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Saturday Walking Tours in Alabama

March 4, 2024

MONTGOMERY – The Alabama Tourism Department’s annual Saturday Walking Tours will occur every Saturday morning in April and will take place at 27 locations across the state. Community leaders and volunteers will guide the free tours through historical areas that display art and culture of the city, and some tours will end with refreshments from […]

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International Tour Intineraries

Civil Rights Circle Tour

6-day Tour Beginning and Ending in Atlanta The Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., and the American Civil Rights struggles that shaped the world are highlighted in this road trip that includes important sites on the U.S. Civil Rights Trail. Highlights of this itinerary include tentative UNESCO World Heritage Sites Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, 16th […]

Southern Coast

10-Day Tour Featuring Historic Southern Towns and Beautiful Beaches A holiday to USA’s South Coast is an exciting adventure filled with food, fun and sun. In this 10-day road trip you will see where America’s civil rights history took place in Montgomery and Birmingham, relax on the beach in Gulf Shores, party in Mobile and […]

Americana Music Circle Tour

15-Day Tour of Nashville, Huntsville, Birmingham, Montgomery, Alabama’s coast, and New Orleans Note: For travelers using Atlanta as the gateway airport, they can start this circle tour in either Birmingham or Montgomery, both of which are only at 2.5 hour drive from the Atlanta airport. From the music industry in Nashville to the unlikely rural […]

Freedom Monument Sculpture Park Now Open!

Bryan Stevenson likes to say we are all more than the worst thing
we’ve ever done. He reminds juries of that when defending his
clients against death sentences.
Perhaps that same grace should extend to nations.

Stevenson is quick to add, however, an action’s full damage must be
understood before attempts at moving on are made.
“You can’t skip over the tough part because it’s only when you
appreciate the harm that you’re motivated to think about what’s the
repair needed? What’s the remedy needed? What’s the way
forward,” Stevenson told Forbes.com “I don’t think we’ve done a
very good job in traditional educational settings, and even in many
cultural settings, of truth-telling about this history in a way that
motivates us to want to see repair and restoration and a way
forward.”
Stevenson is talking about the history of enslavement, bigotry,
racial violence, and inequality in America. Subjects he’s deeply
familiar with as founder and executive director of the Equal Justice
Initiative, a non-profit organization based in Montgomery, AL. EJI
has been committed to ending mass incarceration and excessive
punishment in the United States since 1989, challenging racial and
economic injustice, and protecting basic human rights for the most
vulnerable people in American society.
In 2018, Stevenson took his quest for equal rights beyond the
courtroom and activism into a new realm: museums and
monuments. The Equal Justice Initiative opened the Legacy
Museum: From Enslavement to Mass Incarceration that year along
with the National Memorial for Peace and Justice as part of its
national effort to create new spaces, markers, and memorials
addressing the legacy of slavery, lynching, and racial segregation.
The triumphant success of those projects has spawned a third, also
in Montgomery, the Freedom Monument Sculpture Park opening
on March 27, 2024.

The 17-acre site combines historical artifacts, contemporary art,
original research, and first-person narratives to provide a space for
exploring the institution of slavery, the lives of enslaved people, and
the legacy of slavery in this country.

Stevenson came across the previously city-owned land during the
pandemic, taking phone meetings while walking around the area
surrounding the first two Legacy Sites. The parcel had been
abandoned for over 70 years and used as a dump in the mid-20
century.
Its location along the Alabama River made it ideal for telling this
story.
“The Alabama River was a key part of the trade of enslaved people
here in Alabama and across the Deep South,” Stevenson said.
Visitors to the Freedom Monument Sculpture Park can do more
than look at the river, they can opt to arrive at the park by pontoon
boat on the river.
“People being moved by boat deeper into enslavement is an
important part of the story,” Stevenson said. “We liked having
people have some experience of the river. We have narratives at the
park where enslaved people are talking about being trafficked on
the river.”
By crossing a river which previously trafficked enslaved people onto
land where they were separated from family members in the heart
of the Black Belt, the Deep South, cotton country, the epicenter of
the Civil Rights Movement, Stevenson believes the impact of the
sculptures and historical artifacts displayed take on a deeper
meaning.
“There are so many Black and Indigenous artists who have created
works about the historical experience, but you encounter them in
what feels like very sterile environments in major museums and
marble halls,” he said. “I got excited about imagining what it would
th
be like to encounter these pieces in a space where the history of the
narrative they’re presenting could be felt and understood.”
Mass Incarceration, Lynching, Slavery:

America’s Unholy Trinity
The Legacy Museum focuses on mass incarceration, a
contemporary manifestation of America’s founding on slave labor.
The National Memorial for Peace and Justice takes on the legacy of
slavery through the specific prism of lynching, racial terror, and
racial segregation–white nationalism’s backlash to the swift and
dramatic strides toward equality African Americans made during
Reconstruction.
Freedom Monument Sculpture Park centers on the enslavement of
10 million Black people and how that has shaped–and continues to
shape–the legal, cultural, social, and economic character of the
United States.
Stevenson was inspired to pursue this third Legacy Site during
plantation visits across the South during the pandemic. He’d never
visited one previously.
Alabama Sculpture Park evokes the history of slavery
“I was struck by how all of those spaces, no matter how hard people
tried to lift up a narrative about enslaved people, are organized
around the lives of the people who enslaved others,” he said. “The
Big House dominates, the gardening, the landscape. Everything is
organized around that, and the lives of enslaved people are almost
necessarily marginalized.”
Stevenson realized a new model was needed. A place to tell the
story of slavery in a historically authentic space, putting the lives
of enslaved people first. It must focus on people; individuals and
personal stories instead of data. It needed to offer an experience,
create a journey.
Lessons learned in the courtroom.
“I’ve spent a good part of my career going into courtrooms where
there’s a lot of resistance, a lot of hostilities to hearing what I have
to say about the worth of my clients, the value of my client’s life,”
Stevenson said. “What that has taught me is that storytelling is
really important, the narrative is really important, helping people
understand how what you’re doing, what I’m doing, is not just for
my client, but it’s for the whole community. I believe that if I can
get a community to not execute someone–obviously that helps my
client out–but I think it’s the right thing for that community.”
The same argument could be made about slavery. Instead of
historic and renewed efforts in states like Florida to minimize the
horrors of slavery, communities, states, and the entire nation could
benefit–across racial lines–from acknowledging the evils and
ongoing impacts it caused.
How?
“I think a society that values compassion and kindness is a society
that gets closer to justice and equality,” Stevenson said.
Justice and equality for everyone, not only Black people.

AL. EQUAL JUSTICE INITIATIVE
Visiting sculpture parks in Europe and seeing first-hand the power
of artists and artwork to communicate stories and experiences in
ways text alone can’t lead Stevenson to the idea of an outdoor
sculpture park for achieving his vision of sharing the story of
slavery in America.
“Art can make things that are dense and difficult accessible and
engaging,” he explained. “In our museum, we have found that the
use of sculpture, animation, video, and language has been powerful
in getting people to understand things about our challenging
history that they haven’t understood before.”

He sites Kwame Akoto-Bamfo’s Nkyinkyim Installation at the
National Memorial for Peace and Justice as the textbook example.
“It’s a sculpture that depicts enslaved people and he presents the
brutality of slavery, but he also presents the dignity of the people
enslaved and it’s very effective at getting people to understand how
this history wasn’t abstract, wasn’t just something you read about,
it involved real people and I think that’s the power that artists have,
to create context,” Stevenson said.

For Freedom Monument Sculpture Park, a dream team of
contemporary artists with work on display includes Charles Gaines,
Alison Saar, Simone Leigh, Wangechi Mutu, Rose B. Simpson,
Theaster Gates, Kehinde Wiley, and Hank Willis Thomas. Nearly 50
artworks appear in tandem alongside historical artifacts
dramatizing the brutality of slavery while simultaneously
illuminating the strength, dignity, and power of enslaved people
and their descendants.

Among the historical artifacts are a pair of 170-year-old dwellings
from the Faunsdale Plantation 80-miles west of Montgomery.
Faunsdale was one of largest plantations in Alabama during the
19 century enslaving a huge number of people. The two dwellings
remained standing, albeit deteriorating, and were acquired,
conserved, moved, and now ultimately presented at the sculpture
park.
Bricks made by enslaved people 175 years ago can be seen and
touched.
Restraints and historical objects representing the violence of
slavery hammer home the brutalities, but Freedom Monument
Sculpture Park also shares stories of love, perseverance, family and
hope in the midst of sorrow. It does so most dramatically through
what are known as “last seen” ads.
“After emancipation, many enslaved people spent their last nickels
and dimes to take out (newspaper) ads looking for their children,
their parents, their siblings, their spouses,” Stevenson explains.
“These ads are written with a kind of longing that lets you know
these familial connections were everything to enslaved people. We
have a lot of first-person accounts by enslaved people, and (visitors)
again learn that what sustains people is the love of a mother or the
love of a child or a partner. That’s what allows people to navigate so
much of this brutality.”

AL. BRYAN STEVENSON
The National Monument to Freedom, standing 43-feet-tall and 155-
feet-long, marks the culmination of a guest’s journey through
Freedom Monument Sculpture Park. Designed by Stevenson using
research from the 1870 Census–the first time formerly enslaved
Black people were able to formally record a surname–the
Monument individually lists over 122,000 surnames that nearly
five million Black people adopted at the time and that tens of
millions of people now carry across generations.
“I’ve been long interested in this moment in American history
where formerly enslaved people got to claim a family name,”
Stevenson said. “My name is Stevenson and on my mother’s side,
there’s a very long verbal history and I can talk a lot about my
enslaved great grandparents. On my father’s side, there wasn’t that
tradition, so I knew nothing about the name Stevenson or how and
when that came to be.”
Of the 122,000 names, roughly 8,000 represent approximately 70%
of African Americans today. Those names appear on the front of the
monument with more obscure names on the back.
“I wanted to do something to bring to life and elevate this moment
where millions of people claimed an identity,” Stevenson said. “It’s
a uniquely American moment because formerly enslaved people
had been displaced, disconnected, didn’t come with names they
could retain or even remember like most immigrants, they created
names.”
At EJI’s Visitors Center, guests can learn more about the counties
and states associated with the names of formerly enslaved people,
and visitors can use kiosks to advance genealogical research or
trace family histories.
All those 122,000 names representing millions of people who
suffered under the worst conditions a nation could impose upon
people are owed a debt of gratitude by everyone visiting the park,
regardless of race.
“After emancipation, people chose citizenship and community over
retaliation and revenge against those who enslaved them,”
Stevenson said. “That is a remarkable thing and that’s the gift that
we’ve been given. I think it changes your relationship to
understanding the people who were enslaved when you can
appreciate this perseverance, this faith, this power, this strength,
and this hope quotient that they carried with them, even when
things were despairing.”
The Legacy Museum, the National Memorial for Peace and Justice,
and now Freedom Monument Sculpture Park, they combine for a
long, difficult, tear-filled day of travel, of soul searching, of deep
thinking, but they’re necessary. They’re necessary in a country that
has continually failed to confront, let alone remedy, how its
formation and prosperity are owed to slave labor (and stolen land),
and how the impacts of those foundational evils persist.
“Taken together, I believe that people spending time (here), their
knowledge and understanding of American history will be
transformed,” Stevenson said. “Their consciousness about the
legacy of that history will be elevated. My hope is that their
commitment to advancing the kind of just society where we never
tolerate bigotry, and racism, and violence, and hate is elevated.”
One day, perhaps America can become more than the worst thing
its ever done.

Written by Chadd Scott

Freedom Monument Sculpture Park To Open In Montgomery, Alabama (forbes.com)

Saturday Walking Tours in Alabama

MONTGOMERY – The Alabama Tourism Department’s annual Saturday Walking Tours will occur every Saturday morning in April and will take place at 27 locations across the state.

Community leaders and volunteers will guide the free tours through historical areas that display art and culture of the city, and some tours will end with refreshments from their local hotspots. The two-hour long tours will start at 10 a.m. on April 6, 13, 20 and 27.

Towns and starting places for the Saturday Walking Tours are: Athens-Limestone County (Athens Limestone Visitors Center), Bayou La Batre (Maritime Park), Birmingham (Birmingham Civil Rights Institute), Bridgeport (Bridgeport Depot Museum), Courtland (Courtland Square at the gazebo only on April 20 only), Cullman (Cullman County Museum), Decatur (various locations), Elba (Chamber of Commerce), Enterprise (Pea River Historical Society), Fairhope (Fairhope Welcome Center), Florence (various locations), Foley (Foley Welcome Center), Gadsden (Visitors Information Center).

Huntsville (Alabama Constitution Hall Park on April 6 and 13 only), Leeds (Leeds Area Chamber of Commerce on April 13 only), Madison (Madison Little Roadhouse on April 20 and 27 only), Mobile (Visit Mobile Welcome Center), Montgomery (Montgomery Visitor Center), Monroeville (Monroe County Museum), Mooresville (Historic Post Office), Moulton (Sweet Leona’s Ice Cream Shop on April 27 only), Pell City (City Hall on April 6 and 13 only), Prattville (Prattaugan Museum), Selma (Selma-Dallas County Public Library), Sheffield (Sheffield City Hall), Springville (Springville City Museum), and Tuscumbia (Corner of 6^th and Main).

Please click here for the Saturday Walking Tours poster. For more information about the Saturday Walking Tours is available on the Alabama Tourism Department website at www.alabama.travel.

###

Press Contact:
Brooklyn Lundy, Public Relations Manager
Alabama Tourism Department
brooklyn.lundy@tourism.alabama.gov

2024 Alabama Spring Activities

MONTGOMERY – The Alabama Tourism Department presents the spring activity list for 2024, a combined list of events hosted by cities within the state of Alabama. Activities on the list below include springtime theatre performances, sports events, car shows, and annual festivals about arts and crafts, flowers, and music.

Bridge Crossing Jubilee – Selma, AL.
March 1 – March 3, 2024

Alabama Medieval Fantasy Festival – Greenville, AL.
March 2 – March 3, 2024

50^th Annual Orange Beach Festival of Art – Orange Beach, AL.
March 9 – March 10, 2024

Festival of Flowers 2024 – Mobile, AL.
March 8 – March 10, 2024

Spring Farm Day at Landmark Park – Dothan, AL.
March 16, 2024

2^nd Annual Bluegrass Revival: Historic Dupree School Bluegrass Festival – Ashford, AL.
March 23, 2024

Mobile Azalea Trail Festival – Mobile, AL.
March 8 – March 24, 2024

Azalea Bloom Out at Bellingrath Gardens and Home – Theodore, AL.
March 2 – March 31, 2024

Elberta German Sausage Festival – Elberta, AL.
March 30, 2024

“To Kill A Mockingbird” Theatrical Performance – Monroeville, AL.
April 5 – April 27, 2024

2024 Discovery Day at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab – Dauphin Island, AL.
April 6, 2024

Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery – Montgomery, AL.
April 18 – May 12, 2024

Waverly “Old 280” Boogie – Waverly, AL.
April 20, 2024

GEICO 500 NASCAR Cup Series – Lincoln, AL.
April 21, 2024

Interstate Mullet Toss & Gulf Coast’s Greatest Beach Party – Orange Beach, AL.
April 26 – April 28, 2024

2024 Panoply Arts Festival – Huntsville, AL.
April 26 – April 28, 2024

Rockin’ the River 2024 – Elba, AL.
May 4, 2024

Art in the Village – Mountain Brook, AL.
May 4, 2024

75^th Annual Blessing of the Fleet – Bayou La Batre, AL.
May 4 – May 5, 2024

Regions Tradition Golf Tournament – Birmingham, AL.
May 8 – May 12, 2024

Space Monkeys! The Adventures of Baker and Able – Huntsville, AL.
May 9 – May 12, 2024

Spring Hat Luncheon – Huntsville, AL.
May 9, 2024

52^nd Annual Foley Art in the Park – Foley, AL.
May 11 – May 12, 2024

Shoals Front Porch Storytelling Festival – Florence, Al.
May 16 – May 18, 2024

5^th Annual Opelika Songwriter Festival – Opelika, AL.
May 16 – May 19, 2024

Music and a Movie/Heritage Park Marketplace – Foley, AL.
May 17, 2024 and May 24, 2024

8^th Annual The Show at the O – Hatton, AL.
May 18, 2024

Arts Alive Festival – Florence, AL.
May 18 – May 19, 2024

Alabama Jubilee Hot Air Balloon Festival – Decatur, AL.
May 25 – May 26, 2024

Memorial Day at the American Village 2024 – Montevallo, AL.
May 27, 2024

For more information, click on the links provided for each event, or visit the Calendar of Events at alabama.travel.

###

Press Contact:
Brooklyn Lundy, Public Relations Manager
Alabama Tourism Department
brooklyn.lundy@tourism.alabama.gov

Montgomery earns spot on The New York Times list of top 52 travel destinations for 2024

At the start of every year, The New York Times publishes a list of its top 52 travel destinations, offering new, interesting inspiration to its readers. This year, Montgomery snagged a top spot.

At No. 28 on the list, The New York Times highlighted Montgomery for its historic roles as the former capital of the Confederacy and the birthplace of the civil rights movement.

A spokesperson from the newspaper said the 2024 list was intentionally curated to focus on sustainable travel, international and cultural events, nature and art.

“When it comes to conversations about race in America, few destinations are as engaged as Montgomery,” journalist Elaine Glusac wrote.

Montgomery earned the No. 28 spot on a New York Times list of best travel destinations for 2024.

Specifically, the list notes the new Freedom Monument Sculpture Park that the Equal Justice Initiative will open in early 2024. Located on Lafayette Street between downtown and the Montgomery Marina, the park sits on a bluff above the Alabama River. It looks out over the exact areas where the slave trade brought thousands of Black people into the city by boat and train.

Modern art, historic slave dwellings and other artifacts will be scattered around the 17-acre plot, and at the center will be the National Monument to Freedom, a structure standing 43 feet tall and 150 feet long that will be inscribed with more than 120,000 surnames of Black people who were emancipated at the end of the Civil War. The park will be dedicated to these people.

“It’s just really been curating a journey through this area, and we are making good progress,” EJI director Bryan Stevenson said when he announced the park. “I am feeling very hopeful.”

Hadley Hitson

Montgomery Advertiser

Student Groups Will Love This!

Space Camp for the beach? Gulf Shores launches Gulf Camp for environmental education, ecotourism
From the article by Dennis Pillion on AL.com

Gulf Shores has spent decades building its reputation as a premiere vacation destination.

Now, the city on Alabama’s Gulf Coast is looking to become a leader in environmental education and programming that will bring more families to learn about the ecologies of Alabama’s coastal areas.

“Myself and our city council had this somewhat large vision of what if we could be for the southern part of this state what Huntsville is for the northern part of the state, with space camp,” Gulf Shores Mayor Robert Craft told AL.com.

Gulf Shores is combining almost $13 million in Restore Act funding — money meant to compensate coastal areas after the 2010 BP oil spill — with city funds to build the Gulf Coast Center for Ecotourism and Sustainability, a hub for hosting summer camps and other educational programming to teach children and families about the natural environments of Alabama’s Gulf Coast.

Craft said the oil spill was a jarring reminder of the importance of protecting the environment, and that the camps will help encourage visitors to be ambassadors for environmental stewardship.

“Those of us that stood on the beaches with oil on our feet in that summer of 2010, when nobody came, we realized how totally dependent we are on clean, safe, usable environment,” Craft said.

Though the Eco Center, as it’s being called, is still under construction, the camps have already started at neighboring Gulf State Park, featuring programs like biking, kayaking, beach restoration projects, outdoor cooking, nature and ecology, arts and crafts and organic gardening.

The curriculum is being developed by Eco Center executive director Travis Langen and the Ocean Futures Society, which is run by Jean-Michel Cousteau, son of famed oceanographer Jacques Cousteau.

Langen previously worked for Cousteau’s group in its Ambassadors of the Environment program, which runs environmental education programs in Hawaii, California, the Caribbean, the Maldives, Mexico, and now Gulf Shores.

Langen said the Center will help encourage visitors to take better care of the beaches.

“Gulf Shores is not going out of fashion anytime soon,” Langen said. “It’s getting busier and busier, growing, so how could we accommodate that growth and host an ever-increasing number of people with an ever-decreasing impact and footprint on the landscape?”

“If [visitors] can come in for a week as a tourist in Gulf Shores, then leave as ambassadors of the environment, the next time they come back they’re going to help us and become allies in our hope to really change the way a tourist behaves and acts in the destination.”

While the city of Gulf Shores is administering the grant funding to build the facility, a non-profit entity was created to run the camps in coordination with various government and non-profit groups in the area: Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, Gulf State Park, tourism boards, Ambassadors of the Environment, and local chambers of commerce. The city of Gulf Shores signed an eight-year agreement with the non-profit Center for Ecotourism to run the camp programs.

“It has been a big challenge, but the rewards are incredible once you can get basically a whole region dialed in to all share a similar narrative about sustainability about protecting the environment,” Langen said.

The new building, expected to be completed this fall, will feature a farm and garden complex, art center, habitat restoration demonstrations, bicycle hub, wetland lab, event space, and challenge course. The campus will be located just north of Gulf State Park and Lake Shelby, next to Gulf Shores High School, and will attempt to earn LEED Gold certification for sustainability.

The center won’t have overnight accommodations — at least not yet — but the adjoining Gulf State Park facilities can host school groups or other campers.

Craft said that hopefully the camp will grow into an amenity that will attract new visitors to the area, and bolster the city’s reputation as an ecotourism destination.

“We’re tourism and that’s who we are, that’s how we pay the bills, but that’s not what we are,” Craft said. “We’re focused on being responsible people and creating a quality of life that is the best we can make it for everybody that lives here.”

For the complete article please see https://www.al.com/news/2024/04/space-camp-for-the-beach-gulf-shores-launches-gulf-camp-for-environmental-education-ecotourism.html

Governor’s Mansion Open for Candlelight Tours Dec. 11 & 18

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

November 28, 2023

Governor’s Mansion Open for Candlelight Tours Dec. 11 and 18

Montgomery – Gov. Kay Ivey will open the Governor’s Mansion for candlelight tours on Monday, Dec. 11 and Monday, Dec. 18. The tours will be from 5:30 – 7:30 p.m.

Although the tours are free, those attending must have tickets for the self-guided tour. The tickets are available at the Governor’s Mansion gift shop, located at 30 Finley Ave., across the street from the side entrance of the mansion, or the Alabama Tourism Department gift shop located in the Center for Commerce from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.

“Whether it be spending time with loved ones, enjoying our favorite meals or giving thanks for all the Good Lord has granted us, there is always so much to look forward to as we move into the holiday season,” said Gov. Ivey. “Each year, I am always excited to share the beautifully decorated Governor’s Mansion with my fellow Alabamians. I invite every Alabamian – young and old – to come visit the Mansion to view all of the Christmas decorations in one of the upcoming Candlelight Tours.”

Jerry Thrash is designing and decorating the mansion. This year’s holiday theme will connect with the Tourism Department’s Year of Alabama Birding campaign, “Birds of Alabama.”

The Governor’s Mansion is a 1907 Colonial Revival house located at 1142 South Perry St. in Montgomery and has served as the official residence for governors of Alabama since 1951.

More information is available at alabama.travel.

Press Contact:

Brooklyn Lundy, Public Relations Manager

Alabama Tourism Department

brooklyn.lundy@tourism.alabama.gov

Legislators to Mark Alabama’s First Public Road

Tuscaloosa, AL. – A group of Alabama legislators plan to erect historic markers in northwest Alabama to identify the first public road commissioned in 1819 by the new state government of Alabama, Rep. Tracy Estes announced today.

The original north-south road covering 140 miles linked Courtland on the Tennessee River to the north and Tuscaloosa on the Black Warrior River on the south. he said.

Pennsylvania contractor John Byler built what is recognized as the first state road in Alabama, Estes said. Two days after Alabama became a state in December 1819, the legislature authorized, and Gov. William Wyatt Bibb signed a contract with Byler to build a toll road to spur settlement and open the way south and west. It was completed in 1822, Estes said. Much of the roadwork was done by veterans of the Revolutionary War and veterans of 1812 and 1814, America’s first veterans, he said.

Eastern newspapers referred to the Byler as a turnpike. Thousands of pioneering pilgrims followed it to settle south and west. Andrew Jackson made sure that good land was available to the constructors at good prices, historians say. Hundreds took advantage. There are at least 60 GPS verified locations where Revolutionary War veterans bought land, settled, worked, raised families, died and were buried along the route.

Estes, the Winfield legislator, told legislators at a luncheon on the University of Alabama campus, “That route still exists. Over time, it has been paved and repaved.”

He said the road evolved from paths created by prehistoric woodlands bison that cut the trail thousands of years ago. “Native Americans followed the trail and widened it to a path. John Byler created a road from it.”

It was begun 20 years after theNatchez Trace was carved from wilderness growth, officials said.

Estes said Rep. Matt Woods, Rep. Tim Wadsworth, Mayor David O’Mary, Eldridge officials and Walker County Commission Chairman Steve Miller and Paul Kennedy and the Walker Area Heritage Foundation members are closely involved.

Estes said the University of Alabama Center for Economic Development anticipates a multi-year project to make the Byler an authorized scenic trail. State tourism director Lee Sentell said his office wil help Estes group raise public and private funds.

