Matching clients to destinations can be a travel professional's toughest responsibility. Take Florida's Great Northwest, for example. It is not for everyone. It is not for those who do not want a calm, relaxing vacation filled with comfortable accommodations, down-home hospitality, velvety white beaches, historic significance and natural beauty. It is not for those who think they need to take a second mortgage on their house simply to pay for their upcoming vacation, and it is certainly not for the pretentious.

Visitors to Northwest Florida will not find crowded beaches lined with mega hotels' high rise upon high rise. What they will find are cozy bed and breakfasts, home away from home condominiums and a sprinkling of top notch, reputable chain hotels and resorts all affordably priced. The area's season is summer, with the fall and spring months offering comfortable, sunny weather. Even the cooler winter months are a far cry from the blustery winters of northern climates. But whether they are visiting off-season or in-season, clients will find Florida's Great Northwest a good deal.

Nature is Northwest Florida's superstar. With some 30 state parks and a pair of national parks, opportunities for picnics, nature walks and animal encounters are ample. The Emerald Coast is the nickname given to the area from Fort Walton Beach to Destin, famous for its sparkling green waters and sugar-white beaches, which extend farther west and southeast than just within those two municipalities. The waters off Florida's Great Northwest are a fisherman's dream come true. More than 100 species of sea life call the area home at different times throughout the year, and at any one time at least 20 species are available for the grill, boiling pot or shucker's hands. Historically, Tallahassee is the only Southern capital not to be taken during the Civil War. Today, it is a prime destination for both history buffs and modern-day political science enthusiasts. Manmade attractions include museums with nature and history themes, water parks, zoos, U.S. Air Force and Navy museums, a 50-acre zoo and a sea life park.

Many major airlines and/or their commuter counterparts fly into the Okaloosa County Air Terminal at Eglin Air Force Base and the Pensacola Regional Airport PNS, as well as PFN and TLH. Traveling by car, however, can be considered the preferable way to enjoy the natural beauty of the area. Interstate 10 is the fastest route from Pensacola to the eastern city of Jacksonville, while I-75 and State Route 231 will bring clients into the Sunshine State. Seafarers can even travel the length of the Mississippi to the Intracoastal Waterway.