- Governor Bentley commends State Tourism Department for national award
- Makers Village at Pepper Place held over through Oct. 1
- Restoration and new facility coming to Alabama Constitution Village
- What every start-up can learn from country music’s most anticipated new artist
- Birmingham: We can change the world
- World Food Championship’s final table will feature food “sport” legend
- 9/11 victims remembered at Space and Rocket Center Honor Walk
- AMLA’s Tami Reist receives special award from Southeast Tourism Society
- Tim Cook belts out ‘Sweet Home Alabama’ at Apple event
- Alabama Tourism Workshop on Oct. 5 to include international reps
- Alabama Tourism Department (ATD) upcoming events
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Governor Bentley commends State Tourism Department for national award
Office of Alabama Governor Robert Bentley, Sept. 9
Gov. Robert Bentley announced Friday that the Alabama Tourism Department was honored by the National Council of State Tourism Directors. Alabama received the Mercury Award for the “Year of Alabama Barbecue” marketing campaign. This award is presented for the best targeted marketing promotion in the nation.
The “Year of Alabama Barbecue” promoted the state’s barbecue heritage, award-winning restaurants and talented pit masters. The campaign included a website, smart phone app, social media promotions, a touring photo exhibit of legendary pit masters, a documentary about the state’s barbecue culture, a 128-page hardcover book and the creation of the Alabama Barbecue Hall of Fame.
“We are proud that the Alabama Tourism Department is once again being recognized for their outstanding work,” Governor Bentley said. “I commend the Tourism Department on continuing to showcase our state in unique ways. Their efforts are making a lasting impression on visitors from not only around the country but also around the world.”
Alabama Director of Tourism Lee Sentell said the campaign was a source of state pride. “After doing a social media survey of barbecue fans from across the state, we selected more than 75 restaurants in 52 cities to highlight for this campaign. It generated a great deal of pride and traffic within the state’s barbecue community,” he said.
This is the fifth time in the last decade the Alabama Tourism Department has won the top award. Previous awards went to the “Year of Alabama Food,” the “Year of Alabama Arts,” the “Year of Alabama Small Towns and Downtowns” and the “Year of Alabama Music.” Sentell was also one of three finalists for state tourism director of the year, which was won by Vicki Varela of Utah.
Representatives from the state tourism department accepted the award at the U.S. Travel Association’s Educational Seminar for Tourism Organizations (ESTO) conference in Boca Raton, Florida.
To read this article online, go to: http://governor.alabama.gov/newsroom/2016/09/governor-bentley-announces-state-tourism-department-wins-national-award-barbecue-promotion/
Makers Village at Pepper Place held over through Oct. 1
Makers Village at the Market at Pepper Place in Birmingham is being held over through Oct. 1.
Mixed media artist Charlie “Tin Man” Lucas, potter Sam Williams and Gee’s Bend quilter and soap maker Betty Anderson will be featured at the Makers Village on Saturday, Sept. 17. Birmingham musician Taylor Hollingsworth will be performing on Sept. 24 and Scott Peek with Standard Deluxe print shop and music venue will be the guest speaker on Oct. 1.
“Makers Village was scheduled to end the first Saturday of this month, but it proved so popular that we decided to extend it,” said Leigh Sloss-Corra, the Market at Pepper Place executive director. “It’s been a great showcase for all of these talented Alabama artists and craftspeople.”
There are more than 50 tents and carts throughout the Market and in the Makers Village that feature some of Alabama’s finest bakers, cheese producers, confectioners and salsa makers, plus calligraphers, candle makers, clothing and jewelry designers, metal artists, printers, potters, quilters, soap makers and woodworkers.
Makers Village was launched this summer at the Market at Pepper Place to help celebrate the Alabama Tourism Department’s “Year of Alabama Makers.” The events are held every Saturday, rain or shine, in the parking lot next to OvenBird Restaurant, on 28th Street, between 2nd and 3rd Ave. South.