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Press Contact
Brooklyn Lundy, Public Relations Manager

Alabama TourismDepartment

brooklyn.lundy@tourism.alabama.gov

Holt Street Baptist Church Museum

HISTORY: The Birth of the Modern Civil Rights Movement in America

The arrest of Rosa Parks on December 1, 1955, for her refusal to yield her seat on a Montgomery public transit bus to a white man, in defiance of local segregation laws, provided the impetus for change in the city and the nation. Organizations such as the Women’s Political Council, the NAACP, and ultimately the Montgomery Improvement Association mobilized to use Parks’ arrest as an opportunity to challenge Montgomery’s unjust segregation laws.

The day after Parks’ arrest, approximately 50 men met at Dexter Avenue Baptist Church and planned a one-day bus boycott for the following Monday, December 5. They also arranged for a citywide meeting to be held that same evening to determine future action. The Rev. A.W. Wilson, pastor of Holt Street Baptist Church, offered his church as the site for the mass meeting. Meanwhile, more than a dozen men convened at Mount Zion A.M.E. Zion Church on the afternoon of December 5 and formed the Montgomery Improvement Association, appointing Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as its president.

Following a day of virtually empty buses rolling through the streets of Montgomery, an estimated 5,000 people gathered at Holt Street Baptist Church, overflowing into the streets, parking lots, and surrounding area. From this meeting, one of the most successful boycotts in history was launched, directed for its duration by Dr. King. Thus, the modern Civil Rights Movement was born.

The organizational strategy of the Montgomery Bus Boycott provided a model for civil rights activism throughout the country for the next two decades. Black Montgomerians, through courage, dignity, and nonviolent action, helped effect societal change and ensure freedom and justice for all.

LEGACY

The Holt Street Baptist Church Historical Society aims to preserve the history of the Montgomery Bus Boycott and the movement it launched through the creation and maintenance of a museum to be housed in the church where thousands gathered in support of the boycott. The museum will serve as a repository of historical materials on the boycott and Holt Street Baptist Church and as an information center with small exhibitions on the Civil Rights Movement in Montgomery and Alabama. It is the society’s goal, through this educational, cultural, and research center, to sustain the rich heritage and history of Holt Street Baptist Church, the movement in Montgomery and Alabama, and the church’s role in it.

The society seeks to promote understanding of the role of the Montgomery Bus Boycott in the struggle to gain civil rights for people of color in this country and to augment their participation in the democratic process and the free enterprise system.

Holt Street Baptist Church Museum – US Civil Rights Trail

Tourism Exchange

Final stages to listed on Tourism Exchange USA:

Muscle Shoals Sound Studio
Alabama Music Hall of Fame
Freedom Line Tours

Anticipated to begin the process soon:

Explore The South Alabama Birding Tour for April 2024
All-in-One Alabama Multi-Attraction Ticket for Montgomery
All-in-One Alabama Multi-Attraction Ticket for Montgomery/Selma/Tuskegee
All-in-One Alabama Multi-Attraction Ticket for Birmingham
All-in-One Alabama Multi-Attraction Ticket for Family Fun Birmingham
All-in-One Alabama Multi-Attraction Ticket for Florence/Muscle Shoals
All-in-One Alabama Multi-Attraction Ticket for the Huntsville Area
All-in-One Alabama Multi-Attraction Ticket for Gulf Shores/Orange Beach area
All-in-One Alabama Multi-Attraction Ticket for Mobile area
All-in-One Alabama Multi-Attraction Ticket for Mobile
All-in-One Alabama Multi-Attraction Ticket for Anniston & East Central Alabama
All-in-One Alabama Multi-Attraction Ticket for East Central Alabama
All-in-One Alabama Multi-Attraction Ticket for East Central Alabama Family Fun
All-in-One Alabama Multi-Attraction Ticket for Auburn/Opelika & Alexander City
All-in-One Alabama Multi-Attraction Ticket for Dothan-Eufaula
All-in-One Alabama Multi-Attraction Ticket for Tuscaloosa

We encourage companies that wish to connect to suppliers of Alabama Tourism product to join the Tourism Exchange USA marketplace by going to this link https://tourismexchangeusa.com/get-connected/

Alabama Tourism Department’s “Mind Trip” Campaign Receives National and District Awards

Birmingham, AL (July 11, 2023) – The Alabama Tourism Department has received multiple district and national American Advertising Federation awards (ADDYs) for its 2022 “Mind Trip” campaign. At the district level, the campaign won “Best in Show,” a highly coveted award in the advertising industry.

The American Advertising Federation Awards are the industry’s largest and most representative competition that attracts more than 25,000 entries every year in local AAF Ad Club competitions.

The 2022 campaign, created by the Alabama Tourism Department’s agency of record, Intermark Group, was launched last summer and allowed visitors to use their minds to escape to Alabama through a Mind Trip, a new and innovative to experience a vacation in the state. The buzz-worthy promotional campaign presented a relaxing experience with a distinctively motivating appeal to immerse visitors into the idea of slowing down and savoring unique Alabama moments as well as through tongue-in-cheek hypnotic ways to take their minds to Sweet Home Alabama.

“The “Mind Trip” campaign was truly a creative and innovative way for visitors to experience Alabama without leaving home while inspiring them to consider it,” said Lee Sentell, Director, Alabama Tourism Department. “Our partners at Intermark hit it out of the park with this experiential campaign by making it one of the most highly engaging ones we’ve done.”

National Award- Professional Silver:

Internet Commercial:

Intermark Group, Birmingham, AL
Alabama Tourism Department
Alabama Tourism Mind Trip: Outdoors

Internet Commercial Campaign:

Intermark Group, Birmingham, AL
Alabama Tourism Department
Alabama Tourism Mind Trip Campaign

District Awards:

Alabama Tourism Mind Trip Campaign – Best of Show/Judge’s Choice
Alabama Tourism Mind Trip: Outdoors – Silver: Online Film, Video & Sound – Internet Commercial Alabama Tourism Mind Trip: Beach – Silver: Online Film, Video & Sound – Internet Commercial
Alabama Tourism Mind Trip: Campaign – Silver: Online Film, Video & Sound – Internet Commercial Campaign

Intermark won six awards for the Alabama Tourism Department’s “Mind Trips” campaign at the Birmingham ADDYs in February. Intermark took home a Gold ADDY for ATD’s “Mind Trip” internet campaign featuring the state’s beaches and outdoors areas in the category of Film, Video & Sound, and five silver ADDYs in the categories of Cross Platform/Online Interactive Campaign; Film, Video & Sound; Copywriting and in Sound Design.

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About the Alabama Tourism Department:

The Alabama Tourism Department has won honors from the World Travel Market: London, United States Travel Association, National Council of State Tourism Directors, Travel Weekly magazine, the Southeast Tourism Society, Southern Public Relations Federation and American Advertising Federation for its marketing campaigns. In 2021, Alabama’s tourism economy rebounded significantly through the Tourism Department’s marketing initiatives, resulting in over 28 million visitors vacationing in Alabama and spending a record nearly $20 billion on tourism activities. For more information, visit Alabama.Travel.

McWane Science Center Celebrates 25th Anniversary

Level 25 Unlocked – McWane’s Silver Birthday Bash

Birmingham, AL – On Saturday, July 8, 2023, in honor of McWane Science Center’s 25th Birthday and National Video Game Day, the “McWaniac” team will host a celebration like no other. Visitors can celebrate video game style with McWane Science Center all day. The different activities will include:

A variety of video games by Zone 1 Gaming
The “Future of Gaming” with Virtual Reality (VR) presented by Gamestop
Video Game Science with the McWane Education Team
Expert panels via Zoom on “Careers in Video Gaming” and how to design your own video game
Guest panelists include:
- Scott Velasquez, Borderlands at Gearboxo
- John Stvan, Rocket League at Psyonixo
- David Dague, Rumbleverse at Iron Galaxy and formerly of Destiny at Bungie
Super Smash Bros Challenges

Also, what’s a birthday without cake and ice cream? Join us at special times of the day for these special birthday treats provided by Publix and Blue Bell Ice Cream. The cost to participate in the fun is included with the price of regular admission. The celebration begins Saturday, July 8, 2023, at 10:00 am and will conclude at 4:00 pm.

About McWane Science Center

McWane Science Center started because of the merger of two Birmingham icons–the Red Mountain Museum and Discovery Place Museum. Together with government officials, multiple municipalities, private corporations and foundations, and some very dedicated individuals, McWane Science Center opened in the middle of downtown Birmingham on July 11, 1998. At the time of our opening, there was very little successful business downtown. In fact, the buildings around us were dilapidated and abandoned. McWane Science Center was to become the cornerstone of growth for our community. In addition, McWane Science Center was tasked with providing an educational environment that sparked a love of science and life-long learning in individuals of all ages, but particularly the children of our state.

Today, McWane Science Center is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) science center, children’s museum, natural history museum, aquarium, and IMAX® Dome Theater featuring IMAX® with Laser projection technology. Designed to “spark wonder and curiosity about our world through hands- on science.”

Clotilda: The Exhibition at the Africatown Heritage House

Mobile, Alabama (June 19, 2023) —Tickets to Africatown Heritage House, the site that will be home to “Clotilda: The Exhibition” and share the long-untold story of the last known slave ship to arrive in the United States, will be available on Clotilda.com beginning at 10 am today. The facility will officially open to the public on Saturday, July 8 … the 163rd anniversary of the date when 110 Africans were illegally brought into the United States.

The exhibit, which is a site of the History Museum of Mobile, tells a big story in a small space. It’s an area that’s not so much larger than the ship that transported the 110 back in 1860 – 52 years after international slave trade became illegal – and then was burned and sunk to cover up the crime that had been committed. How the group survived and went on to create the only community established and governed entirely by African-born Americans is a story that has long needed to be shared. Now it finally will be.

Due to space limitations, tickets for Clotilda: The Exhibition are timed and should be reserved online in advance of a visit. Tickets can be purchased up to 60 days in advance. Guests are strongly encouraged to reserve their tickets online so they’re ensured a time slot to view the exhibit on their preferred day.

Effective July 8, Africatown Heritage House will be open Tuesdays through Saturdays, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Admission is $15 for adults; $9 for guests ages 65 or more, students age 18 or more with a valid school ID, and active or retired military with ID; $8 for children ages 6 to 18; free for children 5 and under; and free for Mobile County residents with proof of residency (though donations are encouraged). Admission is also free to members of the History Museum of Mobile, which operates the exhibition. Visitors interested in purchasing a museum membership may visit this site. Everyone – including those with free admission – must hold a timed ticket.

Saturday, July 8 is “Africatown Community Day,” and the site expects to attract very large crowds. Streets will be blocked and parking will be off-site, though shuttles will be available. Though everyone is welcome to join the celebration outside at Africatown Heritage House, only the limited number of visitors who have secured tickets for the day will be permitted inside the building. Tickets for opening day are expected to sell out quickly. Absolutely no tickets will be sold ON July 8, and there can be no admittance to the building (including for restrooms or the gift shop) without a ticket or at a time different from the one stated on a valid ticket.

“Clotilda: The Exhibition” will focus on 110 men, women and children, whose stories are shared through a combination of interpretive text panels, documents and artifacts, including some pieces of the sunken ship scientifically verified to be the Clotilda.

For a growing set of press materials about the facility and the 110 people who will be honored there, please check here.

MEDIA CONTACT

Melissa Harville, Marketing & Events Manager

History Museum of Mobile

melissa.harville@historymuseumofmobile.com

251-301-0273

Grand Opening of the “Unclaimed Baggage Museum”

Popular Destination Retailer Unveils New In-Store Experience Worthy of a Road Trip

SCOTTSBORO, AL.— As U.S. travelers embark on spring and summer road trips, Unclaimed Baggage, a popular tourist destination and the nation’s only retailer of lost luggage, has created another reason for fans to plan a trip to Scottsboro, Alabama. The one-of-a-kind store has designed the “Unclaimed Baggage Museum,” displaying more than 70 of the most curious and unusual items they have unpacked from lost bags over their 50+ year history, opening on Friday, April 21, 2023.

“People are endlessly curious about the variety and wonder of items discovered in unclaimed bags,” says Bryan Owens, CEO of Unclaimed Baggage. “And we’ve seen it all! Our store is like an archeological dig, with unclaimed treasures telling stories about people and culture over time and from all parts of the world.”

The oldest items on display include ancient Egyptian artifacts from 1500 BC, found in a well-worn Gucci suitcase. Most items were sold through Christie’s Auction House. The remaining items are showcased, along with the Christie’s catalog and replicas of the sold mummified hawk sarcophagus and funeral mask, made using 3D fabrication technology.

Hoggle, the beloved Jim Henson dwarf puppet and key character in David Bowie’s cult fantasy film Labyrinth, is the most famous display item, and has recently been restored to his original condition. Other notable objects museum guests will encounter include:

Musical instruments from around the world
Suits of armor
Detailed handmade model ship that spans over 4-feet wide
Violin from 1772
1980’s Hermes necklace
Basketball signed by Michael Jordan
African and Asian iron statues and plaques from antiquity
Vintage items like a 19th century box camera, primitive hair tools that were heated on a wood stove and a Victorian era “flirting” fan.“We discover fascinating items from lost-forever bags every day, but since we’re not museum archivists, we often have no idea of what we have,” added Owens. “In order to create this museum, we’ve drawn on the knowledge and expertise of museum specialists to help with the research, design and installation. It’s a work in progress, as we often discover new facts about the artifacts that we have. The continuous discovery is part of the fun!”
There is something for everyone to enjoy in this museum of oddities and wonders. Yet, the most intriguing facet of all is that these museum artifacts were all found in unclaimed suitcases!

Road-trippers can discover their own treasures in the 50,000-square-foot retail store of unclaimed items in Scottsboro, Alabama, or online at unclaimedbaggage.com.

For more information about the Unclaimed Baggage Museum and its Grand Opening event, visit unclaimedbaggage.com/blogs/events/unclaimed-baggage-found-treasures-museum- grand-opening.

About Unclaimed Baggage

Located in Scottsboro, Alabama, Unclaimed Baggage is a one-of-a-kind retail store and the country’s only merchant of unclaimed and lost airline baggage and its contents. Unclaimed Baggage offers a treasure trove of goods that airlines have been unable to reunite with their former owners. The store has made national news for its ever-changing array of unique items from around the world, all sold at an incredible value. As part of its commitment to service and generosity, the company created the Reclaimed for Good foundation which has given millions of dollars’ worth of product and profit to meet needs around the globe. Learn about Unclaimed Baggage at unclaimedbaggage.com.

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Media Contact:

Heidi McDow, A. Larry Ross Communications

972-267-1111

heidi@alarryross.com

The Alabama Tourism Department Declares 2023 The Year of Alabama Birding

Birmingham, AL (March 29, 2023) – Alabama hosts 430 bird species within its borders, and to a bird lover’s delight, the Alabama Tourism Department is announcing a year-long celebration with its new Year of Alabama Birding campaign. Bird lovers and bird enthusiasts are invited to flock to the state to birdwatch or participate in other birding activities to immerse themselves in the sights and sounds of Alabama’s feathered friends.

From the majestic bald eagle to the endangered red-cockaded woodpecker to the crowd-pleasing painted bunting, visitors will be in awe of the many species they see as they journey through Alabama’s eight birding trails and over 280 birding sites. These can be found from the foothills of the Appalachians to the sugar-white sandy beaches of the Gulf Coast.

As the year unfolds, a series of promotional activities will jumpstart visitors’ Alabama birding experience. Travelers can relax as well as listen to the peaceful sounds of Relax with Birdsong found at any of the state’s eight official welcome centers. Travelers will be able to listen to the Sounds of Happy playlist online or by streaming on select audio platforms. Find Your Flock is an online quiz that will associate travelers with the birds they most resemble and where they can find them. Follow a Birder is documentary-style content as seen through the eyes of local experts. Travelers also may share their Alabama birding photos with website visitors. These interactive activities were created by Intermark Group, the Alabama Tourism Department’s agency of record.

“A world of wonderful sights and sounds await those who travel to Alabama,” said Lee Sentell, director of the Alabama Tourism Department. “The Year of Alabama Birding will be an experience that will focus on the state’s birding trails and habitats. We’re offering people an opportunity to commune with nature in a unique and relaxing way.”

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About the Alabama Tourism Department:

The Alabama Tourism Department has won honors from the World Travel Market: London, United States Travel Association, National Council of State Tourism Directors, Travel Weekly magazine, the Southeast Tourism Society, Southern Public Relations Federation and American Advertising Federation for its marketing campaigns. In 2021, Alabama’s tourism economy rebounded significantly through the Tourism Department’s marketing initiatives, resulting in over 28 million visitors vacationing in Alabama and spending a record nearly $20 billion on tourism activities. For more information, visit Alabama.Travel.

Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism issues partial-year tourism update

Alabama’s beaches see record tax revenues through August 2022

GULF SHORES AND ORANGE BEACH, ALA. – Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism (GSOBT) has released partial-year tourism figures for 2022 and the numbers through August show a very solid year so far. The tourism office was the featured speaker at First Friday Forum, hosted by the Coastal Alabama Business Chamber last Friday, Nov. 4. President & CEO Beth Gendler says the numbers are a testament to the area continuing to sync with key travel trends – road trip destinations with a variety of outdoor activities – and meetings business returning.

“We saw a huge increase in meeting room nights this year,” explained Gendler. “This segment is up 47.4 percent, and we have worked with our hotel partners, at their request, to push meeting business to our shoulder seasons – a strategy that has obviously worked very well for our area.”

According to the tourism office, the Alabama Department of Revenue reports taxable lodging revenues for Alabama’s Beaches through August beat last year’s all-time high for the same time frame – $747 million this year compared to $668 million through August 2021. This amount is higher than the total for all of 2019, the previous pre-pandemic record year. Taxable retail sales through August hit $1.1 billion for the first time, the second consecutive year for this category to top $1 billion before the end of the year. For most of this year, occupancy levels for both hotels and vacation rentals have hovered between pre-pandemic levels and 2021 record-setting levels.

Gendler added that short-term vacation rentals make up the majority of lodging inventory in the Gulf Shores, Orange Beach, and Fort Morgan area – more than 14,000 total units are available as short-term rentals.

“Once again, we have seen strong numbers in terms of occupancy, lodging tax and retail sales tax revenue, which continues to show our growth towards being a year-round vacation destination,” said Gendler. “While summer is still our most popular time for guests to come enjoy our beaches, we are seeing winter, spring and fall hitting close to 50 percent occupancy for vacation rentals. This level of steady occupancy in what has traditionally been our slower months means steady employment for our more than 63,600 local tourism-related workers.”

Increases in revenue generally mean an increase in visitors, but Gendler says final visitation estimates and tourism economic impact for 2022 will not be completed by the state until the spring of next year. According to last year’s Economic Impact Report by the Alabama Tourism Department, Baldwin County welcomed eight million guests who spent $7.3 billion with area businesses, resulting in 63,628 travel-related jobs that generated $2.4 billion in wages and salaries. But according to Gendler, Alabama’s Beaches weathered the challenges of the last two years – the COVID pandemic and a major hurricane – better than many other destinations.

“One thing our guests have proven to us time and again when our area faces a crisis is how very loyal they are to choosing Gulf Shores, Orange Beach and Fort Morgan as their favorite beach vacation,” added Gendler. “And their loyalty is vital to the economy of this community.”

“We are a tourism economy; tourism is the number one industry in our area and one of the top industries in Alabama.,” she continued. “Our community is made up of many small businesses that serve our guests, businesses owned by local residents – our friends and neighbors. The last two years have been immensely tough for those business owners to find workers. Our destination has historically had a slight worker shortage in our peak summer season, but unfortunately finding workers continues to be challenging here and in communities across Alabama and the country. With the continuing residential and visitor growth in our part of Baldwin County, the expectation for quality service at area businesses is high, so we have to do something to shore up our local workforce to meet the demand.”

To address the workforce issue, Gendler says the Gateway Initiative – a coalition of the Coastal Alabama Business Chamber, the South Baldwin Chamber of Commerce and others including the tourism office – has developed a plan for a facility that would provide much-needed housing for up to 2,000 seasonal workers, an education and training center, a childcare center, and more.

“South Baldwin County continues to grow – both in terms of full-time residents and in guests who choose our area for their vacation,” added Gendler. “That growth is a blessing.”

Gendler explained, “Our mission at Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism is ‘To market the Alabama Gulf Coast as a year-round destination, while stewarding a thoughtful, sustainable level of growth, thus enhancing the economy and quality of life for all residents’.” Our role goes beyond just inviting guests to come here for their vacation; our role truly impacts the quality of life of the people who live here because the money our guests spend has a major impact on city budgets. Strong budgets have allowed our cities to create such a great community with so much to offer in terms of quality of life; that quality of life is what makes people want to visit here and want to move here and open or move businesses here. Tourism, quality of life, and economic development are truly intertwined.”

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About Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism:

Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism serves as the official destination marketing organization for the cities of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach in addition to the unincorporated area of Fort Morgan. To learn more about Alabama’s 32 miles of white-sand beaches, visit either GulfShores.com or OrangeBeach.com. This convention and visitors bureau is an accredited Destination Marketing Organization.

Slides or Interviews

For additional slides showing occupancy and tax revenues or to set up an interview with Beth Gendler, contact Public Relations Manager Kay Maghan at kmaghan@gulfshores.com or 251-752-8448.

Media Contact:

Kay Maghan • Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism
KMaghan@GulfShores.com • GulfShores.com/Media

251-752-8448 (cell)

Alabama Aquarium Welcomes 100,000 Visitors in 2022, so far

Dauphin Island, Alabama – The Dauphin Island Sea Lab, Alabama’s Marine Research and Education Center, celebrates a milestone for its Alabama Aquarium. For the first time, annual visitation topped more than 100,000 visitors as 2022 closed in on its final two months.

The Alabama Aquarium is the Sea Lab’s public aquarium. In 2021, Alabama Governor Kay Ivey signed HB136 designating the aquarium to be the official Aquarium of Alabama, highlighting its importance to education and research conducted by the DISL. The bill was championed by District 105 House Representative Chip Brown and District 35 Senator David Sessions.

The Alabama Aquarium shares how the Alabama watershed connects the state from the mountains to the gulf. The visual and interactive exhibits take visitors on a journey through the Mobile Tensaw-Delta and Mobile Bay, along the barrier islands, and into the northern Gulf of Mexico. The aquarium was created to improve ocean literacy and enhance the public understanding and wise stewardship of our coastal resources.

“The Dauphin Island Sea Lab serves the entire state of Alabama’s education system with programs for all ages,” Executive Director Dr. John Valentine said. “The Alabama Aquarium stresses the connection of Alabama’s water resources to our oceans and beyond. Our programs focus on this connection as well.”

The 2022 visitor tally adds to the more than one million students and visitors which have walked through the doors of the aquarium. The aquarium is open to the public seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. from March 1 to September 1, and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. from September 2 to February 28.

Media Contact:

Angela Levins, PR Director, DISL

251-591-1865 (c)

251-861-2141, ext. 7509, (o)

The Scottsboro Boys Museum Celebrates Its Official Reopening

Scottsboro, AL – The newly remodeled Scottsboro Boys Museum will host a public event on Wednesday, November 9, at 1:00 pm to celebrate its official reopening. The museum closed in 2020 at the beginning of the Covid pandemic, then stayed shut for over two years due to the extensive redesign and the untimely death of its executive director, Shelia Washington. The Mountain Lakes Chamber of Commerce will prepare the ribbon cutting ceremony. Admission to the museum will be free for the day.

The Scottsboro Boys Museum tells the story of nine young Blacks who were falsely accused of raping two white women aboard a freight train they had hopped during the Depression. They were tried and sentenced to death in Scottsboro in April 1931. Although the U.S. Supreme Court twice overturned their guilty verdicts, the state continued to reindict. In all, the nine spent a total of 102 years in prison.

The museum is housed in the historic Joyce Chapel and tells the complex story of how nine young African Americans became a symbol for economic and racial oppression and an international phenomenon. Cities across the globe held protest rallies demanding Alabama to “Free the Scottsboro Boys.” Luminaries such as Albert Einstein, James Cagney, and Sherwood Anderson were only a few of hundreds of well-known individuals who signed petitions or wrote letters urging the state to release the prisoners. Museum designer and interim director Thomas Reidy states that, “by the mid-1930s the case had grown tentacles that would reach every corner of the globe.”

There was a vibrant cultural response, as well. Poet Langston Hughes wrote four poems and a one-act play about Scottsboro that sold thousands of copies here and abroad. Lithographs, paintings, and cartoons featuring the trials proliferated throughout the decade. Lead Belly and others produced music about the prisoners that played across the country. To some degree, the case inspired Alabama-born Nelle Harper Lee’s Pulitzer Prize winning novel To Kill a Mockingbird. In 2010, “Scottsboro Boys, The Musical,” was nominated for ten Tony Awards.

Senator Arthur Orr, Senator Steve Livingston, and Mayor Jim McCamy will share remarks. The museum will have refreshments and special offers on merchandise to celebrate the day.

View The Scottsboro Boys Museum: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=06hH0hxyoZ8

Media Contact: Thomas Reidy, PhD

thomas@thescottsboroboysmuseum.com

(256) 503-0439

From Russia to Alabama: 2022 IPL World Championship moving to Orange Beach

The 2022 IPL World Championship is set to take place at the Orange Beach Event Center at The Wharf Oct. 20-23

GULF SHORES AND ORANGE BEACH, ALA. – More than 300 elite athletes from across the globe will converge at the Orange Beach Event Center at The Wharf Oct. 20-23, 2022, as the International Powerlifting (IPL) World Championship moves from Russia to Alabama. The event was originally slated to take place in Russia prior to the country’s invasion of Ukraine.

