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Dixie County tourism board proposes overnight fees, online reservations; commissioners schedule workshop
Summary
Tourism staff proposed changing overnight camping policy to add reservable, paid overnight stays while keeping daytime access free; presenters cited estimated visitor spending and recommended Campspot.com reservations and updated park rules. Commissioners voted to hold a public workshop to refine rates and reservation limits.
Tourism Development staff presented a proposal to the Dixie County Board of County Commissioners to modernize overnight stays at county parks by adding reservable, paid overnight camping while preserving free daytime access.
The presenter said tourism generates roughly $5,500,000 in overnight visitor spending and another $4,500,000 in local spending at gas stations, restaurants and shops, supporting more than 160 tourism-based jobs and 26 overnight businesses in the county. She noted that, under Florida law, up to 15% of tourism tax revenue may be used for facility improvements.
The proposal would shift from first-come, first-served camping to an online reservation system using Campspot.com, with a proposed base overnight rate and a booking fee. Presenter suggestions included a nightly base rate of $32 and, in a later summary, an alternative recommendation of $52 per night; the presentation also recommended a $3 online booking fee paid by campers and a 14-day maximum occupancy consistent with the county ordinance. Staff said online reservations would reduce cash handling and allow advanced planning and enforcement of quiet hours (10 p.m. to 7 a.m.), site-occupancy limits, and other park rules.
Commissioners and residents raised concerns about resident access if sites were reservable months in advance, the number of sites (discussed as roughly 35), parking and boat-trailer capacity, and how the county would handle storm-related refunds. County staff noted the parks are still being developed — more sites and parking work remain — and the transition would require host training and public outreach.
After discussion and public comment, the board voted to send the proposal to a public workshop on the topic so citizens, private campground operators and county staff can review rate options, reservation windows, refund and storm policies, and implementation details before any ordinance change or formal adoption. The motion to schedule the workshop carried.
