Northwest.

Florida's Northwestern region has a distinct southern flavor, both in atmosphere and geography. Folks are friendly and the setting is spectacular - pristine, sugar-sand beaches hug the emerald Gulf, while inland, giant oaks with wispy strands of Spanish moss tangled in their limbs dot the landscape. The Panhandle is also one of the state's fastest growing destinations, second only to Orlando in the state's drive market (tourists who drive into the state as opposed to flying).

Although Hurricane Opal did extensive damage, convention and visitor bureau officials throughout the area are proud to report that nearly 100 percent of the hotels and attractions are back in operation - and better than ever.

Pensacola, the westernmost city in the state, is enjoying a boom in tourism. To meet the demand, exciting new attractions and activities have been added to this city's roster. First and foremost is the new Boardwalk at the heart of Pensacola Beach, which includes the Gulfside Beach Pavilion and the Pensacola Beach Amphitheater, a beachside setting ideal for after-hours events.

Another creative venue for off-site meetings is the recently completed National Museum of Naval Aviation, featuring the IMAX theater's "The Magic of Flight."

Currently, the largest exhibit sites are the Beachside Resort and Conference Center, the Pensacola Civic Center, and the Bayfront Auditorium.

Scattered along the beaches to the east of Pensacola are several other beach towns capable of hosting a first-class meeting or a small to mid-sized convention. In Destin/Fort Walton Beach, the Days Inn & Suites recently added 76 hotel rooms and two conference rooms with more than 5,000 square feet of meeting space. The Henderson Park Inn, the only beachside bed and breakfast, is doubling the number of its guest rooms and constructing a 500-square-foot meeting room. The Ramada Plaza Beach Resort reopened after a $10 million makeover, including the addition of seven meeting rooms with more than 14,000 square feet of space.

The San Destin Resort recently expanded its conference facilities by adding a new exhibition center, bringing the total meeting space to 30,000 square feet. Westwinds, the high-rise condominium tower on the beach, is being designed specifically for the corporate meeting market. Opening in the summer of 1998, this will be the only beachside facility that incorporates meeting space along with rooms. Additionally, a Linkside Center Exhibit Hall adds another 12,600 square feet and is ideal for banquets and large meetings. Known for its golf courses, San Destin can custom design corporate team-building packages.

Seaside, the charming pastel village now famous for its architecture and community concept, provides a creative and thought-provoking getaway for small conferences and executive retreats.

Panama City Beach has a variety of meeting venues ranging from small, intimate hotels to larger resorts such as Edgewater Beach Resort Conference Center, Marriott's Bay Point, and the Boardwalk Beach Resort and Conference Center. Many of the activities here are family-oriented, making this city ideal for those traveling with families.

With its canopies of live oaks and small-town feel, Tallahassee offers a different spirit from the beaches found elsewhere in the state. Changes in the capital city include the innovative Dale Mabry Conference Center, conveniently located in the Tallahassee airport. Completed at the end of 1996, this facility offers such on-site amenities as a high-tech business center, free parking, and catering services for up to 1,180 people.

The downtown Capital Cultural Center, which houses the Tallahassee Art Museum and Odyssey Science Center, is slated to open in 1997.

The Doubletree Hotel, formerly the Holiday Inn Capital Plaza, is undergoing renovations with completion set for late spring.

Highlights ...

* Several beaches in the northwest region have received number one ratings by Dr. Beach of the Laboratory for Coastal Research at the University of Maryland.

* The state capital of Tallahassee is closer to 10 states - Alabama, Louisiana, Georgia, Kentucky, Tennessee, Mississippi, Texas, Arkansas, North Carolina, and South Carolina - than it is to Key West.