Our Mobile App Launches
By Forgotten Coast Web Team | November 17, 2020
The Franklin County Tourist Development Council (FCTDC) has launched a mobile app to help visitors access information about area amenities, events, beach conditions, lodging, restaurants, shopping and outdoor recreation opportunities with just a click on their phone. The app will also include news articles and an itinerary builder for visitors. The Virtual Passport function lists popular sites in Franklin County as well as all area restaurants. Users can gain points for each location they visit. Users who gain the top level of the Passport will be entered into giveaways for vacations in Franklin County.
The Visit Florida’s Forgotten Coast Mobile App was created by FCTDC administrative staff and has been in the works since September when the TDC Board approved the creation of a mobile app for Franklin County. Tourism officials say it represents an important advancement in tourism marketing for Franklin County. “This mobile app is a major step forward in the promotion of Franklin County as a tourism destination,” said John Solomon, TDC director. “It’s going to be great for our visitors but also everybody will find it helpful because you’ll be able to immediately access all area restaurant & shopping information, beach conditions and other important information.” Solomon said the push notification feature of the app could be very important as any time there is a double red flag on our beaches, or emergencies within the county the TDC will be able to push that information to all app users.
The app is called “Florida’s Forgotten Coast” and can be downloaded from the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
Franklin County tourism has flourished during the 2020 pandemic, a phenomenon that Solomon attributes to the county’s abundant and socially-distant outdoors activities such as beaches, hiking and boating. Tourism collection numbers indicate August collections were 42% higher than in 2019 totaling $190,136.02. “This is the highest amount ever collected by the Franklin County TDC in the month of August,” Solomon said. Additionally, he said September occupancy rates were 20% higher than the previous year. “We are on track to surpass last year’s record collections and occupancies.”