Panama City Beach is tagging them and bagging them. The Panama City Beach ordinance that started Sunday has already gotten beach employees to start tagging tents that looks to be abandon.
"Its a courtesy warning," said TDC Director Dan Rowe. "We are not required to do it, but we just to take that extra step to make sure we don't take anybody's stuff. Also, to give them that extra opportunity to get their stuff off the beach."
For the last week the Tourist Development Council on Panama City Beach has tried to spread the word on the new law.
"We were out all day long yesterday talking to beach goers and last night was the first night that we went out to see what the results were," said Rowe.
And results were promising.
"We had estimates of sixteen hundred tents on the beach late last week. Last night, when the crews went out to start enforcing it, we had eighty six." said Rowe.
"I think they should." said Janet Tharp who is on vacation from Jackson Tennessee. "They [officials] don't want them to dirty up the beaches.
Tharp and her family brought their own tent down with them and says she thinks the law is a no brainer.
"You don't come out here and expect to have the same spot all the time," she said. "I mean if someone is under it your going to get mad so take it with you."
Rowe says they do intend to continue to educate visitors coming to the beach on into the summer.
"It is kind of a hassle to move your tent, but at the end of the day it just makes it easier for everybody," said Rowe.
The TDC is also handing out brochures at their location to help spread the word about the ordinance. They say come Monday night, they hope there's no trace of tents on this eight mile stretch of beach.
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