The Makers Village includes a rotating collection of Alabama artisans and crafters, live music, ready-to-eat food and drink, and weekly demonstrations, workshops, lectures, with additional makers in SCENE Art Gallery, adjacent to the tent display area and in the Pepper Place Pop-Up Shop.
More information about the Makers Village, including a regularly updated schedule of weekly presenters and exhibitors, is available at www.pepperplacemarket.com/makersvillage. More information about The Year of Alabama Makers is available at www.alabamamakers.com.
The Market at Pepper Place, in the heart of downtown Birmingham, was founded in 2000, and is the largest producers’ farmers market in the state, with over 350,000 visitors annually. It currently runs from April 9 – Dec. 10, and hosts over 100 tents every Saturday, rain or shine, with Alabama farmers, food vendors, crafters and artisans, live music, cooking demonstrations and activities for the whole family. A Zyp bike station is nearby and on street parking is free.
Restoration and new facility coming to Alabama Constitution Village
By Anna Claire Vollers, AL.com, Sept. 12
Community leaders announced Friday that Huntsville’s ailing Alabama Constitution Village will undergo an extensive restoration and improvement project as part of the city’s preparation for Alabama’s Bicentennial celebration in 2019.
Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle called the development a “rare opportunity” to celebrate Huntsville’s importance to the state and the nation. It’s been named The Legacy Project.
“Right now we’re starting to look to the future (while) we’re building on the past,” he said.
The four-phase plan includes:
– Phase 1: exterior restoration of 15 buildings at Constitution Village, at an estimated cost of $700,000
– Phase 2: restoration of the interior educational areas, at an estimated cost of $300,000
– Phase 3: restoration of the exterior educational areas such as gardens, livestock pens, at an estimated cost of $500,000
– Phase 4: construction of a new Legacy Hall with classroom and gallery space, at an estimated cost of $6.5 million
Funding for the phase 1 exterior renovations has already been secured and is provided by Toyota Motor Manufacturing of Alabama, PPG’s Colorful Communities Grant, the City of Huntsville and a grant from the Alabama Historic Commission.
Work on exterior renovations is scheduled to begin in January 2017 and be completed later in the year. The plan is to complete phases 2 and 3 before Alabama celebrates its Bicentennial in 2019, which will also coincide with Hunsville’s celebration of the 50th anniversary of man landing on the moon.
During a press conference, community leaders like Battle stressed that improvements and additions to Alabama Constitution Village will be made with ongoing downtown development in mind.
The Village will serve as the focal point of the state’s Bicentennial celebration in the summer of 2019.
Alabama Constitution Village, managed by The EarlyWorks Family of Museums, is a reconstruction of five buildings and their outbuildings that once stood in downtown Huntsville.
The original two-story cabinet shop, whose replica in the Village is now known as Constitutional Hall, was the meeting place for the 44 delegates who organized Alabama’s entry into statehood in 1819.
To read this article online, go to: http://www.al.com/news/huntsville/index.ssf/2016/09/restoration_and_new_facility_c.html
What every start-up can learn from country music’s most anticipated new artist
By Peter Lane Taylor, Forbes
Drake White is going to be at Oak Mountain this Friday, Sept. 16, with Zac Brown Band
Every once in a while in every industry someone comes along who you know is about to go viral. ‘Personal calculus’ is the main reason why venture capitalists back individuals first, and ideas second. The music industry is no different—ever mining for the next Blake Shelton or Beyonce the same way tech angels treasure hunt for the next game changing, Silicon Valley start-up.
If you buy this line of thinking, Drake White may just be about to become country music’s next Uber. He may also be the reason why every entrepreneur in every industry should take a few business lessons from this northern Alabama good ole’ boy.
