City Beach on Twitter (@Visit_PCB), Instagram (@Visit_PCB) and Facebook (@VisitPanamaCityBeach).
About Visit Panama City Beach
Visit Panama City Beach is the official destination marketing organization for Panama City Beach, Florida. The award-winning organization has earned industry accreditation (DMAP) from Destinations International, the world’s leading authority in destination marketing, and exists to drive economic opportunity, job creation, community sustainability and quality of life for its residents through marketing, promotion and stewardship of the destination’s REAL.FUN.BEACH. brand and attributes, tourism development, special event production, and managing beach re-nourishment and maintenance programs.
Media Contacts:
Gina Stouffer / Tori Beth Black
Lou Hammond Group
843.408.4360 / 843.647.7389
ginas@louhammond.com
torib@louhammond.com
Jayna Leach / Lacee Rudd
Panama City Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau
850.233.5070 / 850.233.5070
jleach@visitpanamacitybeach.com
lrudd@visitpanamacitybeach.com