Montgomery, Ala. (April 21, 2020) — Although the tourism economy has been severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Alabama Tourism Department is continuing to implement cost-conscious initiatives to maintain awareness and encourage tourists to visit the state once the pandemic restrictions have eased.
With 2020 being dedicated as “The Alabama Year of Natural Wonders,” the state tourism department has released a list of 20 of the state’s most impressive, yet accessible, natural wonders, including rivers, hiking trails, caves, waterfalls and beaches. To accompany this campaign, the department has developed AlabamaNaturalWonders.com and published editorial features about the natural wonders in the 2020 Alabama Vacation Guide, available in both print and digital editions. With the resources available, travelers can begin on Earth Day to find inspiration for their future travel to Alabama’s naturally wonderful outdoors.
The 20 for 2020 list of Alabama Natural Wonders include the following: Gulf Coast Beaches, Gulf Shores and Orange Beach; Mount Cheaha, Delta; Cathedral Caverns, Woodville; The Mobile-Tensaw Delta, Spanish Fort; Dismals Canyon, Phil Campbell; Alabama’s Natural Bridge, Natural Bridge; Alabama Coastal Birding Trail, Mobile and Baldwin counties; Cahaba Lilies, West Blocton; DeSoto Caverns, Childersburg; Pinhoti Trail, East Alabama; Rickwood Caverns, Warrior; Wetumpka Crater, Wetumpka; Little River Canyon, Fort Payne; Sipsey Wilderness, Northwest Alabama; Red Mountain and Park, Birmingham; Noccalula Falls, Gadsden; Walls of Jericho Trail, Estillfork; Bankhead National Forest, Double Springs; Cahaba River, Central Alabama; White Cliffs of Epes, Epes.
In addition to the resources devoted to Alabama’s natural wonders, the tourism department has released its updated Partner Portal so tourism industry partners can regularly update their location and event listings for web, app and social content to ensure potential travelers always have the most current information. The department also introduced its redesigned Road Trips mobile app, allowing visitors to build, share and take their own road trip from among all that Alabama has to offer through one user-friendly app. This redesigned app now includes content from the Alabama BBQ Trail and the ever-popular 100 Dishes to Eat in Alabama.
To drive interest in the state, the department recently sponsored two social media contests encouraging past visitors to share their travel photos. Each of the winners was awarded a return trip to Alabama including a natural wonder attraction. Visitors also have the opportunity to create their own free Photo ALbum to reminisce on their Alabama travel memories until they can visit again.
“We’re looking forward to welcoming guests when the time is right,” said Lee Sentell, director of the Alabama Tourism Department. “We hope that through these initiatives, visitors can begin envisioning their trip to Alabama now, so they can enjoy it when it is again safe to travel.”
To discover even more of the vacation-planning resources available, visit Alabama.Travel or follow the Alabama Tourism Department on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
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The Alabama Tourism Department has won top national and regional awards from World Travel Market: London, United States Travel Association, National Council of State Tourism Directors, Travel Weekly magazine, the Southeast Tourism Society and the Southern Public Relations Federation for its tourism marketing campaigns. As a result, more than 29 million travelers spent over $18 billion in the state in 2019. For more information, please visit: www.Alabama.Travel.
Media Contacts:
Lauren Bland
407.256.0008
lauren.bland@intermarkgroup.com
Anna Jones
205.534.3895
anna.jones@intermarkgroup.com