I first meet White at 6:30 am in the lobby of a Brooklyn hotel across the street from the 24-hour Atlantic Avenue subway line. It’s a strange place to meet one of Nashville’s up-and-coming stars: still foggy from four hours of sleep (the train rumbles by every 42 minutes) and surrounded by hipsters who likely wouldn’t know Kenny Chesney from Times Square’s Naked Cowboy.
I’ve been a shameless country music fan for decades, but I don’t have a pulse on Music City’s start-up scene so I’d never heard White’s name until two weeks earlier when White’s PR company invited me to join him on the launch of his debut record, “Spark”, which was just released on August 19th by Big Machine Label Group. White’s record launch is about to take us 3,070 miles between five cities (NYC, Dallas, Wichita, Denver, and Los Angeles) in 24 hours by private jet (sponsored by Cessna) to perform five acts of paying-it-forward charity (more on this later).
When the elevator door opens for some reason I expect an entourage to spill out. Instead, there’s White—beat up acoustic guitar in one hand, beads on his wrists, two cowboy hats on his head, Ray-Bans already on (it’s still before sunrise), and a backpack in his other hand that he’s had since he went on a four-month walkabout in New Zealand six years ago.
“What’s up? What’s up?”, White yells at me and two other writers across the lobby before giving me a fist bump. “Let’s do this!” If it’s true that you can take the measure of a man in the first ten seconds, White will never have an entourage no matter how big he goes.
White’s autobiography looks like it’s currently scripted to be a textbook American country-kid goes big success story. He grew up Hokes Bluff, Alabama, a town of barely 4,000 people northeast of Birmingham in the Appalachian foothills. He played wide receiver on his state championship football team, eventually marrying the high school sweetheart he could never have when he graduated. He took a few guitar lessons when he was 12 before deciding to teach himself.
“I learned how to play guitar to keep people’s attention around a fire,” says White, recalling his days growing up on four-wheelers, hunting, and fishing. “Playing music was also a way for us to stay out of trouble in a small town.”
If this sounds vaguely similar to a Palo Alto kid growing up writing computer code in a garage while his parents shuttled off to Hewlett-Packard during the day, it’s because it is. White’s gravitational pull to music and songwriting was genetically unavoidable, beginning with his grandfather, the town’s local preacher, who was famous for his boisterous sermons and using music as a way to elevate his flock to a place bigger than themselves.
To read this entire article online, go to: http://www.forbes.com/sites/petertaylor/2016/09/12/what-every-start-up-can-learn-from-country-musics-most-anticipated-new-artist/#3d2deb676d6d
Birmingham: We can change the world
By David Sher, Birmingham Comeback Town, Aug. 31
ComebackTown is published by David Sher to begin a discussion on a better Birmingham.
Today’s guest blogger is Andrea Taylor.
Wish me happy anniversary. I’m celebrating my first year in Birmingham this month.
I’ve lived, worked, and traveled the U.S. and visited more than 70 countries on seven continents.
I see Birmingham through a unique lens and have been made to feel very welcome here.
If asked about the history of Birmingham, you might tell me about Bull Connor, dogs and hoses, or the 1963 church bombing.
You might feel embarrassed about Birmingham and prefer the world forgets.
However, Birmingham’s tortuous history may be our biggest strength.
Many of you would agree that human and civil rights appear to be endangered in nearly every corner of the world seeking reconciliation.
We in Birmingham have seen the worst and now we have an opportunity to showcase other possibilities to the world.
A national park for Birmingham
100 years ago, the National Park Service – a unique American tradition, was created in the federal Organic Act of 1916 during Woodrow Wilson’s administration. Recently millions of citizens celebrated this milestone, and the creation of a nationwide system of 400 National Park and Historic Sites in the U.S. which attract more than 300 million visitors annually.