Charlie Lyons, meet director and the United States Powerlifting Association (USPA) Alabama chair, said it has been a whirlwind but worthwhile endeavor to take on this global event. As a former powerlifting competitor at the highest levels and a meet director for many years, including successfully hosting and directing the IPL North American Championship in 2021 and winning the bid to host the 2023 USPA National Championships, Lyons was asked to submit a bid for the Alabama chapter to host the IPL World Championship in Orange Beach when it could no longer take place in Russia.

“After we won the bid for the 2023 USPA National Championships in Orange Beach, I got a call the next week from the vice president of the USPA,” said Lyons. “They were in the middle of an emergency meeting with the IPL group to move the championship, and they all agreed they wanted me to run the event on the Alabama Gulf Coast with my experience running high-level powerlifting events in the area. We have put in the work for many years, and Alabama is going to be on the world’s stage!”

Countries represented at the championship include the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, Aruba, Argentina, Canada, Colombia, Chile and Kazakhstan. Showing Alabama’s beaches to competitors, families and fans from all over the world is win for Gulf Shores | Orange Beach Sports & Events as the championship heads to the Southeast for the first time.

“It’s a big deal for an international championship to take place on the Alabama Gulf Coast, and we are proud to welcome athletes and fans from all over to experience Gulf Shores and Orange Beach for the first time,” said Michelle Russ, vice president of sales, sports and events for GSOB Sports & Events. “From an economic impact standpoint, this event is taking place during a need period outside of the peak summer season, which will benefit our local tourism-based businesses.”

Spectators are welcome to attend, and admission is $20 per day. Visit https://events.powerlifting-ipl.com/ipl-worlds-2022 for the IPL World Championship schedule of events. For information on upcoming athletic events along Alabama’s Gulf Coast, visit GSOBsports.com, or call 1-800-745-SAND.

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Photos:

Download: https://bit.ly/3EnKTve

Download: https://bit.ly/3EoVDJJ

Caption: The 2022 IPL World Championship, originally slated to take place in Russia, will commence at the Orange Beach Event Center at The Wharf in Orange Beach, Alabama, from Oct. 20-23.

Credit: DVXT Images

About Gulf Shores | Orange Beach Sports & Events:

Gulf Shores | Orange Beach Sports & Events is a partnership among Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism (GSOBT), the Coastal Alabama Business Chamber, Gulf State Park and the cities of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach. In 2007, the organization became a department within GSOBT. In this role, the GSOB Sports & Events – along with assistance from both cities – works to bring quality athletic and leisure events to Alabama’s Gulf Coast. To learn more about sports and events along Alabama’s 32 miles of white-sand beaches, please visit GSOBsports.com.

Media Contact:

Ally Dorrough, APR • Gulf Shores | Orange Beach Sports & Events
ADorrough@GulfShores.com • GSOBsports.com
1-800-745-SAND • 251-968-9327 (direct) • 334-391-7745 (cell)

HISTORY MUSEUM OF MOBILE TO HOSTDRESSING THE ABBEY EXHIBITION, FEATURING COSTUMES FROM TV DRAMA DOWNTON ABBEY™

MOBILE, ALABAMA –HISTORY MUSEUM OF MOBILE is excited to announce the next major exhibition, Dressing the Abbey, opening January 2023. Dressing the Abbey weaves fashion, history, and popular culture into an exhibition featuring costumes from Downton Abbey™, one of the most widely watched television dramas in the world.

The exhibition features thirty-five costumes worn by men and women, inviting viewers to discover the turbulence of the Edwardian era and the cultural impact of the First World War. From rich country tweeds, to sumptuous evening gowns, to a starched footman’s livery, the textiles in this exhibition speak to a transformational moment in art, fashion, design, and history.

“The exhibition approaches textile design as a means of analyzing how art reflects changing societal and cultural traditions,” said Meg McCrummen Fowler, director of the History Museum of Mobile. “Visitors will see how textile design both reflected and produced changing ideas about society, culture, manners, and history at the transformative period in the history of the Western world.”

The exhibition will be on view at History Museum of Mobile from January 28 to April 22, 2023.

From the History Museum of Mobile’s own collection of over 117,000 objects, the Museum is curating a complementary exhibition, Dressing Mobile: 1920s Fashion in the Port City. It will run simultaneously and will feature the transformation of Mobile society and culture from 1890 to 1930. The Museum will also open Setting the Table, a hands-on exhibition featuring formal table settings, menus, tea customs, and more.

A series of programs will enrich the visitor experience and enhance the educational value of the exhibition. From engaging local artists and designers in lectures, to exploring the performative rituals around drinking tea, to designing creative tablescapes for one’s own home, to teaching ballroom dancing, the planned programming is designed to allow for meaningful connections to both the exhibition themes and to the local community.

The award-winning costumes featured in Dressing the Abbey were produced by the London costume house of Cosprop Ltd.

History Museum of Mobile is open Monday – Saturday from 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM and Sunday from 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM.

The exhibition is developed and distributed by Exhibits Development Group in. cooperation with Cosprop Ltd., London, England. The exhibition is not endorsed by, sponsored by, licensed by, associated with, or otherwise affiliated with the television series Downton Abbey™, NBC Universal International, Carnival Film and Television Limited or their representatives.

About the History Museum of Mobile:

The History Museum of Mobile is where Mobile’s story begins. Over 117,000 objects weave together the rich histories of Mobile and the surrounding area, from the prehistoric past to the present. Located in the heart of downtown, the History Museum of Mobile operates three campuses: The primary exhibitions are located in the Old City Hall-Southern Market building at 111 South Royal Street; Colonial Fort Condé is at 150 South Royal Street; and the Phoenix Fire Museum is at 203 South Claiborne Street.

In 2020, the History Museum of Mobile announced a partnership with the Alabama Historical Commission, the Mobile County Commission, and the City of Mobile to build, curate, and operate Clotilda: The Exhibition in the under-construction Heritage House in historic Africatown. The exhibition will tell the story of the Clotilda and of the remarkable men, women, and children who established the community of Africatown.

About Exhibits Development Group (EDG):

The Exhibitionists are dedicated to the development, production, marketing, and distribution of traveling museum exhibitions and cultural projects. EDG serves as a partner to museums, foundations, collection owners and other exhibition organizers, in the U.S. and abroad in the care and stewardship of their exhibitions and collections. EDG’s mission is to initiate and promote international cultural and intellectual exchange by bringing high-quality traveling exhibitions of art, science, and history to broad and diverse audiences.

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LINK TO PRESS KIT

Media Contact:

Melissa Harville, Marketing & Events Manager

History Museum of Mobile

251-301-0723 | melissa.harville@historymuseumofmobile.com

Kayak Bass Fishing to launch new headquarters at Ditto Landing

Huntsville to host the KBF National Championship three times in next 10 years

HUNTSVILLE, AL – One of the fastest growing sports in the country is partnering with one of the fastest growing cities as Kayak Bass Fishing (KBF) announced the creation of a headquarters facility at Ditto Landing that will serve as a hub for the sport as it continues to grow.

“We are pleased to welcome Kayak Bass Fishing to Huntsville and excited to have their headquarters at Ditto Landing,” said Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle. “As our city continues to grow, adding companies like Kayak Bass Fishing not only improves our quality of life, but introduces Huntsville to a new market of people who might not otherwise know we’re the best city in the U.S. to live.”

Founded in 2009, Kayak Bass Fishing has grown in stature – bringing thousands of anglers into the sport by hosting competitors from Mexico, Canada and nearly every American state along the way. Additionally, KBF organized the first ever kayak bass fishing national championship in 2016 and co-hosted the first ever kayak fishing tournament with a national boat series in 2019.

“With a perfect location on the Tennessee River and the support of everyone in Huntsville, we are excited to create a headquarters facility that will help foster the growth of Kayak Bass Fishing,” said Kristie Hoover, President of Kayak Bass Fishing. “When we first discussed this idea, north Alabama was an ideal area for us to start and the partnership with Ditto Landing and its location on the river made this an easy decision.”

On top of bringing their headquarters to Ditto Landing, KBF will be bringing their national championship to Huntsville in 2023, 2025 and 2031 as well as one of their annual tour events to the headquarters. Each national championship will have more than 650 anglers competing for a week to claim the top prize, bringing in an estimated economic impact of $3.5 million. The venue is expected to generate more than $16 million in economic impact through the total events scheduled over the next 10 years.

“This is a tremendous partnership that not only brings major events to our area, but it helps market Huntsville and Ditto Landing as one of the top outdoor destinations in the country,” said Judy Ryals, President and CEO of the Huntsville/Madison County Convention & Visitors Bureau. “With the visibility in their television package and ever-growing follower counts on social media, bringing their headquarters and events to Huntsville is a big win for our community.”

Bringing the headquarters to Ditto Landing continues the efforts to improve the facility as one of the premier outdoor recreation areas in the Southeast. Earlier this year, the facility added to its camping options with a new fully-equipped RV park for more than 30 vehicles. Kayak Bass Fishing is a new addition to their master plan that is being implemented over the next decade.

“Bringing the team at Kayak Bass Fishing and their national championships to Ditto Landing opens new opportunities at the facility,” said Brain Quick, Executive Director of Ditto Landing. “This partnership will help push Ditto Landing even more in the consciousness of the fishing world, especially having the honor of hosting the national championships three times in the future.”

The headquarters will be housed in the East Harbor of Ditto Landing and will be undergoing renovations. Upon completion, the facility will house the production studio, host seminars, and be the hub for their activities for FishOPS – a non-profit charity designed to focus on supporting Veteran’s Advocacy, Public Servant and First Responder organizations.

“Having a partnership like this with Huntsville and Ditto Landing will help us further the impact of Kayak Bass Fishing through FishOPS for our military veterans,” said Chad Hoover, the founder of Kayak Bass Fishing and the lead presenter of its broadcasts. “To have a venue like this to be our home as we continue to build the following and participation in Kayak Bass Fishing gives us an opportunity to do some amazing things in the future.”

For more, contact CVB Executive Vice President Charles Winters (256) 551-2235 or via email at cwinters@huntsville.org.

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The Huntsville/Madison County Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) is a non-profit 501(c)(6) organization which was developed in 1970 to create economic growth by marketing the community as a top-of-mind convention and visitor destination. As the official city/county agency which promotes the area as a tourist destination and convention site, the CVB works with an array of hospitality industry partners to market our destination to visitors of all types.

State-wide river race returns to Alabama in October

ALABAMA — Around twenty of the most fierce paddlers in the world will converge on Alabama this month for a state-wide race that tests the will of even the most extreme
athletes. Racers face whitewater, battle tidewater currents, and hike around a dozen dams in this 650-mile, adventure-style paddle race called the Great Alabama 650. It kicks off in Northeast Alabama on October 1, and spectators can cheer for racers on river banks in Gadsden, Pell City, Wetumpka, Montgomery, Selma, Fairhope, and more.

The racecourse is the core section of the Alabama Scenic River Trail, a 6,500-plus mile mapped river trail system. The 650-mile core section of the river trail extends from the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains in Northeast Alabama through. alligator country to the Gulf of Mexico. Racers will have up to 10 days to finish the race and vie for a first-place win in one of three divisions– male solo, female solo, and two-person team.

Participants will be allowed to use kayaks, canoes, or stand-up paddle boards interchangeably throughout the event.

Spectators can follow the event virtually at AL650.com where race organizers will post a live map that will report up-to-the-minute updates on each boats’ whereabouts. The map will be augmented with Facebook and Instagram posts from the field, which spectators can find by following official race accounts or by using the hashtag #AL650.

About: The Alabama Scenic River Trail is the longest single-state river trail in the United States. The River Trail was originally comprised of one 650-mile stretch of waterways, the
same 650-mile aquatic pathway that forms the racecourse for the AL650. Today the River Trail includes more than 6,500 miles of mapped waterways, which brings tourists to all corners of the state. Lean more: AlabamaScenicRiverTrail.com

Media Contact:

Contact: Laura Gaddy
Phone: 205-240-4551
Email: laurabeth.lj@gmail.com

Alabama Tourism Department recognizes industry leaders

(Auburn, Ala.) The Alabama Tourism Department recognized its 2022 award winners during the 2022 Alabama Governor’s Conference on Tourism, held on location at The Hotel at Auburn University and Dixon Conference Center. Winners include Darley Newman with “Travels with Darley” for Tourism Advocate Year – Media, Orion Amphitheatre and Muscle Shoals Sound Studio as Tourism Partnership of the Year award, and Eva Golson, recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award. Thirteen awards were presented in total.

Other award winners include Jubilee Festival of the Arts, Event of the Year; Senator Clay Scofield, Government Tourism Advocate of the Year; Andrew Felts, Rising Star; Rhonda Davis, Tourism Employee of the Year; Lake Martin Tourism Association, Tourism Organization of the Year: Danielle Gibson, Tourism Executive of the Year; Rick Harmon, Alabama Tourism Department Employee of the Year; Lanett Welcome, Welcome Center of the Year; John Wild, Alabama Tourism Hall of Fame; and Carol McElheney, Governor’s Award.

“We have incredibly strong tourism industry professionals in Alabama, and those recognized this year are no exception,” said Lee Sentell, director Alabama Tourism Department. “Their unwavering leadership and dedication continues to elevate Alabama as one of the go-to destinations in America. We are proud to recognize the people and organizations that contribute to the success of tourism in the state.”

Noticeably present at the awards banquet was Grammy Award-winner Ben Lovett, founding member of the band Mumford and Sons. Lovett was the inspiration and guiding force in creating and designing the Orion Amphitheater. His vision to celebrate the rich music heritage of North Alabama led to the Orion’s construction in the Huntsville area.

Below are the brief biographies of each winner. Photos can be found at the following link: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/cxdj3w4zyi038bswb5bow/h?dl=0&rlkey=n3w2e84f7vwbh2mh9l4jdwfld

Eva Golson, CEO of Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism, is the winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Eva Golson has served as the director of the Mobile Film Office since its creation in 2001 as the first local film office in the state of Alabama. Golson first began her work to establish Mobile as a leading site for the film industry in 1976. She championed incentive plans to attract film production, opening the door for Mobile to be centerpiece for hundreds of films and television productions. She has been a life-long member of the Public Relations Council of Alabama’s Mobile Chapter and the Southern Public Relations Federation. PRCA honored her service and leadership by naming her the state’s 1980 Practitioner of the Year. Golson has been honored by two sitting governors and was inducted into the Alabama Tourism Hall of Fame. She also served in leadership roles of the Southeast Tourism Society, Alabama Travel Council, Mobile Press Club and was instrumental in starting the Mobile Pops Symphony.

Darley Newman, Emmy Award-winning PBS host of “Travels with Darley,” is recognized as the Tourism Advocate Media of the Year Award.

Recognized in Forbes Magazine for her PBS travel empire, Darley Newman is an entrepreneur, TV host, writer, producer and Emmy Award-winner. Through her production companies, Newman has channeled her passions for travel and storytelling into successful multi-platform series and distinctive media brands. She is the creator, producer and host of Emmy Award-winning “Equitrekking” and “Travels with Darley” on PBS, Amazon Prime, Ovation TV and networks in over 85 nations.

Newman has received the North American Travel Journalist Award, the Inspiring Woman Award from Women in Philanthropy and Leadership, two Telly Awards and was inducted into the Taste Awards Hall of Fame. She’s launched and built successful businesses to spur and measure tourism and economic development including “Darley Vacations” in partnership with a Virtuoso travel agency and written an award-winning travel book.

In 2023, Newman will celebrate the 10th anniversary season of “Travels with Darley” and a new series, “Look Up,” that centers on architecture and history.

Jubilee Festival of the Arts is Event of the Year.

For more than 33 years, the Jubilee Festival of Arts has showcased hundreds of local and regional artists to residents and tourists in the charming setting of Daphne, Alabama. With each year, the event has grown and responded to the changing landscape, prevailing through hurricanes and the pandemic. Eastern Shore Chamber of Commerce has championed the local community and empowered artisans and vendors alike to maintain their craft and livelihood over three decades. It is a family-friendly event, ideal for patrons of all ages. The 34th annual Jubilee Festival of Arts will take place Oct. 15 and 16 in Olde Towne Daphne. This new location will support more than 130 local and regional artists, local food makers in the Jubilee Market, entertainers and a Kids Art area.

Alabama State Senator Clay Scofield is the winner of the Government Advocate Award of the Year.

Originally from Cullman, Alabama, Senator Clay Scofield was first elected to the Senate on Nov. 2, 2010. Senator Scofield was elected by his colleagues in November 2020 to serve as the Majority Leader for the Senate Republican Caucus. Senator Scofield received his Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, Business and Economics

from Auburn University, and he is a third-generation farmer. In June 2021, Senator Scofield was elected chair of The Alabama Digital Expansion Authority, which is responsible for advising, reviewing and approving a statewide broadband connectivity plan as outlined in the Connect Alabama Act of 2021. A member of the Church of Christ, Senator Scofield’s interests include hunting and other outdoor activities. He resides in Arab with his family.

This is the second year is a row that Senator Scofield has been recognized for creating a constitutional amendment that benefits the Alabama State Park system.

Andrew Felts, Public Relations Manager at Visit Mobile, is the Rising Star of the Year.

Andrew Felts is the Communications and Public Relations Manager at Visit Mobile where he strives to build excitement for his destination among journalists and the public alike.

Felts relocated to the city to attend the University of Mobile where he earned his Bachelor of Science in Communications with a concentration in public relations. Growing from the rich foundations at the university, Felts, developed a love for the community at large – cementing his desire to stay in Mobile and make it home. Felts joined the Visit Mobile team in January 2021.

He remains very active in the Mobile community and serves as Vice President of Programming for Young Professionals of Mobile. He is also pursuing his tourism marketing professional certification through Southeast Tourism Society Marketing College.

Rhonda Davis, USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park, is the Tourism Employee of the Year.

Rhonda Davis works as the Director of Sales and Marketing at Battleship Memorial Park, a position she has held since 2015. And yes, her office is aboard the battleship. Davis has an extensive background in public relations, special events, non- profit management and historic preservation. She holds a BA degree from the University of South Alabama in Communication Arts and is certified by the National Trust for Historic Preservation as a National Main Street Manager. Davis is a member of the board of directors for the Alabama Travel Council, Alabama Historical Association and serves on the advisory board for the University of South Alabama Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management. She is past president of the Alabama

Trust for Historic Preservation and is a sustaining member of the Junior League of Mobile. Davis credits her parents for her love of Alabama. As a child, her family explored every corner of the state, visiting historic sites, attractions and parks.

Danielle Gibson is executive director of Visit Decatur the Tourism Executive of the Year.

Over the last four years, Danielle Gibson has been President/CEO of Decatur Morgan County Tourism. Before her current role, Gibson worked in the insurance industry until pivoting to more community- focused positions. She acted as President of the Hartselle Area Chamber of Commerce and was on the Board of Directors for Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association.

Gibson is a Decatur Morgan County Excellence in Leadership graduate and a Rotarian. She currently serves as the Incoming Chairwoman of the Board of Directors for the Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association, the River Clay Fine Arts Festival Board of Directors, and Celebrating Early Old Town with Art Board of Directors. Gibson is graduate of The University of North Alabama where she earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree and has called Decatur home over the last 15 years with her husband, Jesse, and two children, Noah and Cohen.

Lake Martin Tourism Association is the Tourism Organization of the Year.

The Lake Martin Tourism Association works to promote and showcase Alabama’s Freshwater Coast. Touted as “Alabama’s biggest playground,” tourists can expect an unrivaled lake experience of 900 miles of shoreline and 40,000 acres of stunning views, nestled against thick wooded forest, and historic downtown Alexander City. The charm and accessibility of Lake Martin has earned it a reputation as being one of the finest lake destinations of the South, offering unique fishing opportunities as well as soft adventure in the surrounding parks, marinas, points and islands.

Lake Martin Tourism Association was founded by 12 board members in 2019. In three years, despite the pandemic, The Lake Martin Tourism Association has increased visitation and lodging collections and established new assets, like the Lake Martin Hiking Challenge, showcasing the abundant natural resources of the area. These efforts have helped position Lake Martin as a year-round destination where tranquility and relaxation are always on the menu.

Rick Harmon is the Alabama Tourism Department Employee of the Year.

Rick Harmon spent more than 30 years in journalism before joining the Alabama Tourism Department in 2015 as Publications Director. Harmon is a graduate of Auburn University, where he was editor of the campus newspaper, The Auburn Plainsman. Following his collegiate years, Harmon worked for several Alabama publications before landing at the Montgomery Advertiser, where he spent a majority of his career. After beginning as a court reporter, he be- came a columnist, features editor, government and business editor and then news editor.

Harmon has led a long and distinguished career and is the recipient of the National Association of Black Journalists award for best enterprise or investigative series. He has been recognized numerous times by Alabama Associated Press Media Editors Awards and by the Alabama Press Association. Lee Sentell said he also based the Hank Williams Trail on a different series Harmon wrote at the Advertiser. As features editor, he was presented the Alabama Tourism Department’s Tourism Advocate Media Award. Since joining ATD, Harmon has edited most of the department’s publications, including the Alabama Vacation Guide, and is working on a book on the Muscle Shoals Sound Studio.

The Lanett Welcome Center is the Welcome Center of the Year.

After two years and a lot of planning, Governor Kay Ivey cut the ribbon on the new Lanett Welcome Center on Jan. 14, 2022. The state-of-the-art center is 16,000 sq. foot and is Alabama’s new front door for those traveling in from Georgia on Interstate 85. The bricks, sidewalks and sod show much more than a welcome center; it is a sign of major economic progress in Alabama. The new standard set by the Lanett Welcome Center will be the template for what’s to come across the state.

The Orion Amphitheatre and the Muscle Shoals Sound Studio are the recipients of the Tourism Partnership of the Year Award.

The Orion Amphitheatre in Huntsville is the first venue venture for Ben Lovett, of Mumford and Sons fame. His vision was to not only create a state-of-the-art performance space, but to also nurture the Huntsville community and build on North Alabama’s renowned musical legacy. The 8,000-seat venue opened in May 2022 and has since announced national headlining acts along with community events. With its proximity to the iconic Muscle Shoals Sound Studio, Huntsville enjoys its status as part of the Americana Music Triangle, known for its cultural achievement as the birthplace of one of our country’s greatest exports, music – particularly blues, soul and rock’n’roll. Lovett, a huge fan of Muscle Shoals music, anticipated that the amphitheater will also be used to highlight the musical talent and history of the Shoals.

Just 80 miles away from Huntsville’s Orion is the Muscle Shoals Sound Studio at 3614 Jackson Highway – an address synonymous with music royalty. It was founded in 1969 by four members of FAME’s Rhythm Section. Those legendary studio musicians became known as “The Swampers” and played with musical titans including Bob Dylan, Rod Stewart, Aretha Franklin, Paul Simon, Bob Seger, and so many more. The restored studio is a music mecca, drawing visitors from around the world. Music history buffs say they want to see and feel why Keith Richards of the Rolling Stones referred to Muscle Shoals as “Rock and Roll Heaven.” The 2013 documentary, “Muscle Shoals,” revived interest in the studio for music enthusiasts and the music industry. In 2017, the studio was fully restored to its 1970’s look, thanks to a grant from Beats Electronics.

John Wild is the 2022 Alabama Tourism Hall of Fame inductee.

John Wild worked in the hospitality and tourism industry for 40 years and recently retired from his role as president of Auburn-Opelika Tourism (AOT) after 19 years of leading the organization. Under Wild’s leadership, AOT saw enormous growth in visitation and economic impact. Before joining AOT, Wild managed the Auburn University Hotel & Dixon Conference Center. He has been involved in the community and has served on the boards of many local and industry organizations including the Auburn Rotary Club, United Way of Lee County, and the Alabama Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus. Wild is an avid photographer and enjoys photographing many local events and taking sports photos for the Auburn Villager. Hiking in the mountains or on trails out West with his camera is a favorite hobby and a skill he plans to continue developing in retirement.

Carol McElheney is the Governor’s Award winner.

Carol McElheney is Regional Vice President of Operations with Hudson, the largest travel retailer in the world and leads Hudson teams in the Atlanta, Birmingham, Greenville, Jackson, Mobile, Myrtle Beach and Raleigh airports.

McElheney has been with Hudson for 10 years and continues to thrive in her role. Her previous experiences also include 20 years in the Food & Beverage industry.

She is a change-agent and the recipient of several awards in recognition for business development and innovation. McElheney has demonstrated her proven abilities to craft and facilitate creative business solutions, resulting in major improvements in operating plans and new revenue gains. She is passionate about serving and helping people and proudly commits to ensuring her team members are trained, mentored and championed for personal and professional growth opportunities.

McElheney has a fervent passion for the South, especially the great state of Alabama. In her spare time, her personal interests include mentoring young people and reading – mostly business and industry literature.

She credits her two adult children, Tru and Chaunice, as her constant source of inspiration.

Contact: Andi Martin, Public Relations Manager

Alabama Tourism Department

Andi.Martin@tourism.alabama.gov, 334-242-4537

Partners to Meet in Montgomery Regarding Preservation & Revitalization for Selma-to-Montgomery Voting Rights Trail

This unique moment will be centered upon the unprecedented partnership between historic Alabama Black Belt communities and private sector preservation leaders

MONTGOMERY – Mayor Steven L. Reed will host Selma Mayor James Perkins, Marion Mayor Dexter Hinton and White Hall Mayor Delmartre Bethel for a stakeholders meeting and panel held in partnership with The Conservation Fund on Saturday, August 13 at 11 a.m. at Montgomery City Hall (103 N. Perry Street). The meeting will cover preservation priorities and revitalization efforts along the Selma-to-Montgomery Voting Rights Trail, in particular as the 60^th Anniversary of the historic march approaches in 2025.

