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Loretta Shaffer
Director, Marketing & Internet
Beaches of South Walton Tourist Development Council (TDC)
 As Director of Marketing & Internet for the Beaches of South Walton Tourist Development Council (TDC), Loretta Shaffer manages the planning and development of all marketing activities of the TDC including branding, research, online and offline advertising, and website initiatives. With 10 years of Florida based tourism experience, Loretta focuses on generating aggressive integrated, research-driven marketing campaigns that have a positive track record of strong economic impact.
Aiding the TDC in its mission to create a positive economic impact for Walton County, Loretta conducts comprehensive and targeted research to establish the destination's brand and position within the tourism marketplace. Through a continual brand culturalization process, Loretta works to gain local industry adoption of the Beaches of South Walton brand.
Under Loretta's management of "Autumn Tides," a marketing umbrella for seasonal events and festivals that attract visitors during the Beaches of South Walton shoulder season, bed tax collection for the destination increased annually by 28 percent over a five year period. Additionally, Loretta helped to increase Tourist Occupancy Tax during the shoulder season by 9.8 percent over a five year period.
In 2009, Loretta will complete her Certified Destination Management Executive (CDME) status through the Destination Management Association International (DMAI). The certification program is recognized by the CVB industry as its highest educational achievement with a focus on vision, leadership, productivity and the implementation of business strategies. Under her leadership, the TDC earned multiple prestigious state, national and international awards further recognizing the TDC for their exemplary performance in the areas of marketing, advertising, internet marketing, public relations and environmental stewardship.
She is an active member in numerous travel and tourism groups, including VISIT FLORIDA, the Florida Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus (FACVB), Travel Industry of America (TIA), SouthCoast USA (SCUSA), Walton County Chamber Marketing Committee and the Marketing Committee for Coastal Vision 3000. Loretta is a board member of the 2007-2008 Global Membership Committee through DMAI and is Chairman for the 2008 FACVB Educational Conference.
Prior to joining the Beaches of South Walton TDC in 2002, Loretta worked at Old Town, a shopping, dining and entertainment attraction in central Florida as the marketing and promotions director. Previous to that, Loretta was the public relations representative for the Kissimmee-St. Cloud Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) and was responsible for cultivating and tracking media constituents throughout the United States, Canada, Latin America, Germany, and the United Kingdom.
Loretta is a proud alumna from the University of Central Florida with a bachelor of arts in Communications.
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