On Sunday, Aug. 28, 2016 the March for Birmingham, led by Mayor William A. Bell, Sr., U.S. Representative Terri A. Sewell, Brent Leggs, National Trust for Historic Preservation and their potential partners cited below, launched a public campaign to ask Congress and President Obama to support legislation (H.R. 4817) to create a national park in the Magic City that includes:
· 16th Street Baptist Church
· G. Gaston Motel
· Kelly Ingram Park
· Bethel Baptist Church
· Birmingham Civil Rights Institute
The event, held at the intersection of Sixth Avenue and 16th Street, surrounded by “sacred ground” in the Birmingham Civil Rights District, attracted hundreds of supporters for a 21st century campaign.
Why Birmingham matters
Odessa Woolfolk, Birmingham’s legendary civic leader and a founder and Chair Emerita of the Civil Rights Institute was one of many supportive voices on the mainstage. Her eloquence about Why Birmingham Matters bears repeating and with permission, excerpts from her key points are:
Birmingham matters…
· because a critical mass of its poorest and less powerful people – mostly Black, risked their meager possessions and their lives for freedom;
· because it reminded the nation that oppressed people will not remain oppressed forever;
· because the movement proved that the non-violent philosophy of Gandhi, King and Shuttlesworth is an effective strategy for protest;
· as an example of inspiring youth activism;
· because two Presidents and the U.S. Congress came to realize that no nation can survive if some of its citizens are denied basic rights guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution;
· because people around the world – in Poland, China, South Africa, Central America, began singing “We Shall Overcome” as they overthrew their oppressors.
This campaign event deliberately coincided with the 53rd anniversary of the iconic March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom.
You may not know that this peaceful demonstration, where Dr. King made his famous “I Have a Dream speech,” was conceived and planned at the A.G. Gaston Motel in Birmingham in the summer of 1963 just months before the horrific, hate-filled bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church that killed Addie Mae Collins (age 14), Carol Denise McNair (age 11), Carole Robertson (age 14), and Cynthia Wesley (age 14).
Growing up as a teenager living in Charleston, WV that year, I attended the March on Washington on a 24-hour bus trip organized by the NAACP since Negroes were not welcome in most public accommodations along the way.
Odessa Woolfolk was also among the 250,000 marchers on the capital Mall that day inspired by Dr. King’s dream and vision for a just society. She traveled to the March with the NAACP and B’Nai Brith while vacationing in New York City. Our paths didn’t cross then, but more than half a century later we stand together, along with many in the community who enthusiastically endorse legislation to create a national park to preserve the lessons of Birmingham for eternity.
Birmingham National Park would be a valuable addition
Passage of the legislation would add to the legacy of other African American experiences highlighted in more than 25 National Park sites across the U.S., including three in Alabama:
· Selma to Montgomery National Historic Trail
· Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site
· Tuskegee Institute National Historic Site
On the eve of the 25th anniversary of the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, where we meet and serve people of all ages as a leading tourist attraction in Alabama, becoming a national park would be welcome news, and some may even say, long overdue. It is significant and highly unusual that a bipartisan coalition including all members of the Alabama Congressional delegation supported H.R. 4817 when the bill was introduced in March by Congresswoman Sewell. Passage, says Sewell, “will forever cement the pivotal role Birmingham played in the Civil Rights Movement.”
Increase Birmingham’s vitality as a tourist attraction
A dramatic increase in visitors to Birmingham’s Civil Rights District is expected along with new economic development opportunities for our district neighbors and Greater Birmingham. Some vendors are already eager to see these changes. Recently, when dining with friends in a downtown Birmingham restaurant, the chef emerged from the kitchen to extend a warm welcome and ask about the pending national park legislation. He’s already anticipating greater demand and a full house in his eatery, if a Park is established here.
Embracing diversity in our nation demands that we seek to understand and be understood by historical traditions beyond our own families and communities. A visit to a national park, monument or historical site enables families and multiple generations to explore, learn and see history together while having shared conversations about the past, present and future.
