Panama City Beach City Council, along with the Bay County Board of County Commissioners, voted today to repeal all restrictions on beach access and beach commerce, fully reopening its beaches beginning Friday, May 1^st. This decision comes after city council approved a limited reopening of the beaches last Friday, April 24^th, designed for residents for recreational purposes.

“While the beach reopening does not exclude visitors, non-essential travel restrictions remain in place throughout the country on both local and state levels,” says President and CEO of Visit Panama City Beach Dan Rowe. “We are encouraging all visitors to heed these guidelines, especially in their city and state of residence, and to continue sheltering at home until those restrictions are lifted.”

Per Governor Ron DeSantis’ Executive Order 20-112, restaurants may reopen May 4^th, offering outdoor seating with six feet between tables and indoor seating at 25 percent capacity. Retail stores may also reopen, operating at 25 percent of indoor capacity. However, bars, gyms and personal services such as hair salons remain closed, and the ban on vacation rentals has been extended until further notice.

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 while visiting beaches and other public areas, visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/daily-life-coping/visitors.html.

 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.

Panama City Beach City Council repeals all restrictions on beach access, commerce