Alabama Tourism

[Southron]

Alabama's tourism and travel industry increased by 10% over the past year, according to an economic impact report released by Governor Bob Riley. The report estimated that 22.3 million tourists visited Alabama last year and spent over $8.3 billion.

Tourism dollars, top 5 counties:

1. Baldwin County - almost $2 billion

2. Jefferson County - $1.3 billion

3. Madison County - $780 million

4. Mobile County - $740 million

5. Montgomery County - $570 million

Montgomery Advertiser: Alabama tourism up 10 percent

Is anyone surprised by these rankings?

[DruidCity]

Here's the full report :

http://www.touralabama.org/about-alabama/n...m2006Report.pdf

[Blazer85]

I dont think anything is too surprising about that. Baldwin and Jefferson are, by far, the largest contributors... making up about 41% of the total tourism dollars for the state.

The Gulf Coast is obviously the most touristy area of the state and, in fact, an area that alot of other Alabamians in Montgomery, Birmingham, and Huntsville patronize for summer vacations... so it's obvious why Baldwin and Mobile Co. are 1st and 4th on that list.

The Birmingham area, being the financial, cultural, and corporate center of Alabama, make it obvious why Jefferson and Shelby Co. are 2nd and 6th on that list.

The ones I suppose that surprise me a little are Montgomery and Madison. I would have figured that Montgomery would have had more tourism than that as the state capitol, former capitol of the Confederacy, etc. That's the one surprise to me I guess... but even that is not shocking.

[elb401]

I'm not that suprised by the list. I can see why all of them are in that order. Jefferson (biggest metro and civil rights), Mobile and Baldwin (the Beach and the History), Montgomery (history and state capital), and Madison (space center) are the best tourist counties in the state!

[DruidCity]

From the extended report, I found it amazing that Lowndes County registered a grand total of ZERO lodging tax.

[convulso]

^ way to read the fine print, druid!

it's funny to think about in-staters' views of tourism in alabama; my idea of Things To Do differs pretty greatly from outsiders', i imagine. i like to go to the little places that in-state residents have the time to visit on weekend trips - historic towns and towns with old, pretty cores - eufala, enterprise, centerville, andalusia, etc. a lot of people (many from out of state) make a weird pilgrimage to cullman to see the beer-can ave marie grotto (though i find the grounds of the benedictine abbey much more inviting than the grotto itself).

i do think that in-staters from the northern part of AL probably often treat the gulf as a tourist draw the way many out-of staters do - that is, not so much as a culturally-linked region of AL, but rather a destination that holds the appeal of a different experience than what one finds elsewhere in AL (or the deep south in general).

[Southron]

Montgomery tourism revenue totaled $570 million in 2006, up 9 percent from 2005. Chamber of commerce officials estimate that visitors spend about $375 per day in the city. According to a state study, tourism-related spending helps provide about 12,500 jobs in Montgomery.

An estimated 1.3 million people visited the city in 2005 and 2006, with about 800,000 staying in hotels and motels, resulting in an occupancy rate of 59 percent. Increased tourism is important because the city uses lodging tax collections to help pay for riverfront development.

Montgomery Advertiser article

[Alabadrock]

Montgomery tourism revenue totaled $570 million in 2006, up 9 percent from 2005. Chamber of commerce officials estimate that visitors spend about $375 per day in the city. According to a state study, tourism-related spending helps provide about 12,500 jobs in Montgomery.

An estimated 1.3 million people visited the city in 2005 and 2006, with about 800,000 staying in hotels and motels, resulting in an occupancy rate of 59 percent. Increased tourism is important because the city uses lodging tax collections to help pay for riverfront development.

Montgomery Advertiser article

[Southron]

Tourism and travel to Alabama have increased by 34 percent over the past four years, an average of 8.5 percent per year. Recently the Alabama Bureau of Tourism and Travel has successfully focused on themed promotions: arts, food, the outdoors, sports. In 2008 the state is branding itself with a high-profile phrase -- Sweet Home Alabama -- to raise visibility.

Montgomery Advertiser: State takes themed approach to tourism