“Birmingham reminds the world that remembrance of horror can be therapeutic for a country,” says Ms. Woolfolk. Few would doubt that our nation has made progress since 1963. However, race and reconciliation in our democracy is a continuing journey and the unique “story of triumph from tragedy” is compelling and must never be forgotten.
We’re optimistic that Congress and the President also understand this imperative and will vote affirmatively or sign an Executive Order to make this dream a reality. Indeed, Birmingham matters, and we can set an example for the world.
To read this article online, go to: http://comebacktown.com/2016/08/31/birmingham-we-can-change-the-world/?utm_source=Copy+of+Copy+of+September+9%2C+2016+Newsletter&utm_campaign=Constant+contact+–+012016&utm_medium=email
World Food Championship’s final table will feature food “sport” legend
Final Table contestants at the 2016 World Food Championships will definitely have to bring their “A” game this year. Otherwise, their dishes may get sacked by one of the judges affectionately known as a “Killer B.”
Celebrating its 5th Anniversary in Orange Beach, Alabama, the WFC officially announced today that former Alabama great and Miami Dolphin defensive lineman Bob Baumhower will join its celebrity roster of Final Table judges this November.
The choice is not a “Hail Mary” call. It’s backed by a robust career in both football and culinary achievement. In fact, Baumhower has a collection of restaurants to add to his list of athletic accolades. Baumhower is the CEO of Aloha Hospitality International, a culinary lineup of restaurants including Baumhower Restaurants, Bimini Bob’s, Dauphin’s, and La Floridita, a Cuban-themed speakeasy that will open in downtown Mobile later this year.
“As a former NFL All-Star and foodie, we know Bob has an appetite for success,” said Mike McCloud, CEO of World Food Championships. “Bob puts 110% into everything he does – whether that’s dreaming up unique and delicious culinary ventures, or on the football field as a ferocious linebacker. There’s no doubt that he’s going to be a discerning judge when it comes to picking the World Food Champion.”
Baumhower’s football career started in 1974 at Alabama, where he played for legendary coach Paul “Bear” Bryant, who taught him a life-long lesson in success.
“Coach was focused, serious and smart,” Baumhower said, remembering a time as a youth that he almost quit football. “He brought my father in to see him after he heard about me possibly quitting. Dad and I showed up, but he asked why I was present at the meeting. Once I mentioned I was there to talk to him too, Coach simply said, ‘I don’t talk to quitters.’ Well, as you can imagine, that lit a fire in my belly that would never go away.”
Following his career with the Crimson Tide, Baumhower played ten seasons (1977-86) at defensive tackle for the Miami Dolphins under another Hall of Fame coach, Don Shula. During his tenure in Miami, Baumhower was a key member of the famed “Killer B’s” defense that helped propel the team to two Super Bowl appearances during that time. Baumhower notched 39.5 sacks in his career, which is tied for eighth in Dolphins history and is the most ever by a Miami defensive tackle. He led the Dolphins with nine sacks in 1981, and was a five-time Pro Bowl selection. Baumhower was inducted into the Dolphins Honor Roll in 2008 and was named to Miami’s 50th season all-time team last year.
Baumhower took the passion that he showed on the gridiron into the hospitality industry in 1979 when he partnered with Joe Namath and Richard Todd of the Jets to create a Ft. Lauderdale hot spot called “Bachelors III.” After its success, Baumhower returned to his Alma Mater, the University of Alabama, and opened the first counter-service wing restaurant in Alabama – Wings Sports Grille.
Since then, Baumhower has continued to develop and revive restaurants in the Aloha Hospitality International group to use the freshest, highest quality, locally sourced ingredients possible. Bob’s Victory Grille, notable for its fresh, homemade mozzarella and artisan pizzas, brought the first coal fired pizza ovens to the state of Alabama.