WHAT: Selma-to-Montgomery Preservation & Revitalization Meeting.

WHO: Mayors Reed, Perkins, Hinton and Delmartre Bethel; The Conservation Fund; federal partners; and stakeholders from historic Civil Rights sites.

WHEN: August 13 at 11 a.m.

WHERE: Montgomery City Hall, 103 N. Perry Street in Montgomery, AL.

The meeting will bring together federal officials, local leaders and representatives from historic Civil Rights sites in the Black Belt region as the partners discuss strategies to protect Alabama’s tangible Civil Rights heritage. Additionally, representatives from The Conservation Fund will share information on an exciting new agreement executed with the City of Montgomery to help launch revitalization and historic preservation efforts along the historic corridor.

The Conservation Fund is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization based in Arlington, Virginia. Working with public, private and nonprofit partners, the Fund seeks to protect America’s legacy of land and water resources through land acquisition, sustainable community and economic development, and leadership training, emphasizing the integration of economic and environmental goals.

Following the meeting, participants will hold a media briefing to answer any questions and provide additional information to reporters. This session will tentatively begin at noon on Saturday.

Media Contact: Griffith Waller (334) 235-0871

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Alabama Department of Archives and History begins reparations of Native American ancestral remains and funerary objects; The First Alabamians Exhibition to close pending redesign

Montgomery, AL – The Alabama Department of Archives and History (ADAH) took administrative steps today to begin the removal of certain Native American materials from its holdings and the repatriation of the items to federally recognized Indian tribes with historical ties to Alabama. Repatriation is a requirement of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), a federal law enacted in 1990.

At a regular meeting of the agency’s Board of Trustees, board members voted to deaccession, or formally remove from the agency’s catalog of permanent collections, 37 sets of human remains and 349 associated funerary objects (items removed from the same burials as the remains) that were excavated from native burials at two sites in Montgomery and Lowndes counties in the early 1900s. After a period of public notice through the U.S. Department of the Interior, legal custody of the materials will be transferred to a tribal nation in accordance with NAGPRA.

The ADAH also announced effective today the closure of The First Alabamians, its exhibition on Native Americans from prehistory to 1700. In 2011 and 2014 the ADAH opened exhibitions in its Museum of Alabama that rely heavily on unassociated funerary objects (items removed from burials, but for which no human remains are held) to interpret Native American society. The First Alabamians contains the largest number of such funerary objects. Additional funerary materials in Alabama Voices, the museum’s centerpiece exhibition covering three centuries of Alabama history, have been removed from display. All galleries except The First Alabamians will remain open to general visitors and to school field trips.

The ADAH plans to modify the exhibitions by introducing artifacts that were not part of burials and by incorporating significant advances in the scholarly study of indigenous cultures over the past decade. Most notably, the exhibits will introduce perspectives offered by numerous tribal groups and highlight the continued vibrancy of indigenous cultures originating from Alabama. Preliminary plans call for the revised exhibits to be open by 2026.

In 2018 the ADAH determined that it was not in compliance with NAGPRA because only a portion of the reporting of collections required by the law had been completed in the 1990s. The agency promptly notified the Department of the Interior and appropriate federally recognized tribes of its findings. Four years of intensive collections-management work, with regular updates to the tribes and the federal government, made it possible for consultation with tribal officials on cultural affiliation to begin in the spring of 2022.

Deaccession and repatriation of remains and funerary objects held in the ADAH’s collections will continue over several years. At points to be determined, physical custody of repatriated materials will transfer to the claimant tribes, who will make decisions on the final disposition of the materials. Reinterment of the materials in Alabama is a possible outcome.

In committing the agency to following the letter and the spirit of the law, the Board of Trustees in May 2018 adopted a set of desired outcomes that include legal compliance with all aspects of NAGPRA, enhanced appreciation for native peoples’ perspectives on repatriation, sustained partnerships with tribes, improved understanding of the ADAH collections, enhanced resources for ongoing educational and research use, a reputation for transparent, respectful stewardship of Native American materials, and capacity to serve as a resource for other Alabama institutions with obligations under NAGPRA.

ADAH board chairman Joel Daves said the agency has met the high expectations set by the trustees, thanks to the dedicated work of its staff and a growing spirit of cooperation with tribal groups. “This is a clear example of a state agency recognizing its obligations under the law and fulfilling those with a commitment to professional ethics and regard for our indigenous neighbors,” said Daves. “The Board of Trustees is grateful to our tribal partners and looks forward to continued success in repatriation and the development of the very best museum exhibitions we can offer to Alabamians.”

According to ADAH director Steve Murray, the work toward NAGPRA compliance and new museum interpretation requires introspection and a willingness to grow in understanding. “Good public history involves generous doses of respect for the work of our predecessors, but also recognition of where we can improve our practices to reflect a similar, high level of respect for all the contributors to Alabama history,” said Murray. “Our exhibitions have long sought to strengthen public awareness of the richness of Native American culture, and they have done so successfully. Now, we recognize that the origins of most of our archaeological collections were deeply problematic and disrespectful of Alabama’s indigenous community. We can do better while maintaining our dedication to growing public awareness, and we will.”

ADAH staff will be available for media Q&A on Thursday, August 11, from 10:00 am to 11:00 am in the ADAH’s Milo B. Howard Auditorium. For more information, contact the ADAH’s Communications Coordinator, Georgia Ann Hudson, at (334) 353-3312 or georgiaann.hudson@archives.alabama.gov.

For additional information about the ADAH’s archaeological collections and ongoing work toward compliance with the legal requirements and ethical principles of NAGPRA, please see the below Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ).

The federally recognized tribes invited to participate in NAGPRA consultation with the ADAH all resided in Alabama at some point. They include: Absentee‐Shawnee Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma; Alabama‐Coushatta Tribe of Texas; Alabama-Quassarte Tribal Town; Cherokee Nation; Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians; Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma; Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana; Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma; Jena Band of Choctaw Indians; Kialegee Tribal Town; Miccosukee Tribe of Indians; Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians; Muscogee (Creek) Nation; Poarch Band of Creek Indians; Seminole Nation of Oklahoma; Seminole Tribe of Florida; Shawnee Tribe; and Thlopthlocco Tribal Town.

The Alabama Department of Archives and History is the state’s government-records repository, a special-collections library and research facility, and home to the Museum of Alabama, the state history museum. It is located in downtown Montgomery, directly across Washington Avenue from the State Capitol. The Museum of Alabama is open Monday through Saturday from 8:30 to 4:30. The EBSCO Research Room is open Tuesday through Saturday from 8:30 to 4:30. To learn more, visit www.archives.alabama.gov or call (334) 242-4364.

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Frequently Asked Questions

ADAH Archaeological Collections and the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA)

What is NAGPRA?

The Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) is a federal law that was enacted in 1990. It provides a process for museums and federal agencies to return Native American human remains and cultural items to lineal descendants, federally recognized Native American tribes, and Native Hawaiian Organizations in a process called repatriation. More information can be found at the National Park Service Website: https://www.nps.gov/subjects/nagpra/index.htm

Who must comply with NAGPRA?

All federal agencies are subject to NAGPRA. All public and private museums that have received federal funds, other than the Smithsonian Institution, are also subject to NAGPRA.

What items are subject to repatriation under NAGPRA?

An item is subject to repatriation if it can be reasonably identified as one of the following types of materials:

Human Remains: The physical remains of the body of a person of Native American ancestry.
Funerary Objects: Objects that, as a part of the death rite or ceremony of a culture, are reasonably believed to have been placed with individual human remains either at the time of death or later.
Sacred Objects: Specific ceremonial objects which are needed by traditional Native American religious leaders for the practice of traditional Native American religions by their present-day adherents.
Objects of Cultural Patrimony: Objects having ongoing historical, traditional, or cultural importance central to the Native American group or culture itself, rather than property owned by an individual Native American.

What are the scope and history of the ADAH’s archaeological collections, and which items are subject to repatriation?

The ADAH’s archaeological collections consist of more than 326,000 objects from more than 150 archaeological sites. Nearly all the materials were excavated in the first half of the twentieth century and donated to the ADAH by members of the Alabama Anthropological Society (AAS), an organization of archaeology enthusiasts that was active between 1909 and the 1940s. The goals of the AAS included researching and documenting Native American sites throughout the state and securing a collection of artifacts for exhibition and research at the ADAH. The ADAH’s first and third directors, Thomas M. Owen and Peter Brannon, were members of the AAS and facilitated the transfer of materials to the state agency, where they were the subjects of scholarly research and exhibition for generations.

The materials involved in consultation and repatriation in 2022 and 2023 represent the total amount of human remains and associated funerary objects (items removed from the same burials as the human remains) in the ADAH’s collections. These include 114 sets of human remains and approximately 4,000 funerary objects excavated from approximately 22 sites.

The remainder of the ADAH’s archaeological collections include approximately 322,000 Native American items. Fifty-seven percent of these materials are documented to be unassociated funerary objects (items removed from burials, but for which no human remains are held) and subject to repatriation in 2024 and beyond. Additional evaluation and consultation are required to determine the status of the balance of the collection.

How is tribal eligibility to claim the materials determined?

Determination of which tribal nations are eligible to claim the materials was made through consultation between the ADAH and federally recognized tribes in a process regulated by NAGPRA. When determining cultural affiliation, participants consider criteria such as geographic location, distinctive styles in material culture, and distinctive burial practices. The participants in consultation reached a consensus determination of broad cultural affiliation including multiple tribes. On behalf of the multiple tribes making a joint claim, a single tribe will serve as lead claimant in response to a notice of inventory completion to be published by the ADAH in the Federal Register.

How will the Museum of Alabama’s exhibits be affected by repatriation?

In 2011 and 2014 the ADAH opened permanent exhibitions in its Museum of Alabama that rely heavily on unassociated funerary objects (items removed from burials, but for which no human remains are held) to interpret the development of Native American society. On August 10, 2022, the ADAH announced the closing of The First Alabamians, its exhibition on Native Americans from prehistory to 1700. The First Alabamians contains the largest number of Native American artifacts subject to repatriation under NAGPRA. Additional funerary materials in Alabama Voices, the museum’s centerpiece exhibition covering 1700 to the present, have been removed from display. All exhibitions except The First Alabamians will remain open to general visitors and to school field trips.

The ADAH plans to modify the exhibitions by introducing artifacts that were not part of burials and by incorporating significant advances in archaeological study of indigenous cultures over the past decade. Most notably, the exhibits will newly introduce perspectives offered by numerous tribal groups and highlight the continued vibrancy of indigenous cultures originating from Alabama. Preliminary plans call for the revised exhibits to be open by 2026.

Our goal is to enter respectful partnerships with Native American tribes that will improve our ability to share Alabama’s rich native heritage.

Media Contact: Georgia Ann Hudson, ADAH Communications Coordinator

(334) 353-3312 or georgiaann.hudson@archives.alabama.gov

Huntsville Restaurant Week Returns August 12-21 and Culinary Month is Introduced to Mark the 10th Successful Year

(Huntsville, AL) –The Huntsville/Madison County Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) invites you to enjoy, “more than a meal, more than a Restaurant Week” by celebrating Culinary Month throughout August. This year, to mark the 10^th anniversary of our Huntsville Restaurant Week (HRW) campaign, the CVB is extending the celebrations past the ten days of Restaurant Week with the launch of Culinary Month.

In celebration, special culinary events such as sushi making classes, food truck rallies, cooking classes, and much more will take place throughout the month with Huntsville Restaurant Week, August 12-21, serving as the main course. A few highlights include:

LARGEST YEAR YET: With over 70 participating establishments, 2022 offers more eateries, breweries, food trucks, and venues than ever before featuring unique menu items and special offerings.

WORLD FOOD CHAMPIONSHIPS (WFC): HRW will serve as an official qualifying event for the WFC and will allow one local chef and team the opportunity to compete on the largest food stage in the world.

#DineHsv: The CVB will be hosting ten days of giveaways through social media. Simply tweet or post to Facebook and/or Instagram using the official Restaurant Week hashtag #DineHsv with your best “foodie” photos. A winner will be chosen each day throughout the 10 days of Restaurant Week to win prizes.

VIDEO SERIES: The CVB will debut their new video series, “Just the Spot,” by highlighting local area dining districts.

FREE DELIVERY: Rocket City Delivered is waiving the standard delivery fee for participating restaurants using the code HRW2022. Patrons will be able to choose from the wide variety of participating Restaurant Week establishments that currently offer delivery through their service.

Judy Ryals, President/CEO of the CVB, said, “Just as we have world class museums, outdoor recreation, arts, and more, Huntsville also has a world class dining scene. Our local restaurants are a part of our identity as a premier travel destination, and Restaurant Week is just as much a celebration for our restaurants as it is for visitors and locals. We’ve witnessed the incredible tenacity and hard work our restauranteurs have shown over the past few years, and this campaign is one way of expressing our appreciation for them.”

“Each year the variety within our dining scene grows, and it is exciting to celebrate,” said Pam Williams, who spearheads Huntsville Restaurant Week for the CVB. “Being home to Redstone, Marshall, and global companies attracts new residents from all over and their native flavors come with them. We encourage everyone to take advantage of “Culinary Month” by attending any of the special events happening throughout August; dining in, delivery, or ordering take-out – there are so many opportunities to support local this year.”

For full details on Culinary Month and Huntsville Restaurant Week, visit the CVB’s website at www.huntsville.org/restaurantweek.

For more information, contact Pam Williams, Huntsville Restaurant Week Coordinator for the Huntsville/Madison County CVB, at 256.551.2204 or by email at pam@huntsville.org.

Link to promotional graphics

Lori Leonard Selected as Director of Marketing for CVB

After 25 years in the Greater Birmingham area, Lori Leonard has returned to North Alabama where she now holds the position of Director of Marketing at the Huntsville/Madison County Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB). After graduating from the University of North Alabama with a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing, Lori served as the Executive Director for several non-profit organizations including the Homewood Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Hoover, and Leadership Trussville. She also served in marketing leadership roles at various for-profit entities and ran a successful consulting business for many years.

In her new role at the CVB, Lori will oversee the promotional and advertising efforts of the agency as well as various campaigns. Lori will work with social media and graphic design team members, as well as hospitality industry partners, to continue positioning Huntsville, Madison, and Madison County as top visitor destinations and meeting sites.

For more information, contact CVB Executive Vice President Charles Winters at (256) 551-2235 or via email at cwinters@huntsville.org.

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Experience Alabama Your Way Through Sweet Home Alabama’s Post Rewards Campaign

Montgomery, AL (July 19, 2022) – A picture is worth a thousand words. With that in mind, we want to see your vacation photos! The Alabama Tourism Department’s new social media promotional campaign, Post Rewards, invites visitors to share the unique moments from their travels through Sweet Home Alabama.

Through September, visitors can post photos of their favorite vacation memories in Alabama and tag them with the hashtag #SweetRewardsAL in the caption for a chance to win Sweet Home Alabama swag! To submit entries on Instagram, post your photo with the hashtag #SweetRewardsAL. To submit entries on Facebook, add your photos to the comments section of the Post Rewards post found at this link.

The Alabama Tourism Department’s Agency of Record, Intermark Group, launched the campaign recently to capture the feel and ambiance visitors had about vacationing in Alabama. The agency’s main goal is to show the emotional connection that visitors have to the state through images that record their favorite destinations and vacation experiences. Another goal of the campaign is to show the hidden treasures and places of Alabama so viewers will ask the question, “Is that in Alabama?” striving to further drive conversations centered around the beauty and wonder of the state.

“We can promote the state through our eyes any day of the week,” said Lee Sentell, Director of the Alabama Tourism Department. “People typically follow the recommendations of their most trusted sources who have experienced something before. This campaign gives people an opportunity to see Alabama through the eyes of visitors who intentionally choose to vacation in our state.”

The Post Rewards promotion runs through Sept. 30. To learn more on how to participate, click here.

Meta grant program helps send local students to Space Camp

Huntsville, Ala. – More than 30 students from the Madison County area are attending Space Camp programs at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center this week, thanks to a three-year partnership with Meta. In 2021, the company awarded the Rocket Center a $300,000 grant to bring children who might otherwise be unable to attend Space Camp, Aviation Challenge and U.S. Cyber Camp.

The 34 students attending this week are from Huntsville and Madison City Schools, the Boys & Girls Clubs of North Alabama and Girls, Inc. Since 2021, 50 students have attended Space Camp and U.S. Cyber Camp thanks to this partnership with Meta.

“Meta is proud to call Huntsville home and to partner with organizations making a positive difference in the community,” said Katie Comer, head of community development with Meta. “Space Camp at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center is a unique educational experience only available here in Huntsville, and we’re thrilled to provide this learning opportunity to local students.”

Meta has been part of the Madison County community since 2018, when the company broke ground on its data center in Huntsville.

“We are grateful to Meta for providing the funding for these deserving children to attend our programs,” Dr. Kimberly Robinson, Rocket Center CEO and Executive Director, said. “Students from around the world attend our Space Camp programs as they explore their passion for science and technology, and this investment helps us give those in our own neighborhood that same opportunity to launch their futures.”

Members of the Meta Huntsville Data Center team will visit the Rocket Center Wednesday, July 14, to see the Meta-sponsored campers taking part in activities. Media are invited to attend, with the best opportunity at 10 a.m.

About U.S. Space & Rocket Center

The U.S. Space & Rocket Center, a Smithsonian Affiliate, is home to Space Camp®, Space Camp® Robotics, Aviation Challenge® and U.S. Cyber Camp as well as the Apollo 16 capsule, the National Historic Landmark Saturn V rocket, the INTUITIVE® Planetarium and world-class traveling exhibits. USSRC is the Official Visitor Center for NASA Marshall Space Flight Center and a showcase for national defense technologies developed at the U.S. Army’s Redstone Arsenal.

To learn more about the exciting programs and activities at the USSRC, go to www.rocketcenter.com.

www.facebook.com/rocketcenterusa https://www.twitter.com/RocketCenterUSA

Media contact: Pat Ammons, pat.ammons@spacecamp.com; 256-721-5429

Burbank leaving Alabama Tourism Department

After eight years, Scott Burbank is leaving his position as the Chief Financial Officer with the Alabama Tourism Department to accept a position as the Deputy Director of the Office of Program Integrity with the Alabama Department of Public Health.

“It is difficult to overestimate the impact Scott has had on this department,” Tourism Director Lee Sentell said. “During his time with Tourism, Scott has literally coordinated funding for thousands of tourism organizations and events across Alabama. This includes his work during the past two years in helping to launch a program to oversee a Legislative tourism grant program.

“He has been an extremely valuable member of this department, and we will miss him. We thank him for his contributions and wish him well at his new position.”

Burbank’s last day with the Alabama Tourism Department will be on July 15. Burbank will join the Alabama Department of Public Health on July 18.

Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism purchases land for future sports tourism development

The land is located on Coastal Gateway Boulevard between the cities of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach

GULF SHORES AND ORANGE BEACH, ALA. – Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism closed on 111.26 acres of land in northeast Gulf Shores June 28, 2022, which will be used by Gulf Shores | Orange Beach Sports & Events (formerly the Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Sports Commission) for sports and event tourism. With a growing population in the cities of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach and two city school systems comes a greater need to help alleviate sports tourism play from the local sports complexes and school facilities to leave room for residential use.

Sports and event tourism remains a key economic driver in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, particularly outside of the peak summer season.

“As field use increases for the city school systems and local youth sports, there is shrinking space to maintain and grow sports and event tourism,” said Beth Gendler, CMP, CDME, president and CEO of the tourism bureau. “There is very limited real estate of any sizable portion left in south Baldwin County, so we knew we needed to purchase a large parcel of land before it was gone. With guidance and direction from our board of directors, we were able to find and secure this land to insure the future of sports tourism along the Gulf Coast”

The parcel of land is located to the west and north of the Auburn University satellite facility at Coastal Gateway Boulevard (County Road 8 East) and the Foley Beach Express. The far north end of the property meets the city of Foley line and is close to the Orange Beach city limits. The next step for the organization is to source a research firm to conduct a sports facility feasibility study, which will determine the needs of the community, what should be built and how to manage it.

The goal of this project is to fill the facility gap to grow sports and event tourism while enhancing residential needs. For more information on GSOB Sports & Events, visit GSOBsports.com.

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About Gulf Shores | Orange Beach Sports & Events:

Media Contact:

Ally Dorrough, APR • Gulf Shores | Orange Beach Sports & Events
ADorrough@GulfShores.com • GSOBsports.com

1-800-745-SAND • 251-968-9327 (direct) • 334-391-7745 (cell)

Take Hypnotic Journeys Through Sweet Home Alabama’s Mind Trip Campaign

Montgomery, AL (June 28, 2022) – Let your mind escape to Alabama through the Alabama Tourism Department’s Mind Trip, a campaign that is a new and innovative way to experience vacationing in the state. The buzzworthy promotional campaign presents relaxing experiential offerings with a distinctively motivating appeal to immerse visitors into the idea of slowing down and savoring unique Alabama moments, as well as a tongue-in-cheek hypnotic way for visitors to take their mind to Sweet Home Alabama.

Throughout the meditative journeys, a calm tone, stunning photography and descriptive language help create a deep, relaxing sensory experience that’s designed to be a respite from a world full of stress due to a pandemic, the war in Europe and rising inflation.

The sessions begin with a soothing, southern voice that says, “Welcome to this guided hypnotic trip to the sugar-white sands of the Alabama Gulf Coast,” the guide then begins taking visitors on a “mind trip,” catapulting them into a hypnotic state to virtually experience what it’s like to travel to Alabama. Visitors are asked to relax by imagining they are walking on the white sandy beaches along Alabama’s Gulf Coast. As they continue to relax, they hear the sounds of waves crashing along the shoreline and seagulls flying overhead. Visitors also see scenes of beachgoers lying on the beach or leaving footprints in the sand.

An alternative adventurous Mind Trip invites visitors to relax and imagine that they are being guided through a hiking experience in Little River Canyon. As they close their eyes, they hear the sound of their hiking boots on the nature trail with leaves crunching beneath them and the sound of the wind through the trees. Visitors can also hear the sound of waterfalls crashing down into the river, see what it would be like to splash the cool water on their face or see breathtaking views high atop the canyon’s overlook.

“These Mind Trips are a unique and innovative way for visitors to experience Alabama without ever leaving their homes,” said Lee Sentell, Director, Alabama Tourism Department. “We give them a small taste of what it’s truly like vacationing in the state with the hope that they take a trip to experience Alabama for themselves.”

After being awakened from the hypnotic Mind Trips, the hypnotist guides the visitors to think about experiencing Alabama for themselves by booking a trip to Alabama’s Gulf Coast or Little River Canyon.

The campaign was created by Intermark Group, the Alabama Tourism Department’s agency of record. The experiences feature a landing page with long-form videos of the hypnotherapist speaking directly to viewers and inviting them to imagine taking a “Mind Trip” from the couch. The paid portion of the campaign is running on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Pandora, and a programmatic online targeting consumers in states within a day’s drive. It will also run across the Alabama Tourism Department’s social channels as well as in email marketing campaigns.

BAMA-Q GRILLING SERIES PRESENTS GRILLING IN T-TOWN ON SATURDAY, JULY 9

Tuscaloosa, AL – Tuscaloosa Tourism and Sports (TTS) has partnered with the Bama-Q Grilling Series to host Grilling in T-Town on Saturday, July 9^th at Druid City Social as an official Steak Cookoff Association (SCA) competition. With the goal of creating more opportunities for family-friendly events that unite the community through food sport, TTS is working with local private chef and traveling food judge Alison Hudnall and experienced food sport promoters, Alabama Coasting and Bama-Q productions, to bring this SCA sanctioned event to Downtown Tuscaloosa.

Admission is free to the public and guests will enjoy food trucks, a sampling tent, local vendors, cold drinks, live music, and a family-friendly atmosphere.

This SCA-sanctioned event and World Food Championship qualifier invites top-tier traveling competitors as a way to promote food sport tourism to the City of Tuscaloosa. Local businesses, organizations, and amateur backyard cooks are invited and encouraged to register to compete as well. The top-performing locals will be recognized and eligible to win special prize packs. The competition will also feature a World Food Championships qualifying event with the best dessert taking home a golden ticket to the World Food Championships Finals in Dallas.

To ensure a level playing field, all steaks for the competition are provided by local sponsor Northriver Cattle Co. and are included in the competitor registration fee. Judging will be completely blind.

Food sport has become a new American pastime. As food sport has grown, various sanctioning bodies have emerged across a large range of cooking styles, methodologies, and categories of food. KCBS, FBA, MBN, IBCA, SCA, PNWBA, WFC are just a few sanctioning bodies that offer both seasoned chefs and everyday cooks a chance to take home a win. With cash prizes up for grabs, many have turned to food sport as a way to monetize a hobby. Each sanctioned competition offers up another opportunity for any competitor to land themselves a spot on a national stage.

Learn more about the SCA format and rules by visiting https://www.grillinttown.com or by contacting David Calametti. Click here for the SCA registration link.

Tuscaloosa Tourism and Sports’ mission as a community asset is to strengthen our economic position and vitality through programs that promote Tuscaloosa County as an attractive travel destination. The organization’s efforts provide opportunity for our citizens, generate revenue and jobs throughout the county, and enhance Tuscaloosa’s public image as a dynamic place to live, work, play, and visit. TTS is a destination marketing organization that promotes tourism to leisure travelers, conferences, conventions, sporting events, and more. Learn more at visittuscaloosa.com.

