Tourism numbers for Memorial Day weekend in South Walton were on par with last year

While the local airports may not have had as many people traveling through them this past weekend, the roadways were packed with tourism traffic.

The loosening of some COVID-19 restrictions encouraged thousands of people to come out of their homes where they've been cooped up for months.

This Memorial Day weekend, the Tourist Development Council reports vacation rentals were at 90 percent capacity, which they say is only two percent less than last year.

Short-term rental property companies rented out homes in Walton County and surrounding areas after they reopened last week, allowing more people to make the trip down here.

Newman-Dailey C.E.O. and founder Jeanne Dailey says they emailed guests ahead of their stays about their sanitation procedures, and proper social distancing.

"Wear your mask, bring your mask, bring your cleaning and sanitation products with you, practice the same social distancing and safety standards that you do at home, to protect yourself and those in our community," said Dailey.

Dailey also says their properties were filled up to 95 percent, but that some of those occupants were the owners themselves.