The latest opening for Aloha Hospitality, called Dauphin’s, is a creole and caribbean restaurant offering coastal cuisine in Mobile, Alabama. Each restaurant under the Aloha Hospitality umbrella has a strong dash of Baumhower’s zealous attention to detail and passion for perfection. From the Italian glass chargers on the tables to artwork on the walls, to wait staff uniforms and design of the chairs, Bob’s hand is at work. His vision and dedication earned him critical acclaim and business success among the best casual restaurants in Alabama.
Baumhower will join celebrated TV chef Robyn Almodovar and Ch ris Lilly, a veteran Alabama pitmaster and executive chef of Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Que at the Final Table. These three judges will be joined by two more to award WFC’s ultimate champion with $100,000 in cash and prizes.
For more updates about celebrities joining the Ultimate Food Fight this November, follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter, or check out https://worldfoodchampionships.com/.
About the World Food Championships
The World Food Championships is the largest competition in food sport, where champions of previous events convene for a chance at winning the ultimate food title and a share of $300,000. The World Food Championships platform ranges from live-event integration and activations to a robust multimedia platform that serves culinary stars, home cooks, brands and destinations. Following a tournament-style format across nine iconic food categories, the WFC culminates with a Final Table face-off where category champions brave potential elimination in front of a live audience and a discerning panel of culinary judges for the coveted $100,000 prize. In four years, WFC has awarded more than $1 million in prizes and money, spawned two TV series, garnered more than 5 billion media impressions and launched numerous professional careers for successful contestants. The 5th Anniversary of the Ultimate Food Fight will take place in Orange Beach, Alabama this November 9-15. The World Food Championships is owned and produced by Nashville-based MMA Creative.
9/11 victims remembered at Space and Rocket Center Honor Walk
By Lauren Scharf, WAFF 48 First Alert, Sept. 11
Thousands gathered in Huntsville Sunday evening at the Space and Rocket Center to remember the lives lost in the 9/11 attacks.
This year’s focus was to bring law enforcement and the community together. Addressing the nation’s low morale regarding those who are at risk in the community and on the police force was at the forefront of the event.
“To walk off of the honoring path together as a community, as a new sense of spirit and morale, is a very powerful positive thing to do in the face of 9/11,” said Honor Walk organizer Rev. Kerry Joffrion.
Turning Point Consultants, who organized the event, said the healing group who went to Ground Zero and spent 10 years there after the tragedy helping survivors, first responders and military members cope were from Huntsville.
“They’re willing to lay down so much for our city and every individual in it. I will sing their praises continuously,” said Leslie Freeman, widow of former Huntsville Police Officer Eric Freeman.
Participants in the walk took the same route as families of the victims and first responders at St. Paul’s Chapel in New York. The walkers also carried burden stones representing the weight of each person’s heart to remember the fallen and the sacrifices made.
“I have walked this walk and I have found it very helpful. It has helped me in my healing and the wounds that I carry,” one walker told WAFF 48.
Children from the Village of Promise were in front at the walk as honorary members and first responders followed behind them.
“This is a way to bring our kids here and to show them we need police officers. Police officers keep us safe,” said Valerie Hampton.
To read this article online, go to: http://www.waff.com/story/33069186/911-victims-remembered-at-space-and-rocket-center-honor-walk
AMLA’s Tami Reist receives special award from Southeast Tourism Society
Tami Reist, President and CEO of the Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association (AMLA), has been presented with the Dorothy Hardman Spirit of STS Award. The award was presented by the 12-state Southeast Tourism Society (STS).
STS is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the promotion and development of tourism throughout the Southeast. The “Dorothy Hardman Spirit of STS” award is a special recognition given to an individual whose personal contributions exemplify the late Dorothy Hardman’s passion for the Society’s members and purpose. Reist has been a longtime supporter of the STS Marketing College, the Top 20 Events program and STS advocacy work in Washington, D.C. She accepted the award at the annual STS Shining Example Awards program held Sept. 8, in Birmingham.