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For More Information:

David Calametti, Owner/President, Alabama Coasting

Event Director

david@alabamacoasting.com | 251-623-1751

Alabama Tourism Department to hold welcome center career fair

Are you or someone you know looking for a new career? Do you love talking about Sweet Home Alabama? You could be the perfect fit to join the team of dedicated tourism professionals to represent the great state of Alabama.

The Alabama Tourism Department is hosting a career fair to find enthusiastic and friendly individuals to staff the Ardmore Welcome Center, located in Limestone County along I-65 at the Alabama/Tennessee state line.

Job seekers interested in the Tourism Promotion Representative positions are invited to attend the Alabama Tourism Department Career Fair on Wed., July 13. from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m., at the Athens Tourism Office, located at 100 N. Beaty St. Athens, AL 35611.

The Tourism Promotion Representative is a permanent full-time position with the State of Alabama/Alabama Tourism Department. Benefits include:

• Competitive pay

• Paid holidays

• Travel opportunities

• Retirement plans

• Medical, dental, & vision insurance

Interested parties can also complete an application for the state register at www.personnel.alabama.gov. For this advertised position, please refer to job listing #11030.

For questions about the event, or the Alabama Welcome Centers, please email lori.syck@tourism.alabama.gov or trisa.collier@tourism.alabama.gov.

U.S. Space & Rocket receives $10 million donation for new skills training center

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – U.S. Space & Rocket Center CEO Dr. Kimberly Robinson and Shift4 Founder and CEO Jared Isaacman today announced a $10 million gift for a new Inspiration4 Skills Training Center at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center to support Space Camp programs. The planned concept is a 40,000-square-foot, hanger-style building that will include space and aviation simulators, an indoor pool, a netted drone space, classrooms and a challenge course for training the next generation of astronauts, pilots and engineers.

This gift is the largest single donation in the Rocket Center’s history. It allows the Rocket Center to create a new state-of-the-art facility to bring together many of Space Camp and Aviation Challenges’ immersive, scenario-themed activities under one roof and update the Space Camp program that was founded in 1982 and is celebrating its 40^th anniversary this week.

The Rocket Center is in the final site selection for the Inspiration4 Skills Training Center along with an architectural firm for the design. Once operational, this new facility will extend water and other weather-dependent outdoor activities year-round and enable Space Camp to increase the number of trainees that can attend each year outside the summer season.

A highlight of the new facility will be the display of an L-39 Black Diamond plane Isaacman is also donating to the Rocket Center.

Jared Isaacman is an entrepreneur, philanthropist, accomplished civilian pilot and commercial astronaut who attended Aviation Challenge as a 12-year-old. Isaacman holds several world records and has flown in more than 100 air shows. In September 2021, he commanded Inspiration4, the world’s first all-civilian mission to orbit, spending three days aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft.

Other Inspiration4 crew members include: Chris Sembroski, mission specialist, senior analytics engineer for Lockheed Martin and a former Space Camp counselor; Hayley Arceneaux, the crew’s medical officer and a physician’s assistant at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital; and Dr. Sian Proctor, the mission pilot and a geoscience professor.

The Inspiration4 mission raised more than $250 million for St. Jude, the Memphis-based pediatric cancer research hospital that does not charge the families of children for their treatment.

Please see attached for concept art of the Inspiration4 Skills Training Center. The following Dropbox folder contains video of the Inspiration4 crew’s July 2021 visit to the Rocket Center: https://www.dropbox.com/s/1yg4tgr4yg6hreh/Inspiration4%20Crew%20Visits%20USSRC%20-%20YouTube%20Version.mp4?dl=0

About U.S. Space & Rocket Center

The U.S. Space & Rocket Center®, a Smithsonian Affiliate, is home to Space Camp®, Space Camp Robotics, Aviation Challenge® and U.S. Cyber Camp® as well as the Apollo 16 capsule, the National Historic Landmark Saturn V rocket, the INTUITIVE® Planetarium and world-class traveling exhibits. USSRC is the Official Visitor Center for NASA Marshall Space Flight Center and a showcase for national defense technologies developed at the U.S. Army’s Redstone Arsenal.

To learn more about the exciting programs and activities at the USSRC, go to rocketcenter.com.

https://www.facebook.com/RocketCenterUSA twitter.com/RocketCenterUSA

Media contact: Pat Ammons, pat.ammons@spacecamp.com; 256-721-5429

U.S. Space & Rocket Center celebrates Space Camp’s 40th birthday with Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – The U.S Space & Rocket Center will celebrate the 40^th birthday of Space Camp® with a Space Camp Hall of Fame induction ceremony, Friday, June 17, 2022. This event resumes after a two-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Space Camp Hall of Fame represents outstanding alumni, former employees and friends of Space Camp. Inductees include four individuals comprising the 2020 Space Camp Hall of Fame Class, as well as the crew of Inspiration4, the first all-civilian space mission to orbit.

2020 Hall of Fame Class

Brian Dudas, Boeing 767-400 First Officer

Derek Hodgins, Strategy and Business Development, Lunar Exploration, Lockheed Martin Space

Peter Marquez, Head of Space Policy, Amazon Web Services

Mandy Vaughn, CEO & Founder, GXO Inc.

2021 Hall of Fame Class – Inspiration4 Crew

Jared Issacman, Mission commander and founder and CEO of Shift4

Chris Sembroski, Mission specialist Senior Analytics Engineer

Hayley Arceneaux, Medical officer Physician’s Assistant

Dr. Sian Proctor, Mission pilot Geoscience Professor

Issacman is a graduate of the Aviation Challenge program, and Sembroski is a former Space Camp counselor. Arceneaux and Proctor are being inducted as friends of Space Camp.

In September 2021, the Inspiration4 crew orbited the Earth for three days aboard a SpaceX Dragon spacecraft. The mission raised more than $240 million for St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital.

After their Space Camp Hall of Fame induction, the Inspiration4 crew will take part in a fireside chat moderated by Jeffrey Kluger, editor at large for Time magazine.

Space Camp is an internationally recognized education program with more than 1 million graduates. Other programs of the U.S. Space & Rocket Center include Aviation Challenge®, a military-pilot inspired program, Space Camp Robotics and U.S. Cyber Camp®.

In addition to the Hall of Fame ceremony, the U.S Space & Rocket Center will hold a news conference Friday June 17, to announce a significant gift to Space Camp. The news conference takes place at 10:30 a.m.

About U.S. Space & Rocket Center

To learn more about the exciting programs and activities at the USSRC, go to www.rocketcenter.com.

www.facebook.com/rocketcenterusa https://www.twitter.com/RocketCenterUSA

Media contact: Pat Ammons, pat.ammons@spacecamp.com; 256-721-5429

Huntsville Botanical Garden swings into summer with ‘In Full Swing’ exhibit

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – The Huntsville Botanical Garden will open on Friday “In Full Swing,” an exhibit featuring over 40 swings of all shapes and sizes spread throughout the Garden. The exhibit invites guests to slow down and spend time in nature in a fun, playful way.

“With In Full Swing, we wanted to provide guests with a new way to enjoy the Garden,” said Sue Wagner, chief executive officer of the Garden. “There is something very nostalgic about a swing: no matter how old you are, it feels reminiscent of a childhood summer. We wanted to capture that joyful feeling and encourage guests to slow down, play and relax in the Garden, away from the hustle and bustle of their everyday lives.”

The exhibits features 10 different types of swings, including:

Tree swings that are tucked away in the forest of the Garden’s Dogwood Trail
Bed swings that are the size of a twin bed
Baby swings for the Garden’s littlest guests
Gallery swings painted by local artists with designs inspired by nature
A wheelchair-accessible swing

“It was important to us to create an exhibit that incorporated swings of all kinds, for guests of all ages and interests,” said Rebecca Turk, director of learning and public engagement.

In Full Swing opens on Friday, June 10, and continues through October 31. The exhibit is included with regular daytime Garden admission and is free for Garden members. For more information, visit hsvbg.org/InFullSwing.

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About the Huntsville Botanical Garden
The Huntsville Botanical Garden exists to connect people to plants in order to support a healthier quality of life for the region. Open year-round, the Garden contains diverse ecosystems to explore within its 118 acres. From grassy meadows to woodland paths, aquatic habitats to stunning floral collections, the Garden invites guests of all ages to discover the beauty and wonder of the natural environment. In addition to public admission, the Garden offers exhibits, special events and STEM education programs for youth and adults throughout the year. A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, the Garden is an accredited botanic garden by Botanic Gardens Conservation International and an accredited arboretum by ArbNet, as well as a member of the American Public Gardens Association, the North American Plant Collections Consortium and the American Horticultural Society. For more information, visit www.hsvbg.org.

MEDIA CONTACT:
Anna Beck, Director of Communications and Special Projects
Huntsville Botanical Garden
abeck@hsvbg.org
256-830-4447, ext. 226

LINK TO MEDIA KIT

Vintage Hospitality Group Announces New High-End Italian Restaurant Now Open

Reservations now available beginning June 21

MONTGOMERY, AL – Vintage Hospitality Group is pleased to announce that its newest restaurant concept, Ravello Ristorante, is now open with reservations available beginning June 21. Located in downtown Montgomery, in an elegantly 1920s bank building Ravello offers authentic Italian dishes with versatile and local Southern ingredients.

“We are thrilled to bring this new restaurant concept to Montgomery, an emerging Southern destination with a burgeoning food scene,” says Jud Blount, proprietor of Vintage Hospitality Group. “The city has a lot of great options, but Ravello’s high-end, Italian fare will set a new standard for fine dining in our region.”

Executive Chef Eric Rivera developed a menu of simple and thoughtful dishes inspired by Italy’s Amalfi Coast with several seafood and pasta options. Guests can begin with small plates, including fresh crudo, cured meats, focaccia and burrata. The rotating selection of house-made pasta dishes will range from classics like cacio e pepe and amatricana to a rich paparadelle pasta with wild boar ragu. Seasonal main courses will include filet mignon and fire roasted branzino.

“This menu will transport diners to Italy by reflecting the simplicity and freshness of coastal Italian cuisine,” says Rivera. “I learned and practiced many of the techniques employed at Ravello while on the Amalfi Coast and I hope guests will be delighted by the authentic experience we are creating.”

Chef Rivera will offer intrigued diners an opportunity to indulge in a chef-selected tasting menu, while enjoying a view of the kitchen, at an intimate table for parties of up to 12. Each tasting menu will be personally designed with a selection of appetizers, pastas and risotto, fresh seafood, meat and a dessert, with an option to add wine pairings.

Ravello’s highly curated wine list reads like a love-letter to Italy’s Old-World approach to wine-making. It features wines produced and stylistically influenced by the Old-World and is strong in Italian, French and the new California wines, and also highlights coastal and Mediterranean fine wine regions around the globe. Libraries and verticals from boutique producers appear alongside a selection of the most powerful wines of our time.

Beverage Director Nick Ware, Alabama Restaurant and Hospitality Industry’s 2021 Bartender of the Year, has developed a drink menu of classic and specialty craft cocktails, to showcase the beauty and history of cocktail culture around the world, with a concentration on Italian and European spirits and cordials. Ware’s award-winning “A Streetcar Named Equality,” a variation of a Manhattan, includes Old Forester 1910, sweet vermouth, hoodoo chicory, pecan liqueur, cinnamon tart cranberry and apricot. The Amalfitano, which is a mix of Lunazul Tequila, solerno, dry vermouth, kumquat cordial, blood orange and lime, is also a standout. Between courses, guests will delight in sipping Ravello’s house made Limoncello, an Italian liqueur which is macerated for 30 days.

Ravello’s interiors feature ornate plaster crown moldings, expansive ceiling heights and a large-scale mural featuring an Amalfi coast vignette painted by David Braly. Multi-level dining rooms and bars offer both privacy and a chance to see and be-seen and signature cocktails will pair perfectly with sunset views of the Alabama river from Montgomery’s first and most stylish rooftop bar, set to open later this summer.

Ravello is now open for dinner service and reservations can be made now on Resy for dates following June 21. Lunch service will be launched at a later date.

For more information on Ravello Ristorante, please visit www.ravellomgm.com.

Editor’s Note: For high-resolution images, please visit https://bit.ly/3wPliXG.

About Ravello Ristorante

Montgomery, Alabama’s newest fine dining establishment, Ravello Ristorante, offers authentic Italian dishes with versatile and local Southern ingredients. Inspired by the Amalfi coast, Ravello’s old-world approach will reflect the simplicity and freshness of the region’s coastal cuisine. The restaurant’s bar menu includes a mix of classic and original craft cocktails inspired by Italian traditions and an extensive, handpicked wine list. Housed in an elegantly restored 1920s bank building, Ravello’s ornate plaster crown moldings and tall ceilings incite the original grandeur of Montgomery’s City Federal Bank building. For more information, visit www.ravellomgm.com.

About Vintage Hospitality Group

Vintage Hospitality Group is dedicated to providing guests with the finest culinary selections, premium coffees, specialty teas, outstanding wines and spirits along with unparalleled customer service. The group’s flagship restaurant Vintage Year is a fine dining establishment. Vintage Café is a coffee shop, daytime eatery and retail store. The group also owns MGM Greens, a hydroponic container farm that supplies all their kitchens. Proprietor Jud Blount was named Restaurateur of the Year by the Alabama Restaurant and Hospitality Association.

Media Contact

Meg Lewis

Lou Hammond Group

megl@louhammond.com

843-647-7090

U.S. Space & Rocket holds viewing party for Boeing Starliner launch

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. – The U.S. Space & Rocket Center will celebrate the second test launch of the Boeing Starliner capsule with a live launch party, Thursday, May 19 from 5 to 7 p.m. The launch is scheduled to take place at 6 p.m.

The launch party takes place in our newly opened featured exhibition, Planet Pioneers, so visitors can explore this hands-on exhibit and learn what it will take to colonize a new planet. Visitors can also take part in special activities in Spark!Lab while waiting on the launch.

Launch party tickets are $10 for adults, $8 for children and free for members and may be purchased online or at the Main Ticket Desk on arrival. Admission does not include other areas of the Rocket Center.

Media contact: Pat Ammons, pat.ammons@spacecamp.com; 256-721-5429

About U.S. Space & Rocket Center

To learn more about the exciting programs and activities at the USSRC, go to rocketcenter.com.

https://www.facebook.com/RocketCenterUSA twitter.com/RocketCenterUSA

Experience Montgomery Announces New Chief Officer of Destination and Community Development

Ronald A. Simmons Rejoins the Destination Marketing Team and Launches Brand-New Diversity and Inclusion Training Service

MONTGOMERY, Ala.– Experience Montgomery, the destination marketing arm of the Montgomery Area Chamber of Commerce, is pleased to announce the appointment of Ronald A. Simmons as chief officer of destination and community development. Simmons rejoins the Montgomery Chamber after serving as President and CEO of the River Region United Way since 2020. Prior to this, he spent 10 years with the chamber serving as the vice president of sales for the Montgomery Convention and Visitor Bureau.

In this new role, Simmons will be responsible for the Experience Montgomery (CVB) division, as well as all “non-traditional” economic development and place building efforts for small and minority business development, a downtown plan and gateway transformation. In addition, he will launch a brand-new concierge service for meetings professionals that highlights diversity and inclusion training offerings available in the destination. The Big Ten Conference, an association of world-class universities across the country, will be the first organization to take advantage of this program in July 2022.

“Ron will lead a key part of Montgomery’s fully integrated economic development effort. Beyond destination marketing and development, he will be building and integrating the experiences that will take Montgomery to the next level of success in tourism, entrepreneurial growth, innovation, talent recruitment and more,” said Anna Buckalew, Montgomery Chamber president and CEO. “We are thrilled to have him back at home in this newly expanded role for our organization.”

Originally from Montgomery, Ron Simmons is a graduate of Auburn University at Montgomery where he received a bachelor’s degree in liberal arts with an emphasis in marketing and military science. Simmons was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Army from the Auburn University at Montgomery ROTC program in 1987. He is also a graduate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation Institute of Organizational Management at the University of Georgia.

Simmons’ work in the nonprofit sector is not limited to the Montgomery Chamber. He is the founder of D.A.D.S (Dads and Daughters Saturday) and serves on various boards throughout the community, including the YMCA of Greater Montgomery, East Montgomery YMCA and the Montgomery City-County Public Library. Simmons has also served on the boards of Brantwood Children’s Home and the Jubilee CityFest. He is also a member of the Economic Development Association of Alabama and a Leadership Montgomery graduate, Class XXVIII.

For a headshot of Ronald A. Simmons, visit https://spaces.hightail.com/space/pkeZzfV4mo. For images of Montgomery, visit https://bit.ly/2ByuKVt.

About Montgomery

Situated on the banks of the Alabama River, Montgomery is the capital and the second largest city in the state of Alabama. Established in 1819, Montgomery has been the site of major historic events which have shaped the history of the United States. Emerging from its agricultural roots in the 19th century, Montgomery transformed from its history of injustice to become the birthplace of the civil rights movement and has long been a place that faced intolerable issues head on, initiating unprecedented change for the better. Today, this vibrant river town is experiencing a resurgence which has seen its downtown revitalized and has reestablished itself as a landmark Deep South destination. Montgomery Regional Airport (MGM) offers non-stop flights on Delta Airlines and American Airlines. For more information, call 334-261-1100 or visit the official website of the Montgomery Convention and Visitor Bureau at www.visitingmontgomery.com. Stay connected with Montgomery on Twitterand Facebook.

Media Contacts

Rachael Moss / Meg Lewis

Lou Hammond Group

rachaelm@louhammond.com / megl@louhammond.com

843.628.3721 / 843.647.7090

Linda and Stanley Ingram Chosen as Lake Martin Tourism Superstars

Alexander City, AL-Lake Martin Tourism Association realizes the importance of great customer service in growing visitation to the area. The Official Destination Marketing Organization of Lake Martin recognizes those individuals who are making a difference and going above and beyond for our visitors. We would like to congratulate our latest winners of the Lake Martin Tourism Superstar Award-Linda and Stanley Ingram with The Stables at Russell Crossroads. Their nomination stated “Linda and Stanley Ingram are always willing to go the extra mile to accommodate any request. They greet everyone with a smile and welcome them to The Stables. Whether you are taking a guided horseback ride, planning a wedding or rehearsal dinner, or enjoying a family wagon ride, they have suggestions and options to make every occasion memorable.” Linda and Stanley are wonderful ambassadors for tourism to our area, and they were presented with a plaque of appreciation and a $100 check on May 18th.

Link to photos of Brandy Hastings with Linda and Stanley Ingram

Contact: Brandy Hastings-Lake Martin Tourism Association

brandy@explorelakemartin.com Cell: 850-345-9766

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Alabama’s tourism industry revenue sets all-time record in 2021

Alabama’s tourism industry revenue sets all-time record in 2021

Gov. Kay Ivey announced today that recent tourists spending has surpassed pre-pandemic levels, and rose to a record of almost $20 billion in fiscal year 2021.

The revenue exceeded the previous record year of $16.7 billion by some 17 percent. Officials referenced the Alabama Tourism Department’s economic impact report that 28.2 million visitors visited the state last year. Spending was up 47% from the COVID-impacted year of 2020, officials said

Visitors spent $19.6 billion for food, accommodations, travel, shopping and incidentals, according to the tourism department annual report. Guests paid more than $1.1 billion dollars in taxes to state and local governments. Those taxes saved the average state family an estimated $631 a year in taxes for services, officials said.

State tourism director Lee Sentell credited Gov. Ivey’s strategic initiatives for helping the state’s tourism industry almost double in revenue in just 10 years. Revenues went from $10.7 billion in 2012 to $19.7 under Gov. Ivey, he said.

“The governor’s decision to reopen Gulf Coast beaches after the peak of COVID closures helped to mitigate pandemic losses,” said Sentell. “The robust spending by tourists visiting the beaches in 2020 kept the state in the top five in the nation for least percentage loss of revenue at the height of closures.”

During a media conference at the Conecuh Sausage gift shop on I-65, the governor said that a $10 million federal CARES grant provided to the tourism department funded a major digital advertising campaign that featured each of Alabama’s 67 counties. She said the Alabama campaign was seen by more than 268 million prospective travelers.

Sentell also credited a partnership with the Retirement Systems of Alabama and Gray Television that broadcasts Alabama tourism commercials across its network. The Alabama tourism ads have gone from running on 44 stations to 113 nationwide, now reaching 36% of the nation’s households.

Alabama has experienced major growth in travel search activity since 2019, rising from number 30 on the list to number four nationwide, according to a recent Google study by Trips to Discover.

For more information about the Alabama Tourism Department, or to view the economic impact report, please visit www.tourism.alabama.gov.

NAIA track championship back in Gulf Shores; 1,300 student-athletes to compete May 25-27

NAIA track championship back in Gulf Shores; 1,300 student-athletes to compete May 25-27

The NAIA Men’s & Women’s Outdoor Track & Field National Championships will take place at the Gulf Shores Sportsplex

GULF SHORES AND ORANGE BEACH, ALA. – For the eighth year, Gulf Shores | Orange Beach Sports & Events will host the NAIA Men’s & Women’s Outdoor Track & Field National Championships alongside with city of Gulf Shores at Mickey Miller Blackwell Stadium at the Gulf Shores Sportsplex in Gulf Shores, Alabama, May 25-27, 2022. Approximately 1,300 student-athletes from colleges across the country will contend for the championship titles in a variety of track and field disciplines and experience Alabama’s coastal communities.

“The NAIA has become part of our extended family,” said Michelle Russ, STS, vice president of sales, sports and events for GSOB Sports & Events. “Student-athletes, fans and families come to our beach towns each year to compete and leave behind a lasting affect far beyond economic impact. These servant leaders invest in our community through the NAIA’s Champions of Character program and many families extend their stays or come back for vacations when they fall in love with the area.”
Part of NAIA’s mission in each community it competes in is making an impact beyond athletics. Teams will participate in a Teaming Up for Character™ event benefitting the Christian Service Center’s backpack program as part of the NAIA’s Champions of Character® program. The local community is invited to donate designated items beforehand or during the event. Those interested in contributing to this impactful event may contact Ashley Wilson at AWilson@GulfShores.com.

To learn more about the NAIA, visit NAIA.org. For information on upcoming athletic events along Alabama’s Gulf Coast, visit GSOBsports.com, or call 1-800-745-SAND.

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Photos:

Download: https://bit.ly/3Ps25mf
Download: https://bit.ly/3wtbiCa

Caption: The NAIA Men’s & Women’s Outdoor Track & Field National Championships will take place May 25-27, 2022, at Mickey Miller Blackwell Stadium at the Gulf Shores Sportsplex.

Credit: Gulf Shores | Orange Beach Sports & Events

About Gulf Shores | Orange Beach Sports & Events:

Media Contact:

Ally Dorrough, APR • Gulf Shores | Orange Beach Sports & Events
ADorrough@GulfShores.com • GSOBsports.com

1-800-745-SAND • 251-968-9327 (direct) • 334-391-7745 (cell)

Opening Date Announced for Tropic Falls Indoor Waterpark at OWA Parks & Resort

Ticket prices, season pass options, and mascot name released

(Foley, Alabama) – It’s unlike anything the Gulf Coast has ever seen before—bigger than a football field and covered by a convertible roof of 1,800 glass panels! Boasting more than 100,000 sq. ft. of indoor space alone, OWA Parks & Resort has announced their opening date for the newest addition to Tropic Falls, its highly anticipated indoor waterpark.

Opening in two phases, the region’s largest indoor waterpark is slated to open its first expansion (Phase One) on June 27, 2022. Phase One will include six thrill slides, a lazy river, indoor dining location, party rental rooms, an indoor arcade, and a children’s play structure with five slides. Phase Two will open later this summer and includes a 30,000 sq. ft. outdoor wave pool, surf simulator, and additional dining and beverage locations. Upon completion, Tropic Falls will be the only indoor waterpark in the United States with both a retractable roof and sidewall.

The opening of the indoor water park will also initiate new ticket and season pass options for guests wishing to visit Tropic Falls theme park and indoor waterpark starting at $69.99. Season passes have been reimagined and include both gold and diamond levels. Season passes begin at $269.99. Exclusive perks include seasonal buddy passes and discounts on select dining, merchandise, and lodging. Tickets go on sale beginning May 25, 2022 at VisitOWA.com or in person at Tropic Falls Admissions.

The results are in! With more than 200 total name submissions, the Tropic Falls toucan mascot has officially been introduced as Tuki the Toucan. “We were so impressed with the creative name suggestions we received for our toucan friend,” said Kristin Hellmich, Director of Marketing and Public Relations for OWA Parks and Resort. “It was difficult to narrow down the choices, but ultimately one name stood out from the rest.” Tuki will be making his debut appearance this weekend at the Gulf Coast Hot Air Balloon Festival near the Tropic Falls entrance.

Additional information on park hours, entertainment options and up to date water park news can be found online at VisitOWA.com

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Media Contact(s):

Kristin Hellmich

251-923-2111 x 1125

KHellmich@VisitOWA.com

Unclaimed Baggage Announces 50th Anniversary Road Tour – Bringing a Truckload of Experiences to all 50 States

Nation’s only retailer of lost luggage emerges from the pandemic with one-of-a-kind online store and U.S. road tour

SCOTTSBORO, AL (April 20, 2022) – Unclaimed Baggage, the nation’s only retailer of lost luggage and a highly popular tourist destination, is emerging from the pandemic with a one-of-a-kind online store and a launch of its belated “50 years, 50 states” road tour.

Located in Scottsboro, Alabama – population 16,000 – Unclaimed Baggage attracts over one milliontourists annually from all 50 states and 40+ countries. These treasure seekers travel far and wide to visit Unclaimed Baggage’s 50,000-square-foot store that stretches more than a city block and to shop the weird and wonderful contents of lost luggage. Store finds range from clothing and sporting goods, to musical instruments, vintage concert tees and even exotic treasures, such as a 40-carat emerald, all priced at a bargain.

