Small business & local marketing on the Emerald Coast: start, grow and get found
How to open a business in Okaloosa, Walton, Santa Rosa and Bay counties, where to get free help, how many businesses start here each year and how locals find you.
$2.2 billion in direct visitor spending in Okaloosa County, and visits outside summer grew 19% (Okaloosa County Tourist Development Council, 2025 research deck). People filed 14,459 applications to start a business in the 4 counties on the Emerald Coast in 2025, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (+43% vs. 2019). Our local directory lists 8,092 businesses on the Emerald Coast.
Who visits the Emerald Coast, and what it means for your business
The latest numbers from the official tourism offices. Each card says what the number means for a shop, restaurant or service.
in direct visitor spending in Okaloosa County, and visits outside summer grew 19%
For your business: Spring, fall and winter are no longer dead weeks. Plan offers and staff for them.
is the top home market for South Walton visitors, ahead of Nashville (8%), Dallas-Fort Worth (6%) and Birmingham (4%)
For your business: Most visitors drive in from the Southeast. Speak to them before they leave home.
before the trip is when the average South Walton visitor starts planning; 55% plan with the vacation rental website, 38% with friends and family, 22% with search engines
For your business: Get into the rental guidebooks and keep your Google and Apple listings complete: that is where the trip gets planned.
of South Walton visitors had been there more than 10 times; 89% eat out and 66% shop or go antiquing
For your business: Your best customer comes back. Ask for an email or a review and give them a reason to return.
of parents choose a destination based on their kids' interests; families with children 3 to 10 are the biggest opportunity
For your business: List kids' menus, play areas and accessible features where families look.
tourist development tax collections in Panama City Beach in December 2025 vs. December 2024 (+7% in November)
For your business: Holiday events and sports tournaments fill quiet weeks. Watch the event calendar.
The next 90 days: when visitors and locals come out
Events per week on our calendar on the Emerald Coast. Busy weeks need staff, stock and a reason to stop by your door.
- Week of Nov 2: 14 events · PMI-CPMAI and the Data Preparation Phase: What PMs and BAs Need to Understand · The Carpenters Songbook – A Live Celebration · Seeing Red Wine Festival Vintners Dinner
- Week of Nov 30: 11 events · Holiday Entertainment on The Boulevard · Emerald Coast Theatre Company | Million Dollar Quartet · Holiday Sip & Shop
- Week of Nov 23: 5 events · Born of Osiris & Miss May I · Beach Home for the Holidays · Central Square Cinema – Holiday Movie Night
Meet this section's sponsors Sponsored
Get found by visitors and neighbors
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Visitors plan on rental sites and search engines and then look you up on their phone. Tick what you have done; it stays saved on this device.
Not sure how AI assistants describe your business? Ask for a free check ›
Your website: what a visitor needs in 10 seconds
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- Hours, phone and address at the top of every page, written as text and not inside an image.
- Fast on a phone: visitors look you up from the car, the beach or the trail.
- One page per service and per town you serve, so search engines can match the question.
- Prices, or at least a starting price, where you can.
- One clear button: Call, Book or Get directions.
Answer every customer, even after hours
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- A call or message nobody answers at 9 p.m. is often a booking that goes to someone else.
- A chatbot should say it is a bot and hand off to a person when it cannot help.
- Give it only your real prices, hours and policies, and never let it guess.
- Offer Spanish if your customers ask for it.
- Read the conversations every week: they tell you what customers want.
Get a free check for your business
Tell us what you want to improve. A specialist from the company you pick will review it and send you their notes, free and with no obligation.
New business applications per year on the Emerald Coast
Applications for a federal employer number (EIN) that look like a new business, by county. The orange bar is 2025. Not every application becomes an open business.
| County | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Okaloosa County | 4,453 | 4,617 | 4,238 | 4,082 |
| Walton County | 2,388 | 2,640 | 2,488 | 2,795 |
| Santa Rosa County | 2,940 | 3,228 | 3,131 | 3,306 |
| Bay County | 4,335 | 4,568 | 4,338 | 4,276 |
Starting a business? Pick your county
Registration, tax accounts and the local license, with the official link for each step.
Free help near you
Small Business Saturday: Saturday, November 28
Insurance Agencies for local businesses on the Emerald Coast
Own a business here?
We publish short answers from local owners after an editor reviews them, in a separate "Reader reports" section.
- What worked for your business: the ad, the event or the change that brought customers in the slow season.
- Opening soon? Tell us about a new business and we may cover it.
- Report a change: a new fee, license rule or office address. We check it and update this page.
Small business news and advice
- What GEO is and how to get AI to recommend your Destin or 30A business
- 4 chatbot mistakes that drive customers away from Destin and 30A businesses
- What a Destin or 30A business website needs for 2027
- How Emerald Coast businesses show up on Google Maps and in AI answers
- Florida approves more than $4.5 million in bridge loans for Isaias-hit small businesses
- Lynn Haven Commission to Review Four Site Plans and a Land-Use Amendment on Nov. 3
Questions about running a business on the Emerald Coast
How many new businesses start on the Emerald Coast?
In 2025, people filed 14,459 applications to start a business in Okaloosa County, Walton County, Santa Rosa County and Bay County, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Business Formation Statistics. Not every application becomes an open business.
What should a local business know about visitors on the Emerald Coast?
$2.2 billion in direct visitor spending in Okaloosa County, and visits outside summer grew 19% (Okaloosa County Tourist Development Council, 2025 research deck). Spring, fall and winter are no longer dead weeks. Plan offers and staff for them.
How do visitors find a local business?
Before the trip they plan with rental websites, friends and family and search engines; once here, they search on their phones, in maps and, more and more, in AI assistants. Keep your Google, Apple and Bing listings and your directory listing complete and identical.
What do I need to start a business in Okaloosa County, FL?
To start a business in Okaloosa County, FL: register your business with the Florida Division of Corporations (Sunbiz) (an LLC costs $125 to form: $100 for the articles plus $25 for the registered agent designation); get a free EIN from the IRS; and register for Florida sales tax with the Department of Revenue if you sell taxable goods or services. Local license: Okaloosa County Tax Collector issues the county Local Business Tax Receipt. 4,082 new business applications were filed in Okaloosa County in 2025 (U.S. Census Bureau).
What do I need to start a business in Walton County, FL?
To start a business in Walton County, FL: register your business with the Florida Division of Corporations (Sunbiz) (an LLC costs $125 to form: $100 for the articles plus $25 for the registered agent designation); get a free EIN from the IRS; and register for Florida sales tax with the Department of Revenue if you sell taxable goods or services. Local license: Walton County Tax Collector issues the county business tax receipt (Business License Statement). 2,795 new business applications were filed in Walton County in 2025 (U.S. Census Bureau).
What do I need to start a business in Santa Rosa County, FL?
To start a business in Santa Rosa County, FL: register your business with the Florida Division of Corporations (Sunbiz) (an LLC costs $125 to form: $100 for the articles plus $25 for the registered agent designation); get a free EIN from the IRS; and register for Florida sales tax with the Department of Revenue if you sell taxable goods or services. Local license: Santa Rosa County Tax Collector issues the county Business Tax Receipt. 3,306 new business applications were filed in Santa Rosa County in 2025 (U.S. Census Bureau).
When is Small Business Saturday 2026?
Saturday, November 28, 2026. The Saturday after Thanksgiving, when shoppers are asked to buy from local, independent businesses.