Reist is the President/CEO of AMLA where she is responsible for the planning, implementing, directing, and evaluating of all promotion and development of the tourism industry within the 16 northernmost counties of the state. She stepped into the role in January, 2013, bringing with her 26 years of experience in the hospitality industry. Under her leadership, AMLA received the Chairman of the Board Award from STS in 2015 and last month, Reist was presented the Alabama Tourism Partnership Award of Excellence.
Prior to joining AMLA, she was president of the Decatur/Morgan County Convention and Visitors Bureau (DMCCVB), responsible for marketing Decatur and Morgan County as a tourist destination and convention site to generate and increase lodging tax revenue for the city and county. The DMCCVB, under her leadership, received the “Shining Example” award from the Southeast Tourism Society in 2009 and the 2008 “Tourism Organization of the Year” award from the Alabama Tourism Department.
Before joining the DMCCVB, Tami was a project manager, general manager, and regional manager where she was responsible for overseeing the construction, start-up, and operation of a number of hotel properties in Decatur, Florence, and Huntsville. She is a founding member of the Decatur Lodging Council, now known as the Decatur-Morgan County Hospitality Association, which was a driving force behind the renovation of Hospitality Park and the continued development of Ingalls Harbor.
In addition to her duties as AMLA president/CEO, Tami serves as the Alabama Tourism Chair for the Appalachian Regional Commission; was appointed to the Scenic Byway Program Advisory Council by Gov. Robert Bentley; was appointed by Lt. Gov. Kay Ivey to the Bicentennial Commission, is a member of Rotary Club of Decatur, Vice-Chair Southeast Tourism Society, Alabama Council of Association Executives, Alabama Association of Destination Marketing Organization, and a member of the Alabama Travel Council.
Tim Cook belts out ‘Sweet Home Alabama’ at Apple event
By Leada Gore, AL.com, Sept. 7
Apple CEO Tim Cook kicked off today’s much-anticipated product unveiling with a Southern rock nod to his home state.
Joined by “The Late Late Show’s” James Corden and artist Pharrell, Cook, a native of Robertsdale, Alabama belted out the Lynyrd Skynyrd classic “Sweet Home Alabama” in a pre-event edition of Carpool Karaoke. The song, an anthem for the University of Alabama, has to sting a little to Cook, a graduate of Auburn University.
To read this article and see the video of the group singing “Sweet Home Alabama” online, go to: http://www.al.com/news/index.ssf/2016/09/tim_cook_belts_out_sweet_home.html#incart_river_home
Alabama Tourism Workshop on Oct. 5 to include international reps
The Alabama Tourism Department (ATD) will hold its fall Tourism Workshop in Montgomery on Wednesday, Oct. 5. Some of the staff members in attendance will be: Rosemary Judkins, coordinator of the workshop and manager of the Group Tour division; Grey Brennan, ATD’s international manager; Della Tully, ATD’s UK representative, and Janin Nachtweh, ATD’s German representative will be Skyped in for the event; PR manager Brian Jones; and Pam Smith, editor of the Official Vacation Guide’s Calendar of Events.
The ATD offers a workshop twice a year for new tourism industry members, event organizers and anyone interested in enhancing tourism in their area. This workshop gives participants an opportunity to talk with staff members from each ATD division.
For additional information and to register, please contact Rosemary Judkins at 334-242-4493 or e-mail: Rosemary.Judkins@Tourism.Alabama.Gov.
Alabama Tourism Department (ATD) upcoming events
Oct. 5 Alabama Tourism Workshop Montgomery
Nov. 13 – 15 Welcome Center Retreat Birmingham
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Tourism Tuesdays is a free electronic newsletter produced by the Alabama Tourism Department. It contains news about the state tourism department and the Alabama tourism industry.
The newsletter can also be accessed online by going to: www.tourism.alabama.gov
To subscribe to the weekly Alabama Tourism News, please contact Peggy Collins at: peggy.collins@tourism.alabama.gov
Alabama Tourism Department