While the pandemic caused Unclaimed Baggage to temporarily close its doors for the first time in 50years, it was also the catalyst for a one-of-a-kind ecommerce platform that has attracted more than 5.5 million visitors and counting. Coming out of the pandemic, Unclaimed Baggage is seeing online and foot traffic surge. The retailer is also readying to launch its long-planned celebratory “50 years, 50 states” road tour, which was initially scheduled for March 2020. The tour will begin on May 6, 2022, and visit all 50 states over the span of 14 weeks, surprising and delighting fans with games, prizes and experiences unique to Unclaimed Baggage.

“It’s amazing to see how even here, in Scottsboro, Alabama, Unclaimed Baggage could grow into an international tourist destination,” said Bryan Owens, owner of Unclaimed Baggage and son of the retailer’s founder, Hugo Doyle Owens. “It all started with my father’s big idea, a borrowed pickup truck and a $300 loan to go to Washington, D.C. and buy his first load of unclaimed bags from Trailways Bus Line. Fifty years after that fateful trip, we decided to bring the Unclaimed Baggage experience online and make our unique offering of found treasures accessible to people everywhere, anytime. We look forward to bringing our story on the road and engaging with our fans in their hometowns.”

“50 years, 50 states” Road Tour

Led by “Hugo,” the restored 1965 Chevrolet truck named after Unclaimed Baggage’s founder, the “50 years, 50 states” road tour will begin by following Owens’ original route from Scottsboro to Washington, D.C. Over the course of the tour, Hugo will be seen all over the U.S. – and social media – posing with some of the country’s most iconic and unusual roadside attractions. Tour stops will feature a range of experiences, including The Museum of Oddities; virtual pop-up shops; and fan-favorite games, such as Finders Keepers and Bag Openings, where customers see firsthand what it’s like to sort through an unclaimed bag.

Unclaimed Baggage set the stage for its 50th Anniversary celebration with a contest that enticed fans nationwide to share their favorite experiences for a chance to win the ultimate shopping spree, complete with roundtrip transportation, lodging and meals. From nearly 2,000 entries received from every state, Marylee Jackson of South Carolina earned the grand prize for recounting her first of many trips to Unclaimed Baggage.

Jackson says when an Unclaimed Baggage team member learned they had traveled from South Carolina for two days of shopping, the staffer made them feel like celebrities, buying them coffees at the café and giving them gift bags with coupons and T-shirts. “My gal-pal and I LOVE coming to Unclaimed Baggage because of the fabulous hunt, the amazing finds and the excellent customer service,” Jackson said. “We start planning and anticipating our next annual shopping trip the minute we drive away and head for home.”

Unclaimed Baggage will award a second grand prize winner this summer.

Unique Retail Model

From its inception, Unclaimed Baggage quickly became a word-of-mouth hit, drawing shoppers looking for great deals on the contents of lost luggage. The unique retail model starts in the rare instance a suitcase gets lost in transit. When this happens, airlines conduct a comprehensive 90-day baggage tracing process, after which only 0.03% of bags are deemed truly orphaned. If a suitcase can’t be returned to its owner, often because of a missing identification tag, the airline compensates the traveler. It’s only after this extensive search that Unclaimed Baggage buys the orphaned bag and gives it a second life by selling, recycling or donating the contents. On average, Unclaimed Baggage stocks nearly 7,000 new items daily in-store and 4,500 new items weekly online, creating an unparalleled retail experience for shoppers.

“On average, for every item we sell, we donate another one to incredible organizations helping underserved communities through our ‘Reclaimed for Good’ foundation,” said Owens. “With the wide variety of items that pass through our doors, we are able to support a remarkably diverse set of causes close to our hearts.”

Reclaimed for Good

As part of the road tour, Unclaimed Baggage will make donations at nonprofit organizations along the way. Examples of Reclaimed for Good at work include a partnership with Lions Club International Foundation’s SightFirst program, where Unclaimed Baggage serves as the number one provider of eyeglasses with over one million pairs donated over the last 30 years. Unclaimed Baggage also delivers broken wheelchairs to prisons where they are repaired and distributed to disabled children and adults in need through Wheels for the World. Additionally, through partnerships with Samaritan’s Purse and other organizations, millions of dollars in medical supplies and clothing make their way to communities where they’re needed most all over the globe.

For more information on Unclaimed Baggage and the stops on the “50 Years, 50 States” road tour, please
visit UnclaimedBaggage.com/roadtour. Fans can also track the road tour’s progress by following
#50years50states on social media.

About Unclaimed Baggage

Located in Scottsboro, Alabama, Unclaimed Baggage is a one-of-a-kind retail store that draws one million shoppers annually from all 50 states and around the world. As the country’s only merchant of unclaimed and lost baggage and its contents, Unclaimed Baggage offers a treasure trove of goods that airlines and other hospitality companies have been unable to reunite with their former owners. Besides clothing, footwear, formal wear and electronics, shoppers might find anything from a suit of armor and a 40-carat emerald to a Chinese dragon kite and a puppet created at Henson’s Creative Workshop. The store has made national news for its ever-changing array of unique items from around the world, all sold at an incredible value. Unclaimed Baggage also runs a philanthropic program called Reclaimed for Good. The initiative provides charities with millions of dollars’ worth of unsellable clothes, medical supplies and equipment, such as wheelchairs. Reclaimed for Good’s Love Luggage initiative has also supported thousands of foster children by providing personalized suitcases to replace the garbage bags many typically use to transport their belongings. Learn about Unclaimed Baggage at www.unclaimedbaggage.com or connect online through Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.

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Auburn honors Sentell’s career achievements

Auburn University honored Alabama tourism director Lee Sentell for his career achievements with a major award during a sold-out gala that raised more than $500,000 to benefit the school’s hospitality management program.

Dean Susan Hubbard noted that under Sentell’s leadership the state’s annual tourism revenue has grown from $6 billion to some $20 billion, with the state ranking among the top six states in recent percentage growth.

Dr. David Bronner, the CEO of the state’s pension funds, said “Sentell transformed Alabama from a pass-through state to a must-visit destination” and called for a standing ovation as Sentell reached the podium.

Sentell thanked the university for his educational experiences, including service on the campus newspaper, that prepared him for a career encompassing journalism and tourism marketing. He thanked tourism industry leaders Patti Culp from Montgomery and Judy Ryals from Huntsville for their friendship and guidance. He credited Birmingham advertising executive Ed Mizzell, another Auburn graduate, for the partnership in Alabama is the first state ever honored by the International Tourism and Travel Awards in London. The award came for creating the U.S. Civil Rights Trail, a candidate for UNESCO’s World Heritage status in 2024.

Students in Auburn’s hospitality event design course were responsible for organizing, marketing and facilitating the gala while working with the leadership at the Hotel at Auburn University. The honoree congratulated the dozens of students who endured the challenges of the COVID pandemic and two postponements.

Sentell fondly remembered meeting Eufaula innkeeper Tony Rane in 1980 during the first state tourism conference he attended. He noted that the university’s soon-to-open Tony and Libba Rane Culinary Science Center “will transform the industry’s education and training of future hospitality and culinary employees.” The 142,000-square-foot structure is unique in that it will blend an innovative learning environment with a luxury boutique hotel and restaurant, he said, adding that no other college facility has a teaching hotel, teaching restaurant, a range of classrooms, demonstration and food production laboratories, a food hall, wine appreciation center, distilled spirits center and brewing science lab under one roof.

He received the Horst Schulze Award for Excellence in Hospitality, named in honor of the co-founder and former president of the internationally renowned Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company. Schulze’s West Paces Hotel Group manages the Auburn University Hotel and Dixon Conference Center where the gala was held. Sentell was congratulated by the university board of trustee members Jimmy Rane and Caroline Aderholt, U.S. Rep. Robert Aderholt, Auburn basketball coach Bruce Pearl and some 400 other attendees.

Three generations of his family have been educated at Auburn, he said, beginning with his father J.W. Sentell and aunt Mae Dell Sentell in the 1930s. He and his brother Johnie followed in the 1960s. Great-nephews David and Daniel Scharf and great-niece Melissa Kleman are the current generations.

Hospitality training for frontline hospitality workers in the Black Belt

Through a grant provided by the Alabama Association of Resource Conservation & Development Councils in partnership with Alabama Black Belt Adventures and Experience, LLC, The University of Alabama Center for Economic Development is pleased to invite frontline hospitality workers to a free two-hour, in-person hospitality training workshop.

What: Four-Course Hospitality Training (in person)

When: See schedule below to find your county/training location

How: Through a grant provided by The AL Association of RC&D Councils, administered by The University of Alabama Center for Economic Development (UACED)

Why: Few industries have felt the effects of the pandemic as much as the hospitality industry. With additional unemployment benefits ending, individuals that may have been laid off due to the decrease in travel in 2020 are now being asked to return to the workforce. Hospitality training is needed statewide but especially in the Black Belt Region. This hospitality training will empower service industry employees with the tools needed to attract, retain, and grow tourism in the region.

Have a business or organization in mind who would benefit from this training? Send them this information. Registration closes one week before training date and space is limited to the first 25 people.

Upcoming Trainings:
May 2 https://www.uaced.ua.edu/5-2-hospitality-training

Location/Venue: Greenville

Counties Served: Butler, Crenshaw, Lowndes, Conecuh, Monroe, Macon

May 16 https://www.uaced.ua.edu/5-16-hospitality-training

Location/Venue: Troy

Counties Served: Pike, Crenshaw, Bullock, Barbour, Butler

June 6 https://www.uaced.ua.edu/6-6-hospitality-training

Location/Venue: Eufaula /Barbour Chamber of Commerce

Counties Served: Barbour, Pike, Russell, Crenshaw, Bullock

June 27 https://www.uaced.ua.edu/6-27-hospitality-training

Town/City/Venue: Tuscaloosa Hotel Capstone

Counties Served: Tuscaloosa, Pickens, Greene, Hale

Welcome Centers host tourism partners during month of May 2022

The Alabama Tourism Department-Welcome Center Program will be welcoming guests throughout the state to increase the awareness of the economic, social and cultural impact that tourism has on the local, regional and state-wide communities. We invite our tourism partners to participate at each Center from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. (central standard time) by bringing special promotions, coupons, etc., and sharing our hospitality on the following dates:

Open House celebrations will be held from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (CST)

• Ardmore Welcome Center – May 19

• Baldwin Welcome Center – May 20

• Cleburne Welcome Center – May 4

• Grand Bay Welcome Center – May 26

• Houston Welcome Center – May 12

• Lanett Welcome Center – May 12

• Sumter Welcome Center – May 11

• DeKalb Welcome Center – May 26

If you would like to participate in the celebrations as an exhibitor contact Trisa Collier, Welcome Center Superintendent, trisa.collier@tourism.alabama.gov

Destination Optimization Program

The Alabama Tourism Department (ATD) held a series of 7 educational seminars across the state in February 2022. The seminars featured best practices for DMOs and attractions, hotels, and other tourism points of interest in connection with various tourism websites including www.alabama.travel and Google.

Claire Barrentine or Bill Dinan of Intermark Group presented on best practices in connection with ATD’s website, Alabama.travel. ATD staff member Pam Smith also answered questions.

Josh Wray of Miles Media Partnership presented information and best practices concerning Google Local Guides and Google businesses listings while also touching on other major tourism websites and the importance of how to have your best foot forward digitally.

You can call for help

Pam Smith offered to help tourism entities if they have trouble using https://partners.alabama.travel, the partner portal link for ATD’s website. Her contact is pam.smith@tourism.alabama.gov, (334) 353-4541. There is no charge for her help.

For the six month period following the presentations Miles Partnership offers free help with Goggle and other major tourism websites (Yelp, TripAdvisor, Wikipedia) To set up a help session, go to this link, https://calendly.com/milespartnershipgoogledmo/alabama-office-hours-clone?month=2022-02 Last day for this free help is August 23, 2022.

You can download Video and PDFs of Presentations from the seminar

Videos and PDFs of Josh Wray’s presentation be found at this link, https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1DSmk7AfSP4B6jk0hyzjgYNru2P-I_FXD

A video presentation and PFD of Intermark Group’s presentation on ATD’s partner portal for ATD’s website can be found at this link, https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1tso8C4O26x6CAPji08tl1vHkWZsyQfOj

Scores of free walking tours offered across Alabama on Saturdays in April

(Montgomery, Alabama) Community leaders from 25 towns and cities that stretch from Florence to Enterprise and Fairhope to Bridgeport will guide residents and visitors on walking tours through historic neighborhoods on the five Saturday mornings in April, the Alabama Tourism Department announced today.

Tour coordinator Pam Smith said each of the 125 tours will begin at 10 a.m. and is offered free of charge.

Communities participating in the 2022 Walking Tours include:

The Athens tour will begin at the Athens Limestone Visitors Center. Contact Teresa Todd at 256-232-5411.

Bayou Le Batre’s tour will begin at Maritime Park. Contact Beth Fox at 251-709-7687.

In Birmingham, tours will begin at the Fred Shuttlesworth statue outside of the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. Contact Gina Mallisham at 866-328-9696, ext. 211.

The Bridgeport tour will begin at the walking bridge, located at 2 Bradley Ave. Contact Lt. Col. John M. Walker at 256-845-3281.

Courtland tours will begin at the Courtland Heritage Museum in the Downtown Square. Contact Linda Peebles at 256-637-2707.

Tours in Cullman will begin at the Cullman County Museum. Contact Drew Green at 256-739-1258.

In Decatur, the April 2 tour will begin at the Morgan County Archives on Bank Street; April 9 at Turner-Surles Community Center; April 16 at Decatur City Cemetery; April 23 at Delano Park Rose Garden; and April 30 at Old State Bank. Contact Danielle Gibson at 256-350-2028.

The Elba tours will begin at the Elba Chamber of Commerce. Contact Sandy Williams at 334-879-3125.

Enterprise tours will begin at the Pea River Historical Society on Main Street, near the Boll Weevil Monument. Contact Tammy Doerer at 334-389-1554.

Tours in the Fairhope area will begin downtown at the Fairhope Welcome Center, located at 20 N Section St. Contact Gabriel Gold-Vukson at 256-740-4141.

In Florence, the April 2 tour will begin at the Florence City Cemetery; April 9 at the Walnut Street Historic District; April 16 at The Forks of Cypress; April 23 at the intersection of North Court and Seminary Streets; and April 30 will take place on the University of North Alabama campus. Contact Linda Jones at 256-740-4141.

Foley walking tours will begin at the Foley Welcome Center. Contact LaDonna Hinesley at 251-943-1200.

In Huntsville, tours will take place on April 2 and April 9 and will begin at Alabama Constitution Hall Park. Contact Pam Williams at 256-551-2368.

Madison tours will begin downtown at the Madison Little Roundhouse on April 16 and April 23 only. There is not a tour on April 30. Contact Pam Williams at 256-551-2368.

Tours in Mobile will begin at the Visit Mobile Welcome Center located inside the History Museum of Mobile. Contact Michael Dorie at 251-208-2017.

Monroeville tours will begin at the Monroe County Museum, housed in the former Monroe County Courthouse in the downtown square. Contact Penelope Hines at 251-743-2879.

Downtown Montgomery tours will begin at the Winter Building at Court Square near the fountain. Contact Jennifer Grace at 334-261-1107.

Tours in Mooresville will begin at the historic Mooresville Post Office. Contact Nikki Sprader at 256-509-0422.

In Moulton, tours will begin at the Lawrence County Archives. Contact Loretta Gillespie at 256-476-1166.

Pell City tours will begin at Pell City City Hall and will take place on April 2, April 9, April 23 and April 30. There is no tour on April 16. Contact Urainah Glidewell at 205-338-3377.

Downtown Prattville tours will begin at the Prattaugan Museum on Main St. Contact Barbara Gaston at 334-361-0961.

Selma tours will begin at the Selma-Dallas County Public Library. Contact Sheryl Smedley at 334-875-7241.

In Sheffield, tours will begin at Sheffield City Hall located on N. Montgomery Ave. Contact at Jimmy Austin 256-627-2953.

The Springville tours will begin at Springville Museum. Contact Carol Waid at 205-837-2586.

Tuscumbia tours will begin at the The Palace Ice Cream and Sandwich Shop, located at 100 S. Main St. Contact Susann Hamlin at 256-383-0783.

Alabama is the only state in the nation to hold statewide, simultaneous walking tours. More than 38,000 individuals have participated in the walking tours since the beginning of the program 19 years ago.

For more information about the April Walking Tours, or Alabama Tourism Department, please visit www.Alabama.Travel.

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Media Contact:

Andi Martin, Public Relations Manager, Alabama Tourism Department

Andi.Martin@tourism.alabama.gov, 334-242-4537

Travel search activity surges for Alabama

(MONTGOMERY, AL) Alabama experienced the nation’s largest growth in travel search activity since 2019, moving the state from No. 30 in the country to No. 6, according to the most recent Google Travel Search annual report.

“U.S. travel is making a comeback but it’s not the same in every state,” the Google report said. Florida remained No. 1 and Hawaii had the largest decrease in travel search activity, moving from No. 5 to No. 33.

Five of the top seven are Southern states, with Florida, South Carolina and Mississippi in the top three, and Alabama and Georgia in sixth and seventh place.

Alabama tourism director Lee Sentell cited several factors that contributed to the growth: a desire by residents in land-locked Midwestern states to visit beaches and parks, an increase in the number of television stations in which the Retirement Systems of Alabama is an investor, and growing interest in visiting civil rights sites.

Sentell said the number of television stations in which the state retirement system is invested is important since Gray Television airs Alabama tourism commercials and those for the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail at no cost. Commercials for Alabama tourism and the golf trail are being aired on 141 stations, including those in Atlanta, Nashville, Mobile and Jackson, Miss., for the first time.

The resulting searches are an important predictor for state tourism.

“A growth in search activity indicates that more people are planning to visit than ever before,” he said.

He said an $8 million federal COVID recovery grant from Gov. Kay Ivey supported an advertising campaign last year that featured separate digital ads for each of the state’s 67 counties.

“This was the first time we have created separate ads that showcased one county at a time, and it might have been the first time that some rural counties have had this type of media exposure,” he said.

For example, the Cherokee County commercial featured Orbix Hot Glass, Cherokee Rock Village, Chestnut Bay RV Resort and the Hwy 411 Drive-In Theatre. The Chilton County ad showed photos of Higgins Ferry Park, Confederate Memorial Park, Minooka OHV Park and Maplesville City Park. Coffee County showcased the courthouse, the historic Coffee County Jail and the birthplace of Big Jim Folsom. Henry County was represented by Todd Farms Cafe, Keel & Co. Distilling, Huggin’ Molly’s restaurant and Ravenwood Sporting Clays.

Deputy Director Grey Brennan, who coordinated the 67 ads with Intermark Group Advertising, said the full report is posted on the www.alabama.travel website. Copies of the results of each county’s coverage will be distributed to legislators on March 9 when the state travel industry hosts legislators at its annual Tourism Bash reception, he said.

During 2020, the most recent year for which data is available, visitors to Alabama spent $13.3 billion for food, accommodations, travel and shopping. A report for the year 2021 is expected in March, the director said. For three years prior to the pandemic, the state tourism industry was growing by a million new visitors a year who were spending an additional billion more dollars a year, he said. In 2019, 25 million tourists spent $17 billion.

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The Alabama Tourism Department works to inspire consumers and facilitate travel to and within Alabama while leveraging increased involvement by the private sector. An appointed board of industry advisors connects the department with tourism businesses and organizations throughout the state. Tourism is a key sector of the state’s economy, historically attracting 28 million tourists who spend $16.8 billion in leisure and hospitality sales and employing more than 200,000 full and part-time workers. The industry represents 7% of Alabama’s private sector employment. Leisure and hospitality also generates in excess of one billion dollars of the state’s sales tax revenues.

Contact: Andi Martin, Public Relations Manager

Alabama Tourism Department

Andi.Martin@tourism.alabama.gov, 334-242-4537

Destination Optimization Seminars

FREE EDUCATIONAL SEMINARS COMING TO YOUR AREA – FEB 2022

The Alabama Tourism Department is conducting seminars across the state to assist tourism organizations and their local tourist attractions and business improve the information visitors are seeing on public websites.

These Destination Optimization seminars are aimed at improving the quality of a local community’s organic representation across the major travel search and planning products, including Google, Yelp, Wikipedia, TripAdvisor and the state’s website, www.alabama.travel.

The Alabama Tourism Department believes that destinations should help local businesses inspire consumer confidence to push interest into action. As a result, ATD is holding seven educational seminars across the state that will be particularly relevant as a proactive approach in your community to enable tourism businesses to have their best foot forward, digitally, as travel resumes.

EACH SEMINAR HELD IN TWO PARTS

These seven seminars will each be held in two parts, each lasting just a single morning or afternoon.

Morning Session – DMOS

In the morning, the seminar is specifically for local DMOs, Chambers an CVBs and packed with useful information including how and why to become a Local Google Guide.

Afternoon Session – Local tourist business, attractions

That afternoon, businesses that you have invited from your area will join you for a session designed to help them claim and update their own listings on various websites, including Google and Alabama.Travel.

DMOs, CVBs and Chambers are welcome to stay and join their local tourism businesses in the afternoon session.

Comprehensive destination evaluations

During the sessions, you will see demonstrations of how visitors are searching for destinations and what they find when they do. More than 500 tourism points of interest were evaluated for completeness and quality on various tourism websites such as Google, Yelp and TripAdvisor. Come to the seminar and see the results of this study and what it means for your organization.

Who is teaching the seminars?

Miles Partnership is the instructor of the largest part of the seminar. They will provide up-to-date information and the support needed to optimize a designation’s presence. This includes information on improving the completeness of local business listings, adding missing POIs and creating branded, trackable distribution of DMO’s high-quality photos. For six months, those that attend the seminar will be able to schedule telephone time with Miles Partnership for follow up help.

Intermark Group and ATD will instruct on the best practices on the use of the Alabama Tourism Partner Portal, the tool destinations and tourism businesses use to supply information to the Alabama Tourism Department.

Who should come?

On the DMO Level:

These free educational seminars will yield important information for any DMO, CVB or Chamber official who is involved in crafting and presenting the image of their destination in a digital manor. In larger DMOs and CVBs this may be the person in charge of marketing and/or your website. In smaller organizations it may be appropriate for the tourism manager or executive director.

Local Tourism Businesses

For a DMO, CVB or Chamber member attraction, tourism business or other point of interest entity, the person in charge of marketing and/or the tourism entity website should attend. At smaller organizations, this may be the office manager or CEO.

Comprehensive destination evaluations

During the sessions, you will see demonstrations of how visitors are searching for your destination and what they find when they do. More than 500 tourism points of interest were evaluated for completeness and quality on various tourism websites such as Google, Yelp and TripAdvisor. Come to the seminar and see the results of this study.

IMPORTANT

Pick you session and let us know you are coming

Pick the time and date that fits your schedule and register for one of the free seminars by giving us your name and contact information.

Wiregrass area of Alabama – Hilton Garden Inn, 171 Hospitality Ln, Dothan

Feb 8^th morning session for DMOS starting at 8am
Feb 8^th afternoon session for attractions and tourist attractions starting at 1pm

Mobile and Gulf Coast area – Daphne Civic Center, Willow Room, 2603 US-98, Daphne

Feb 9^th morning session for DMOs starting at 8am
Feb 9^th afternoon session for attractions and tourist attractions starting at 1pm

North Alabama area of Alabama – Hampton Inn Downtown, 313 Clinton Ave W, Huntsville

Feb 11^th morning session for DMOs starting at 8 am
Feb 11^th afternoon session for attractions and tourist attractions starting at 1pm

Birmingham area of Alabama – Vulcan Park, 1701 Valley View Dr, Birmingham

Feb 22^ndmorning session for DMOs starting at 8 am
Feb 22^ndafternoon session for attractions and tourist attractions starting at 1pm

West Alabama area of Alabama – Embassy Suites, 2410 University Blvd, Tuscaloosa

Feb 23^rdmorning session for DMOs starting at 8 am
Feb 23^rdafternoon session for attractions and tourist attractions starting at 1pm

East Alabama area of Alabama – Auburn/Opelika Tourism office, 714 E Glenn Ave, Auburn

Feb 24^th morning session for starting at 8 am
Feb 24^th afternoon session for attractions and tourist attractions starting at 1pm

Montgomery area of Alabama, Alabama Tourism Department building room 342, 401 Adams Ave, Montgomery, AL

Feb 25^th morning session for DMOs starting at 8 am
Feb 25^th afternoon session for attractions and tourist attractions starting at 1pm

Link to register for a free session

Emmy Award-nominated PBS host Darley Newman explores Alabama Civil Rights Trail in new season of “Travels with Darley”

(Montgomery, Alabama) The Alabama Civil Rights Trail takes center stage with Emmy Award-nominated PBS host Darley Newman in the next season of “Travels with Darley.” Newman recorded two episodes along the Alabama Civil Rights Trail in Birmingham, Selma and Montgomery. The two upcoming episodes will premiere on Alabama Public Television’s Create channel at 3:30 p.m. CST on Sat. Jan. 22 and Sat. Jan. 29, 2022, respectively. For all other markets, please check local PBS listings for dates and times.

The Alabama Civil Rights Trail episodes of “Travels with Darley” will bring viewers along her journey to follow in the footsteps of legends and activists such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks. The collection of museums, churches, national parks and other landmarks in Montgomery, Birmingham and Selma vividly bring to life the people, events and ideals that advanced the fight for social justice during the 1950s and ’60s, such as the iconic Selma-to-Montgomery marches of 1965. Newman also offers tips on area guides and experts whose knowledge of the trail can deepen your experience, as well as recommendations for local food, drink, lodging and experiences along the way.

“I’ve traveled all over the world for my PBS series for over a decade and filming along Alabama’s Civil Rights Trail was a life-changing experience,” said Newman.

According to Newman, the biggest takeaway from experiencing the Alabama Civil Rights Trail is the opportunity to visit places where history happened and meet those who experienced it firsthand.

“One of the really amazing things about traveling along the Civil Rights Trail in Alabama is that you can actually meet with people who lived through the movement and played a role in it,” said Newman. “This helps paint an even more rich and dynamic picture of what transpired many years ago. I do wish everyone could take the Civil Rights Trail themselves and for those who cannot make the journey, I’m glad we could film and create these episodes to share Alabama’s poignant and inspiring stories.”

Key interviews include civil rights activist JoAnne Bland, owner/operator, Journeys for the Soul; Doris Crenshaw, founder of The Southern Youth Leadership Development Institute and protégé of Rosa Parks; Michelle Browder, owner/operator, More than Tours; and Lee Sentell, U.S. Civil Rights Trail founder and Alabama Tourism Department director.

The Alabama Civil Rights Trail episodes of “Travels with Darley” feature interviews with historians, experience givers and others representing historic sites and attractions throughout the state.

The Birmingham segment will include Barry McNeeley, Milestones Walking tours; Birmingham Civil Rights Institute; Railroad Park; 16^th Baptist Church and Pastor Arthur Price; Chloe Cook, Executive Director Sidewalk Film Center + Cinema; Glenny Brock, Birmingham Redevelopment; LaShana Sorrell, Vulcan Park and Museum; Deon Gordon, TechBirmingham; and Doug Brown, owner and CEO, Back Forty Beer.

In Selma, Newman interviewed Jacqueline T. Smith and The Coffee Shoppe; Lula Hatcher and Lannie’s Bar-B-Q Spot and Sheryl Smedley, Selma Chamber of Commerce.

The Montgomery segment of the show will comprise of the Freedom Rides Museum; Wanda Battle, owner/operator, Legendary Tours; Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church; Alabama State Capitol; Marie McGarry, Pastry Chef, Central; Dr. Richard Harris house; and Kevin King, owner, King’s Kanvas.

“Travels with Darley,” an Emmy Award-nominated PBS TV show, has been taking viewers on travel adventures with local people since 2014, when it launched as a web series with its own channel on AOL. In early 2016, the show debuted on PBS TV stations and has since released 45 half-hour episodes on PBS, taking viewers through Europe, the Caribbean, Asia and the USA with host Newman and a cast of local people. Viewers can now also binge the first seasons on Amazon Prime and the newest episodes on Ovation TV’s Journy.

LINKS TO EPISODE TRAILERS FOR MEDIA USE:

https://vimeo.com/636897064/e211d23e6a (Part I)

https://vimeo.com/636877113/f7b95d8bea (Part II)

The Alabama Tourism Department works to inspire consumers and facilitate travel to and within Alabama while leveraging increased involvement by the private sector. An appointed board of industry advisors connects the department with tourism businesses and organizations throughout the state. Tourism is a key sector of the state’s economy, historically attracting 28 million tourists who spend $16.8 billion in leisure and hospitality sales and employing more than 200,000 full and part-time workers. The industry represents 7% of Alabama’s private sector employment. Leisure and hospitality also generates in excess of one billion dollars of the state’s sales tax revenues.

Contact: Andi Martin, Public Relations Manager

Alabama Tourism Department

Andi.Martin@tourism.alabama.gov, 334-242-4537

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Alabama Tourism Department announces “All-in-One Ticket” for Alabama attractions

(Birmingham, Alabama) At a press conference held today at Vulcan Park and Museum, the Alabama Tourism Department announced it is launching the Alabama “All-in-One Ticket,” which will allow travelers to visit more attractions without costing any extra money.

The mobile ticket program is a new plan to allow travelers the opportunity to visit more attractions at a discounted rate. “All-in-One” attraction tickets will be sold directly to the public, tour operators and other distribution channels on the consumer – and tour operator – levels.

The “All-in-One Ticket” creates an opportunity for both tour operators and tourists to plan Alabama travels around an itinerary or for those who simply have the desire for flexibility and exploration.

“The message to consumers is that they can spend less and do more in Alabama with the ‘All-in-One Ticket,’” said Grey Brennan, deputy director of the Alabama Tourism Department. “The flexibility offered by the ‘All-in-One-Ticket’ will benefit the traveler who can select from the ticket offerings and make the best selection for their desired experience. Basically, you pay one rate, and you can take in as many attractions as you want that are participating on that ticket package.”

“Working with the Alabama Tourism Department to launch the first statewide attractions pass has been an incredible experience,” said Mo Parikh, CEO of Bandwango. “Our teams have worked together to create the first-ever state-run attractions pass program that provides an excellent value to visitors while also strengthening the collaboration between attractions throughout the state. Working with the Alabama Tourism Department is further proof that DMOs excel at destination development and create real, measurable results when they keep their visitors and partners at the core of their mission.”

Tourists are offered six ticket packages to explore Alabama: The Huntsville and North Alabama Attraction Ticket, The Florence/Muscle Shoals Attraction Ticket, The Birmingham Attraction Ticket, The Birmingham Area Family Fun Ticket, The Montgomery Attraction Ticket and The Montgomery, Selma & Tuskegee Attraction Ticket.

“All-in-One Ticket” packages are available now and can be purchased online through a web-based platform at alabama.travel.

All purchased tickets will reside on the buyer’s mobile device. Though it is a web-based platform, there is no app required for ticket purchase. Third-party sellers, like Tripadvisor, are expected to begin selling tickets in the coming months.

Each ticket will allow admission to all attractions listed within the package. Each “All-in-One” is a special grouping of attractions within regional areas of the state, most offering one-, two- or five-day options at one low price. The “All-in-One Ticket” grants one-time admission to all attractions listed on that ticket, for the timespan purchased at a savings versus buying singly at each admission rate.

Attractions began signing up to participate in July 2021. The ticket program announcement signals the first phase of rollout, which embodies 39 attractions. The group of participating attractions reach across north and central Alabama down to Montgomery and Selma.

North Alabama: Alabama Music Hall of Fame (Tuscumbia), Ave Maria Grotto (Cullman), Belle Mont Mansion (Tuscumbia), Burritt on the Mountain (Huntsville), Cathedral Caverns State Park (Woodville), Cook Museum of Natural Science (Decatur), Early Works Children’s Museum (Huntsville), Florence Indian Mound and Museum (Florence), Frank Lloyd Wright-Rosenbaum House (Florence), Helen Keller Birthplace/Ivy Green (Tuscumbia), Huntsville Botanical Garden (Huntsville), Jesse Owens Museum (Danville), Muscle Shoals Sound Studio (Sheffield), Pope’s Tavern Museum (Florence), Tigers For Tomorrow Exotic Animal Preserve (Attalla) and W.C. Handy Home and Museum (Florence).

Birmingham and Central Alabama: 16^th Street Baptist Church, Alabama Sports Hall of Fame, Autobahn Indoor Speedway, Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum, Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, Birmingham Zoo, Heart of Dixie Railroad Museum (Calera), Historic Bethel Baptist Church, McWane Science Center, Oak Mountain State Park, Rickwood Caverns State Park (Warrior), Southern Museum of Flight and Vulcan Park and Museum.

Montgomery and Selma area: By The River Center for Humanity (Selma), Civil Rights Memorial, Hank Williams Museum, Historic Davis Theatre Tour, Montgomery Zoo and Mann Wildlife Learning Center, Rosa Parks Museum, the Selma-Dallas County Museum of Archives and History (Selma), Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald Museum, Tabernacle Baptist Church (Selma), W.A. Gayle Planetarium and Whippoorwill Vineyards (Notasulga).

The Gulf Coast and other regions will come onboard throughout the spring to be ready for the summer tourism season.

Bandwango, a Salt Lake City-based company, is the technology partner for the ticket venture. They will provide ticket processing and payment as well as the platform that allows the ticket to be used from the convenience of a mobile device.

In 2020, more than 22.5 million visitors in Alabama spent $13.3 billion for food, accommodations, travel, shopping and incidentals, according to the Alabama Tourism Department.

For more information about the Alabama Tourism Department please visit tourism.alabama.gov.

TV, Radio & Web Commercials

Here is the link: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/xmuizn208dlmp26/AAA2ovrWa7u7ORv92JEp9qxoa?dl=0

Contact: Andi Martin, Public Relations Manager

Alabama Tourism Department

Andi.Martin@tourism.alabama.gov, 334-242-4537

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Alabama Tourism Department recognizes industry leaders

(Gulf Shores, AL) The Alabama Tourism Department recognized its 2021 award winners during the 2021 Alabama Governor’s Conference on Tourism, held on location at Gulf State Park. Winners include Herb Malone, CEO of Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism, recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award; City of Wetumpka and RTR Media for Small Town Promotion of the Year with the HGTV’s “Home Town Take Over,” actor Myk Watford as Entertainment Ambassador of the Year, Anderson Cooper, Tourism Advocate Media of the Year and the Africatown Collaborative as Tourism Partnership of the Year. Sixteen awards were presented in total.

Other award winners include Gulf Coast Exploreum, 2021 Attraction of the Year; the Legacy Museum: From Enslavement to Mass Incarceration, 2022 Attraction of the Year; the Gulf Coast Hot Air Balloon Festival, Event of the Year; Senator Greg Albritton, Government Tourism Advocate of the Year; Loren Powell, Rising Star; Patty Kieffer, Tourism Employee of the Year; Auburn-Opelika Tourism, Tourism Organization of the Year: Major General Janet Cobb, Tourism Executive of the Year; Graham Roderick, Alabama Tourism Department Employee of the Year; Emily White, Welcome Center Employee of the Year; “Worth the Wait” Theme Campaign Award of the Year and Senator Clay Scofield, Alabama Tourism Department Director Award.

“We have incredibly strong tourism industry professionals in Alabama, and those recognized this year are no exception,” said Lee Sentell, director Alabama Tourism Department. “Their unwavering leadership and dedication continues to elevate Alabama as one of the go-to destinations in America. We are proud to recognize the people and organizations that contribute to the success of tourism in the state.”

Noticeably present on the list of 2021 awardees is “60 Minutes” correspondent Cooper. In 2020, Cooper traveled to Mobile to capture an in-depth story about the Clotilda through interviews with Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson, Africatown representatives, Clotilda descendants, Alabama Historical Commission and SEARCH maritime archaeologist James Delgado. The segment centered on the ship’s discovery, what it means for Africatown, descendants and the path toward reconciliation.

Cooper was not able to appear at the banquet and provided acceptance remarks in lieu of his attendance. “I am sorry I cannot be with you tonight but thank you for this acknowledgment of our coverage of the Clotilda. Over the months of research and reporting the story, I was impacted by the resilience of the people who were enslaved aboard the Clotilda and who founded Africatown. It seems the discovery of the ship has awakened an awareness in people from all over the country about our nation’s shared history. I look forward to seeing how the residents of Mobile continue to come together to honor the past and build a stronger future for all.”

Below are the brief biographies of each winner. Photos can be found at the following link: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/hk4e2yijf0z5tyo/AAD0T_D70TSkahVfX36UYZIAa?dl=0

Herb Malone, CEO of Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism, is the winner of the Lifetime Achievement Award. Malone has been active in the Alabama tourism industry for more than three decades and was the first President/CEO of Gulf Shores/Orange Beach Tourism. Appointed CEO of the Alabama Coastal Business Chamber in 1988, he spearheaded a campaign for the Alabama beach towns to establish a self-sustaining DMO while the regional landscape was being shaped by the development of casinos in neighboring states. By 1993, Malone’s vision became a reality with support of the Alabama Legislature and a directed lodging tax. As a result, Gulf Shores/Orange Beach has flourished, becoming one of the top year-round beach destinations in the southeastern United States. Known for his steadfast guidance, Malone led the Gulf Coast tourism industry through the devastation and recovery from Hurricane Ivan in 2004 and in 2010 during the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Malone organized the community to support a donation drive for the first responders after 9/11. Malone is responsible for many initiatives including the establishment of birding trails, byway system and the Leave Only Footprints marketing campaign. His many accolades include the Alabama Hospitality Hall of Fame, Alabama’s Tourism Promoter of the Year and Alabama’s Tourism Executive of the Year.

The Gulf Coast Exploreum Science Center is the 2021 Attraction of the Year. In the mid-1970s, individuals and organizations in Mobile began fostering a desire to improve the community through science-based educational programming. Through years of dedication and innovation, the Gulf Coast Exploreum Science Center came to fruition in 1983. Now, more than 35 years later, the Exploreum has been a cornerstone of informal learning on the Gulf Coast for residents and visitors alike. The Exploreum is a fixture on Mobile’s downtown skyline and continues to promote science learning through its programs and larger-than-life films at the newly renovated IMAX theater at its state-of-the-art facility. From exhibits about dinosaurs and the body to terrariums and Genghis Khan, the Exploreum offers hands-on and up-close ways to educate, entertain and inspire generations. Through interactive play, and scientific concept-driven approaches, science enthusiasts of all ages discover fun and excitement year-round.

“The Legacy Museum: From Enslavement to Mass Incarceration” is the 2022 Attraction of the Year. The Equal Justice Initiative’s new museum relocated to a new 50,000-square-foot facility in downtown Montgomery in October 2021 and is on the site of a former cotton warehouse along the Alabama River where it was once an epicenter for slave trade in the mid-19^th century. The new facility, almost five times larger than the old one, allows the EJI to expand the narrative and subject matter depicted in its exhibits including first-person accounts of slave narratives, civil rights and a new exhibit with soil from 800 former lynching sites around the country. There is also an expanded section on the Civil Rights Era and an expansive gallery featuring the work of world-renowned artists. The EJI, a non-profit law firm, was established in 1989 to end mass incarceration and excessive punishment in the U.S., challenge racial and economic injustice, and protect basic human rights for the most vulnerable Americans, according to its website.

Anderson Cooper, the anchor for CNN and “60 Minutes,” is recognized as the Tourism Advocate Media of the Year Award. Born in New York, the son of heiress Gloria Vanderbilt and writer Wyatt Emory Cooper, Cooper earned a B.A in political science from Yale University. He began his career as a fact-checker for “Channel One News,” a broadcast program for middle and high schools in America. During that time, he traveled to Southeast Asia and self-produced coverage of the political turmoil in Myanmar (Burma). Channel One aired these pieces and named Anderson as its chief international correspondent. He joined ABC as a reporter in 1994, eventually co-anchoring “World News Now.” In 2001, Cooper became a reporter for CNN where he later launched his own program, “Anderson Cooper 360°,” while regularly contributing to CNN’s “NewsNight.” In 2005 Cooper received national attention for his passionate reporting on the devastation to the U.S. Gulf Coast caused by Hurricane Katrina. Cooper became a regular contributor to “60 Minutes” in 2007 and in 2011 began hosting “Anderson Live.” His exceptional reporting on big news events has earned Cooper a reputation as one of television’s pre-eminent newsmen for his dedication to telling comprehensive stories.

Myk Watford is Entertainer Ambassador of the Year. Actor and musician Watford grew up in Russellville, Alabama and was very familiar with the heralded music production happening in Muscle Shoals. Most recently, Watford appeared in the Aretha Franklin biopic “Respect” as Rick Hall, legendary record producer and FAME Studios owner. His other many credits include “CSI,” “Law and Order: SVU,” “Criminal Minds,” “Breaking Bad,” “Bones,” and a variety Broadway and Off-Broadway productions including “Hank Williams: Lost Highway.” He appeared in films such as “No Country for Old Men” and “Spider-Man.” Watford lends his musical talents as the front man of Stumpwaller, a popular swamp-rockabilly band, the Johnny Cash Tribute Band, Big Cash and the Folsome 3.

The City of Wetumpka and RTR Media are the recipients of the Small Town Promotion of the Year. Across the country, viewers watched the transformation of Wetumpka as HGTV stars Ben and Erin Napier wrapped their creative arms around the community for “Home Town Take Over.” In 2020, Citizens of Wetumpka answered a national call for submissions explaining why their small town should be selected to undergo renovation as part of the HGTV network’s newest show. Home to a little more than 8,000 residents, Wetumpka was chosen from over half a million photo and video submissions highlighting over 2,600 American towns. Six residential and six business properties were remodeled during the show’s six-week stint. RTR Media is the award-winning conglomerate responsible for producing “Home Town Take Over.” The Ontario-based company produces inventive and entertaining television series and digital content for the international marketplace.

Gulf Coast Hot Air Balloon Festival is Event of the Year. It premiered in 2005 at the Foley Sports Complex in the wake of Hurricane Ivan. Baldwin County which took the brunt of the storm, was scrambling to recuperate from its impact. Tommy Rachel, operator of Taking Off Hot Air Balloon Co. in Magnolia Springs, first pitched the festival and recovery idea to his fellow aeronauts. The festival, now having completed its 17^thyear, has moved to the park at OWA and draws professional hot air balloon pilots from all over the country and nearly 100,000 visitors.

Alabama State Senator Greg Albritton is the winner of the Government Advocate Award of the Year. Senator Albritton has served Alabama’s 22^nd district since 2014. He was previously a member of the Alabama House of Representatives for district 64 from 2002 to 2006. Originally from Atmore, Alabama, Senator Albritton married Deborah Whitlock in 1974, and they have six children. He earned a degree in Business Administration from Weber State University in 1981. In 1995 he graduated from Thomas B. Goode School of Law and now manages an independent law practice. He has served the community as a municipal judge in Evergreen, an attorney for the town of Castleberry and prosecutor for Excel.

Loren Powell, Social Media Coordinator at OWA, is the Rising Star of the Year. After graduating from the University of West Florida in 2009, Powell traveled to Houston, Texas where she began her work in social media, photography, email marketing and public relations. She returned to Alabama in 2013 and has since worked with brands such as Leave Only Footprints, Alabama’s Coastal Connection, Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism, Visit Foley, Gulf Coast Hot Air Balloon Festival, Brett/Robinson, Gulf Shores Plantation, Meyer Vacation Rentals and dozens more.

Patty Kieffer is the Tourism Employee of the Year. Kieffer has been with Visit Mobile for 20 years and has served in leadership roles such as Senior National Sales Manager and Director of Leisure Sales & Events before she was promoted to Vice President of Leisure Tourism in December 2020. Throughout her tenure, Kieffer has excelled in cultivating relationships with travel agents and business development managers in the Cruise Industry, International and Domestic Group Tour Operators as well as the local attraction community.

Major General (Ret.) Janet Cobb is executive director of the U.S.S. Alabama Battleship Memorial Park and the Tourism Executive of the Year. A native of Elberta, Alabama, Cobb graduated from Foley High School in 1974. She was commissioned a Second Lieutenant, Signal Corps in May 1978 from The University of Alabama ROTC program, where she was named a Distinguished Military Graduate and was the first female officer to graduate from The University of Alabama. Major Cobb’s 42 years in the military includes leadership roles in Kuwait, the Netherlands and Washington, D.C. Her decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal (3) and various campaign and service awards. Maj. Gen. Cobb holds a J.D. from Cumberland School of Law, Samford University; an M.S.S. from the United States Army War College and a B.A. from The University of Alabama. In April 2017, Cobb was one of seven selectees for the inaugural University of Alabama ROTC Hall of Fame. She is member of the Mobile Bay Area Veterans Day Commission Board of Trustees and serves on the Veterans Initiative Advisory Council of the Community Foundation of South Alabama.

Auburn-Opelika Tourism is the Tourism Organization of the Year. The seasoned Auburn-Opelika Tourism team has a combined experience of more than 95 years. Their wealth of collective experiences supports their creative and engaging promotions of the area’s “boutique” persona with modern hospitality. The Auburn-Opelika area flourished as a college town, rooted with traditions. Over the last decade, Auburn and Opelika have each grown by more than 15%. The 2021 Milken Institute Best-Performing Cities Index named the Auburn-Opelika Metropolitan Area No. 17 Best Performing metropolitan statistical area (MSA) in the United States and No. 2 Best Performing MSA in Alabama.

Graham Roderick is the Alabama Tourism Department Employee of the Year.The Huntsville native began his career with the Alabama Tourism Department in 2016. Once a walk-on for the University of North Alabama football team, Roderick is a college athlete turned tourism professional. He brings a deep love and knowledge for telling Alabama’s story across the world as International Sales Manager for the agency. Roderick holds an Associate Degree in General Business from Southern Union Community College and B.S. in Marketing, Hospitality & Tourism from Auburn University-Montgomery.

Emily White is the Welcome Center Employee of the Year. White is a Tourist Promotion Representative with the Grand Bay Welcome Center. She has enjoyed helping guests plan their time in the state for the past nine years and is a certified Customer Service Specialist from Faulkner University. White loves sharing information about the rich history, attractions and amazing dining experiences that Alabama has to offer. She is a loving wife and a proud mother of three beautiful children: Avalyn, Chloe and Owen. When she is not at work, White volunteers at her church, teaches Bible study classes for teenagers in her community and enjoys performing music for community events.

Gulf Shores and Orange Beach Tourism’s “Worth the Wait” Campaign is the Theme Campaign of the Year. In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the tourism industry was faced with the challenge of not only welcoming travelers back to their area but to also prepare them for delays caused by longer than usual wait times at area businesses. Gulf Shores and Orange Beach Tourism answered that challenge with a strategy to meet the delays head-on. The “Worth the Wait” campaign was launched on May 17, 2021, as a local effort to provide businesses with a unified message to guests prior to and during their vacation in coastal Alabama. With staffing shortages happening nationwide, especially in the tourism industry, the coastal region wanted to help guests understand what to expect or anticipate during their visit.

The Africatown Collaborative, Alabama Historical Commission, City of Mobile, Mobile County, Savannah College of Art & Design and Visit Mobile are the recipients of the Tourism Partnership of the Year Award. In 2019, international headlines resounded with news about the identification of the hull of a wooden ship found along the Mobile River. At last, the more-than-150-year-old mystery about the fate of the Clotilda had been uncovered. The infamous ship was the last known to have brought enslaved Africans to the United States, decades after their international trafficking had been federally prohibited. The ship’s identity and announcement set off a chain of events galvanizing partnerships with a shared vision to tell the story of Africatown and the Clotilda and support the preservation work needed to carry both into the future for generations to come. As the world prepares to make the pilgrimage to Africatown, local leaders, state agencies and other entities have banded together to craft and execute plans for the revitalization of the community. Early fruits of their labor include a documentary film, the forthcoming Africatown Heritage House, and the Africatown Welcome Center, along with developing tours and experiences in Africatown.

Senator Clay Scofield is the Alabama Tourism Department Director’s Award winner. Originally from Cullman, Alabama, Senator Scofield was first elected to the Senate on Nov. 2, 2010 and was elected by his colleagues in November 2020 to serve as the Majority Leader for the Senate Republican Caucus. Senator Scofield received his Bachelor of Science in Agriculture, Business and Economics from Auburn University, and he is a third-generation farmer. In June 2021, Senator Scofield was elected chair of The Alabama Digital Expansion Authority, which is responsible for advising, reviewing, and approving a statewide broadband connectivity plan as outlined in the Connect Alabama Act of 2021.

Contact: Andi Martin, Public Relations Manager

Alabama Tourism Department

Andi.Martin@tourism.alabama.gov, 334-242-4537

Gov. Ivey’s Million Dollar Grant to Train Future Tourism Employees

(Gulf Shores, AL) Gov. Kay Ivey told the state’s tourism industry today that she is awarding $1 million to fund a certification program and prepare up to 2,000 students to join the state’s $16 billion hospitality industry. Leaders requested the funds, citing a shortage of new employees entering the workforce since the Covid pandemic began two years ago.

The governor announced that the state industry rebounded by 25 percent in 2021 over the previous year when the international travel and hospitality was staggered by the widespread transmission of the virus. Students will be able to train online through the Alabama Community College System at locations scattered across the state.

She congratulated the industry’s widespread adoption of masks and other safety protocols to stem the person-to-person spread of the virus in hotels, restaurants and other venues. More than 300 industry leaders began their annual conference at the state’s highly rated Gulf State Park in Baldwin County.

State tourism director Lee Sentell, who forwarded the industry’s funding request to the governor, thanked tourism leaders in Birmingham, Mobile and the Gulf Coast, among other areas, for sharing their goals of attracting more potential staff. Students will train within the community college system’s 24 colleges at more than 130 locations across the state. The system served more than 174,000 students, awarding more than 22,400 degrees and certifications in a recent year.

The certification programming has been in development by the Governor’s Office of Education and Workforce Transformation through the Alabama Community College System Innovation Center.

“The ACCS Innovation Center is to train Alabamians for Alabama jobs with curriculum designed by Alabama’s business and industry,” ACCS Chancellor Jimmy H. Baker said. “Our ability to deliver rapid, non-credit training for the state’s most in-demand career fields will lead to increased certifications among Alabama’s workforce and help reach Governor Ivey’s SuccessPlus attainment goal.”

“It is an honor to work with the Alabama Tourism Department to provide rapid training for the state’s tourism and hospitality industries at such a crucial time,” said Mara Harrison, Interim Director of the ACCS Innovation Center. “This online training was created alongside Alabama businesses, features Alabama businesses, and ensures that when an individual earns a credential, that person is job-ready on day one of employment.”

Sentell said, “To our knowledge, no other state is approaching workforce development by making it virtually accessible to all citizens ages 16 and older. We know tourism revenue makes an economic impact for Alabama, and that spending generates jobs in other sectors. This project has the potential to not only bring new professionals into our industry but to also create opportunities for Alabamians as a whole.”

According to the tourism department’s 2020 Economic Impact Report, the state’s tourism industry employed more than 165,000 workers last year. An economic impact analysis using a model developed by Montgomery economist Dr. Keivan Deravi said that every $119,842 in travel industry spending creates one direct job in Alabama. Some 111,482 direct jobs led to the creation of 53,747 additional, indirect jobs.

Contact: Andi Martin, Public Relations Manager

Alabama Tourism Department

Andi.Martin@tourism.alabama.gov, 334-242-4537

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2021 and 2022 Welcome Center Retreat dates and locations set

The Alabama Tourism Department proudly announces the Alabama Welcome Center Retreat Dates and Locations for 2021 and 2022.

Selma will host Oct. 24-26, 2021, and Daphne/Fairhope/Eastern Shores will host Oct. 23-25, 2022.

The Alabama Welcome Center Retreat allows the Alabama tourism industry the opportunity to showcase our communities to the devoted staff of the Alabama Welcome Centers. Each Center closes so that all employees can participate in these educational retreats.

The Tourism Partner Showcase gives the industry the venue to share what we have to offer Welcome Center visitors – thousands of travelers stopping for in-state travel advice. The retreat will give them the knowledge needed to entice their visitors to stop, see and stay a little longer in Sweet Home Alabama!

You are invited to participate, and we’ll see you there!

Please contact Patti Culp for more information or to register. patticulp.atc@gmail.com

The Official U.S. Civil Rights Trail Book Launches, Guiding Deeper Travel Experiences

New cultural travel book invites readers to share the journey of the civil rights movement

(ATLANTA, Ga.) – Churches, schools, homes and landmarks where Black Americans fought for fundamental freedoms are now the centerpiece of The Official U.S. Civil Rights Trail companion book, which was unveiled today in Atlanta at the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historic Park. Author and Alabama Tourism Director Lee Sentell joined Dr. Bernice King (CEO of The King Center and last born of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Coretta Scott King), Judy Forte (National Park Service Superintendent), Mark Jaronski (Deputy Commissioner of Explore Georgia) and other civil rights leaders and state officials to celebrate the book launch at the Martin Luther King Jr. Birth Home alongside a 1958 restored Freedom Riders Bus. us.

Designed to bring to life the stories and history of the American civil rights movement, the 128-page hardcover book showcases iconic photographs captured by former Southern Living photographer Art Meripol, now published in print for the first time. The historic photos, paired with more than 200 images of the landmarks today, underscore the transformative experience of the trail and its endured relevance.

Using the new trail companion book, travelers can immerse themselves in history while visiting more than 120 landmarks across 14 Southern states that served as battlegrounds for famous marches, activist rallies and non-violent demonstrations. The book provides a way for visitors to share the journey of the civil rights movement together and tell the story of how “what happened here changed the world,” long after their visit is over.

“While the world is still healing from recent events in the fight for racial justice, cultural tourism is more relevant than ever,” said Author and Alabama Tourism Director Lee Sentell. “Travelers are visiting the trail in record numbers to connect with the stories of courage and gain a deeper understanding of the significance of the events that took place during the movement.”

Sentell, who has served as Alabama tourism director for nearly 20 years, began organizing the trail in partnership with 14 neighboring state tourism agencies in 2007, making the trail the first of its kind. The trail has garnered regional and international acclaim since its 2018 launch.

Beginning with the training of Black Tuskegee pilots in 1941 through President Lyndon B. Johnson’s signing of the Fair Housing Act of 1968, the U.S. Civil Rights Trail follows a timeline of 36 major events, including U.S. Supreme Court decisions and Congressional actions, providing a framework for each decade of the movement. The trail extends from schools in Topeka, Kansas, known for the 1954 Brown v. Board of Education desegregation court decision, to the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his iconic 1963 “I Have a Dream” speech.

“The Civil Rights Trail is a one-of-a-kind cultural travel experience that everyone should visit to renew their perspective and gain a deeper appreciation for those who fought before us,” said Dr. Bernice King, CEO of The King Center and last born of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Coretta Scott King. “Each landmark across the trail serves as a reminder of where my father and many other brave activists fought tirelessly for our fundamental freedoms so that future generations of Black Americans could enjoy a better life.”

Travelers can draw inspiration from the legacy of Civil Rights leaders including Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Daisy Bates and John Lewis, connecting even deeper while touring their residences. They can follow the harrowing stories of 14-year-old Emmett Till, NAACP leader Medgar Evers, Birmingham Sunday School attendees, Selma voting-rights marchers and Nashville Freedom Riders while reading their stories and retracing their footsteps at sites along the trail.

The book also underscores the movement’s present-day relevance by featuring historic destinations such as the Smithsonian National African American Museum of History and Culture in Washington, D.C., alongside new memorial sites including the Legacy Museum and National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery, Alabama.

The U.S. Civil Rights Trail book was published by Alabama Media Group in partnership with the Alabama Tourism Department. Proceeds will benefit a campaign to install LED lighting to the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama. The book is available for purchase directly through Alabama Media Group and via Amazon, at the King Center and various retailers along the trail including the MLK National Historic Park bookstore in Atlanta. Travelers can also find copies of the book in select airports including Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport and Birmingham Shuttlesworth International Airport.

For more information about the book or to plan your journey on the trail, visit civilrightstrail.com.

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About The U.S. Civil Rights Trail

The U.S. Civil Rights Trail is a collection of churches, courthouses, schools, museums and other landmarks in the American South and beyond where fearless activists played pivotal roles in advancing social justice in the 1950s and 1960s. It was the movement that changed America. Get the new, official U.S. Civil Rights Trail book and take a journey through school integration, protest marches, freedom rides and sit-ins.

Explore historic sites from Topeka, Kan., to Memphis, Tenn., from Atlanta to Selma and Birmingham, Ala., all the way to Washington, D.C., and see how the places on the trail can build hope for the future. Stunning photos capture vivid moments in time that allow you to truly feel the journey toward civil justice. The accompanying historical accounts tell of the struggles of great activists and leaders such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks and John Lewis and give context to important moments in our history that ultimately led to the election of the first Black man as president and the first Black woman as vice president of the United States. For more information visit www.officialuscrtbook.com.

Contact:
Hanlon Walsh
hanlon@perituspr.com
251.510.2736

Independence Day celebrations held across Alabama

June 23, 2021

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Independence Day celebrations held across Alabama

(Montgomery, AL) Fireworks, food trucks and family fun accentuate some of the many Fourth of July events taking place across the state to commemorate our nation’s Independence Day. Citizens and visitors alike can participate in myriad celebrations from the sandy beaches of the Gulf Coast to the mountains of North Alabama. Events include Thunder on the Mountain (Birmingham), Spirit of America Festival (Decatur) and Celebration on the River (Tuscaloosa).

Fort Payne: Fort Payne Independence Day Celebration – July 1

Enjoy live music, vendors and fireworks at the Fort Payne Sports Complex from 5 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 1. Boys in the Band will provide musical entertainment beginning at 7 p.m. Fireworks begin at dark.

Learn more at: https://fortpayne.org/event/independence-day-celebration-2/

Orange Beach: Pepsi Beach Ball Drop – July 1

Freedom rings a few days early for the annual Pepsi Beach Ball Drop in sunny Orange Beach. On Thursday, July 1, be there from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. when 5,000 beach balls fall from the sky. Youngest eventgoers can enjoy a designated area for ages 5 and under for the ball drop. Choose from dozens of family friendly activities including a surf simulator, bouncy house, bubble zone, face painting and appearances by Uncle Sam, Lady Liberty and other special characters. Fireworks begin at 8:45 p.m. followed by the SPECTRA Laser Light Experience. Admission and parking are free. Camel rides and face painting are additional.

Learn more at https://alwharf.com/calendar/2021/07/AAD109835EF~Pepsi+Beach+Ball+Drop.htm

Foley: 4^th of July Celebration – July 2-4

Celebrate a long weekend and Independence Day at OWA with a day of family-friendly activities and live entertainment along with one of the area’s largest fireworks displays. The pyrotechnics can be seen throughout the property and are synchronized with a spirited patriotic soundtrack. New for 2021 is their patriotic walking parade, led by a 70-piece marching band. Other entertainment includes live music from Southern Approach and the Troy Laz Band. This is event is free and open to the public.

Learn more at: https://visitowa.com/independence/

Alex City: Russell Marine Boat Parade – July 4

Kowaliga Marina in Alex City will once again play host to their annual Fourth of July Boat Parade. Boat owners and enthusiasts can decorate their watercraft and parade from the marina to Children’s Harbor. Registered boats will compete for top honors and prizes in categories such as Largest Flag, Most Patriotic, Most Creative and Best Crew.

Learn more at: https://www.russellmarine.net/event/4th-of-july-boat-parade/

Birmingham: Thunder on the Mountain – July 4

Birmingham’s annual fireworks display booms over Red Mountain and Vulcan, the largest cast iron statue in the world. Choose your vantage point in the Mountain Brook area to see the choreographed colors sizzle across the sky while listening to a unique soundtrack. Free event.

Learn more at: https://visitvulcan.com/july-4th-fireworks/

Cullman: The Smith Lake Park Fireworks and Music Festival – July 4

From 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., it is a day full of arts and crafts, food, live music and fireworks! Play putt-putt, visit the beach area, rent kayaks, canoes or paddle boards and experience their famous golf cart parade. Entertainment includes Graham Harper, Natalie Valentine and Bob Marston, Jake Robertson Band, BB Palmer and Taylor Hunnicutt Band and Red Clay Strays. Park Admission is $5 per person. Additional costs for camping, pool, kayaks, canoes, paddle boards and putt-putt.

Learn more at: www.facebook.com/SmithLakePark

Decatur: The Spirit of America Festival – July 4

Each year, Point Mallard Park hosts one of the largest Independence Day events in the state. It offers a waterpark, summertime family competitions and games, sports tournaments, more than 100 food and beer vendors and the presentation of the Audie Murphy Patriotism Award (named after the most-decorated noncommissioned officer in WWII, who became a Western film star).

Learn more at: https://www.decaturcvb.org/events/annual/spirit-of-america-festival/

Florence: Spirit of Freedom Celebration – July 4

Celebrate Independence Day in the Shoals! Live musicians will perform throughout the day, food vendors will be onsite and activities will be available for the entire family at McFarland Park from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., culminating with one of the largest fireworks shows in the Southeast. Free event.

Learn more at: https://www.visitflorenceal.com/events/spirit-of-freedom-celebration/

Lake Martin: Fireworks and Concert – July 4

Family and friends come together on the grassy lawn at The AMP for fun and fabulous music. The Bank Walkers and Sweet Tea Trio will provide the soundtrack to the night of festivities.

Learn more at: http://www.theamponlakemartin.com/events/july-fourth.html

Madison: Fourth of July Fireworks Spectacular – July 4

The Rocket City Trash Pandas celebrate Independence Day at Toyota Field with fireworks, on-field activities, food trucks and live entertainment. Tickets are $10 per person, and children 2 and under are free.

Learn more at: https://www.facebook.com/events/1453621184976288/

Pelham: Fire on the Water – July 4

Hosted by Oak Mountain State Park in Pelham, families can watch a number of interpretive events throughout the day while enjoying food trucks, a DJ, wakeboarding and fireworks. There are lakes for swimming and fishing, playgrounds, 18-hole golf course and numerous trails for hiking, biking and horse riding. American Legion Post 555 will present the colors and National Anthem to kick off the ceremony.

Learn more at: https://www.alapark.com/events/oak-mountain-state-park/fire-water

Tuscaloosa: Celebration on the River – July 4

Tuscaloosa’s Celebration on the River features a sterling performance by Tuscaloosa Symphony Orchestra at the city’s amphitheater and a range of activities for children.

Learn more at: https://www.tuscaloosa.com/posts/2021/06/09/city-of-tuscaloosa-and-para-to-host-july-4th-celebration-on-the-river-

The Alabama Tourism Department works to inspire consumers and facilitate travel to and within Alabama while leveraging increased involvement by the private sector. An appointed board of industry advisors connects the department with tourism businesses and organizations throughout the state. Tourism is a key sector of the state’s economy, historically attracting 28 million tourists who spend $16.8 billion in leisure and hospitality sales and employing more than 200,000 full and part-time workers. The industry represents 7 percent of Alabama’s private sector employment. Leisure and hospitality also generates in excess of one billion dollars of the state’s sales tax revenues.

Contact: Andi Martin, Public Relations Manager

Alabama Tourism Department

Andi.Martin@tourism.alabama.gov, 334-242-4537

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Alabama Tourism Director Lee Sentell publishes Official U.S. Civil Rights Trail book

Remarks by Lee Sentell on the release of his book “The Official U.S. Civil Rights Trail: What happened here changed the world.” Wednesday, June 23, 2021, at The Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park, Atlanta

For Americans interested in advancing social justice, the ground shifted dramatically last week. In just a few days, both houses of Congress, the White House and most governors’ offices across this country acted in unison to establish a new government holiday that commemorates the end of slavery and celebrates Black achievement.

A day called Juneteenth doesn’t rank anywhere close to passage of the John Lewis Voting Rights Act, but it is a symbolic nod in the right direction. We should hope that discussion of this new holiday will encourage a greater awareness and discussion about the dreadful practice of involuntary bondage that began four centuries ago.

After the American Civil War, Congress passed and states ratified amendments to the Constitution that granted citizenship to former slaves, promised them equal protection of the law, and granted them the right to vote. These people and their descendants struggled in vain for the next century to achieve the rights clearly promised them by the Constitution.

Increasingly emboldened descendants of these slaves risked their lives 60 years ago during the period known as the Civil Rights Movement and slowly turned the tide of history. Court decisions and Congress delivered many of the freedoms that Blacks had been denied that Whites have always taken for granted.

In the last few years, tourism directors in a dozen states selected about 120 landmarks for inclusion on a civil rights trail. Today, the schools, courthouses and homes where the conflicts occurred are sacred ground that Americans and international citizens are discovering. Luckie Advertising created a comprehensive website. Hopefully, this book that Miles Wright designed around Art Meripol’s photographs will inspire more visitors to discover that what happened in these places truly changed the world.

The book begins with a timeline of 35 major legal events starting when when Black pilots trained at Tuskegee early in World War II, and President Truman integrated the military. This was followed by two decades of numerous civil rights demonstrations and protests and court decisions across 15 states and the District of Columbia.

There are chapters of the 14 cities that currently have the most substantial civil rights destinations. The book ends in Memphis and Atlanta with the passing of Dr. King. Going forward, the 15^th city will be Charleston, S.C., where the International African American Museum is under construction.

Beyond touring important landmarks, visitors have the opportunity to discover the stories of lesser known boys and girls, men and women whose courage propelled them into history. Barbara Johns in Virginia, Daisy Lee Bates in Little Rock, Franklin McCain in Greensboro, Diane Nash in Nashville, Homer Plessy in New Orleans, James Earl Chaney of Meridian, and A.Z. Young and Robert Hicks of Bogalusa, among others.

This book is designed to encourage travel to these historic sites. Atlanta journalist Shelia Poole asked me a fair question the other day: Is anybody coming? The answer is Yes, the world is already coming to tour the sacred ground of civil rights sites across the South.

When the southern state tourism directors launched the U.S. Civil Rights Trail in 2018, I told The New York Times that we projected five million people would spend $725 million visiting these destinations that year. Based on surveys, we think we were in the ballpark.

The Smithsonian’s African American history museum attracts two million visitors in a normal year. The Equal Justice Initiative’s lynching memorial in Montgomery hosted 500,000 people its second year.

Groups are returning this year. The New York Times and the Smithsonian Institute are sponsoring their first group tour arrivals a week apart in October for seven-day stays.

Trafalgar Travel, one of Europe’s largest group tour companies, is advertising multiple trips next year. Its tour will arrive in Memphis and travel across Mississippi and Alabama before concluding here in Atlanta.

The most ambitious trip on the books for next year so far, Wild Frontiers Travel based in London is marketing a 13-day “Journey Through America’s Deep South” itinerary. It begins with two days in Charleston, then travels to Savannah, Americus, Plains, Auburn, Tuskegee, Montgomery, Selma, Jackson, Natchez, and ending with three nights in New Orleans.

In 2023, the 55^th anniversary of Dr. King’s passing, it is likely the Martin Luther King Jr. National Historical Park and the King Center will welcome north of a million visitors. The National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis will likely host more than a half million visitors that anniversary year.

In closing, Thank you Superintendent Judy Forte for allowing us to be here today, and to Dr. Bernice King, thank for your wisdom and continued leadership. To you all, I hope you enjoy the book.

Alabama Tourism Department launches The Most Relaxing Trip Ever contest to help travelers get over the COVID-19 pandemic

Highlights:

Tell us why you deserve to win The Most Relaxing Trip Ever in an essay, photos and video.
The Alabama Tourism Department will accept entries from June 6-Aug. 1.
The winner will receive a trip to The Lodge at Gulf State Park, a Hilton hotel.
While the winner is away, they will receive housekeeping, lawn care services and a stocked pantry.

Montgomery, AL (June 8, 2021) — The Alabama Tourism Department today announced The Most Relaxing Trip Ever contest to enter to win a vacation to Gulf Shores & Orange Beach, Alabama. The grand-prize winner will get to experience a Southern beach retreat that inspires relaxation and an opportunity to take in all the beauty the Gulf Coast has to offer.

One winner will receive a 4-day/3-night stay at The Lodge at Gulf State Park, a Hilton hotel, where visitors can enjoy the park’s unique amenities and a stunning view of Alabama’s pristine coastline. Go bike riding through wetlands to discover the eco-diversity of the Gulf State Park and relax on the beach with complimentary beach chairs and umbrellas. The prize package includes one hour of professional instruction from the Sandcastle University to learn how to build world-class sandcastles and enjoy a sunset cruise, compliments of Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism. The winner will receive incidental allowances, some on-site meals at the resort restaurants, amenities, and a travel allowance that can be applied to airfare or other transportation.

“This contest is a terrific opportunity for one family to fulfill a desire to travel while experiencing the most fun Alabama’s beaches have to offer – all for free,” said Lee Sentell, director of the Alabama Tourism Department.

While the winner experiences the most relaxing trip ever, things back home will be managed by a group of professional service contractors who will come in for housekeeping, lawn care service and grocery shopping.

To enter, submit a 250-word essay to the Alabama Tourism Department on why you deserve The Most Relaxing Trip Ever. A complete list of contest rules, regulations, eligibility and submissions can be found and made at Alabama.Travel/Relax. Photos and video submissions are optional with applications.

Entries for The Most Relaxing Trip Ever contest will be accepted from June 6 through Aug. 1. Winners must agree to the official rules and be a resident of an eligible state.

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The Alabama Tourism Department has won honors from World Travel Market: London, United States Travel Association, National Council of State Tourism Directors, Travel Weekly magazine, the Southeast Tourism Society, Southern Public Relations Federation and others for its tourism marketing campaigns. Last year was an extraordinary year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and despite these circumstances, the state of Alabama thrived as a popular destination for travelers in 2020. More than $800 million in state and local tax revenues was generated by travel and tourism activities. For more information, please visit: Alabama.Travel.

MEDIA CONTACT

Kara Kennedy | kara.kennedy@intermarkgroup.com | 205.370.1677

Memorial Day events, festivals return to Alabama

May 20, 2021

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Memorial Day events, festivals return to Alabama

(Montgomery, AL) Although the pandemic is not over, festivals and events are starting to make their way back across Alabama, bringing entertainment and family fun to Memorial Day weekend and the first weekend of June. Celebrations include the Jubilee Hot Air Balloon Classic (Decatur), LuLuPalooza music event (Gulf Shores), fireworks and entertainment at OWA (Foley) and a special Memorial Day tribute at American Village (Montevallo).

Rocket City Trash Pandas v. Birmingham Barons, Huntsville – May 25-30

What’s Memorial Day without America’s favorite pastime? In their inaugural season, the Rocket City Trash Pandas are hosting the Birmingham Barons for a six-day home series. The Trash Pandas begin their Memorial Day celebrations with a salute to the military on Thursday, May 27.

For game times, tickets and promotions, visit https://www.milb.com/rocket-city.

20th Annual Coalfest, Brilliant – May 28-29

Named in honor of the town’s mining origins, Brilliant’s Coalfest offers live bands, food, arts and crafts, children’s attractions and a motorcycle ride. Performers include Paul Thornton, River Dan Band, the Kerry Gilbert Band, Jordan Denton Band, Handshake Promise and Lloyd Moses. The Coalfest Car Show is welcoming registrants with $20 for the first vehicle and $10 for the second. All proceeds from the car show will benefit the Brilliant School System.

For more information, call 205-465-2281.

Russell Crossroads RXR Fest, Alexander City – May 28- 29

Located three miles north of Lake Martin’s Kowaliga Bridge on Highway 63, the small “commercial town” of Russell Crossroads hosts RXR Fest each Memorial Day. This year’s lineup includes the Bank Walkers, the Big Stitch, Adam Hood and Carolina Story. Festivities take place from 6:30 to 9:30 both evenings.

For more information, visit https://www.russelllands.com/blog/events/.

Alabama Jubilee Hot Air Balloon Classic, Decatur – May 29-30

For more than 44 years, the Jubilee Hot-Air Balloon classic has been one of the must-see events each Memorial Day weekend. Set at Point Mallard Park, the event features hot air balloons, live music, a balloon glow, antique cars and tractors, motorcycles, arts and crafts, fireworks and other family fun with activities on the ground and in the air. Admission to the Alabama Jubilee is free.

For more information and a schedule of events, please visit www.alabamajubilee.net.

Memorial Day Weekend Celebration, Foley – May 29-30

OWA has announced a full weekend of events, activities and entertainment throughout Memorial Day weekend. A patriotic fireworks show will light up the sky at 8:45 p.m. on Saturday, May 29. Arrive early and spend the day at OWA, the entertainment destination of Coastal Alabama. Purchase a Day Pass to the amusement park for family-friendly thrills. Non-Rider entry to The Park is always free for those that wish to not participate in the attractions. The Memorial Day event is free to attend, and all activities are complimentary for guests.

Learn more about events, entertainment and purchase tickets at https://visitowa.com/.

Lucy Buffett’s LuLuPalooza Summer Kick Off, Gulf Shores – May 29

LuluPalooza is back for Memorial Day weekend. This festive waterfront hangout offers casual eats and drinks, plus beach activities & nightly live music. The Summer Kick Off event features bands Highway, Redfield and Flow Tribe. Revel in family fun with live music, food and fun at the beach. Music begins at noon on Saturday.

Learn more at https://lulubuffett.com/gulf-shores/lulupalooza-may-29-2021/.

Smith Lake Park Memorial Day Festival, Cullman – May 29

Memorial Day festivities at Smith Lake Park in Cullman includes arts and crafts, putt-putt golf, food vendors and live music. Entertainment begins at 9:30 a.m. with George Scherer, followed by Zach Austin and Kaydee Mulvehill. Make it a full weekend of celebration and bring your tent to camp at the park or enjoy the park’s beach area. It’s also opening day at the Smith Lake Park swimming pool, where you can swim, or rent kayaks, canoes or paddle boards. Admission to the park is free. Putt-putt golf, pool access and rentals are additional fees.

Learn more at http://www.cullmancountyparks.com/

Memorial Day at the American Village, Montevallo – May 31

American Village remembers the fallen and salutes veterans and those currently serving our nation in the Armed Forces. Services in the Chapel are scheduled for 10:30 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. The day’s events include musical tributes, historical reenactments and wreath laying ceremonies. Experience the National Veterans Shrine and Register of Honor and learn how you can pay tribute to the veterans in your family. Admission is free.

Learn more about American Village at www.americanvillage.org.

Montgomery Biscuits v. Biloxi Shuckers, Montgomery – June 1-6

The Montgomery Biscuits return to Riverwalk Stadium to take on the Biloxi Shuckers from June 1-6. On Saturday night, June 5, hear your favorite ’90s music and see your favorite clips between innings while enjoying food and drink options inspired by the 1990s. Stay post-game for a fireworks display.

For game times, tickets and promotions, visit https://www.milb.com/montgomery.

Rocket City Trash Pandas v. Chattanooga Lookouts, Huntsville – June 1-6

Beginning June 1, the Trash Pandas are back in action when they welcome the Chattanooa Lookouts to Toyota Field in Huntsville. On Friday, June 4, enjoy the brilliant lights and vibrant colors of the fireworks spectacular.

For game times, tickets and promotions, visit https://www.milb.com/rocket-city.

42^nd Annual Hank Williams Festival, Georgiana – June 4-5

Alabama country music legend Hank Williams lived in Georgiana as a young boy where his childhood home is preserved as a house museum. Each year, the museum and town pay tribute to Williams’ legacy with a festival showcasing live music acts, arts, crafts and food vendors. T.G. Sheppard will headline Friday’s festivities, and Mark Wills will be the main feature on Saturday.

Visit http://www.hankwilliamsfestival.com/ to learn more.

North Alabama African Heritage Festival, Tuscumbia – June 4-5

Explore African art and fashion, culture, crafts and food. Events include drumming and dance demonstrations, live music featuring rhythm and blues groups and gospel choirs, folk storytelling and activities for children. Now in its 20^th year, the North Alabama African American Heritage Festival takes place at the Willie Green Recreation Park in Tuscumbia. The festival begins at 5 p.m. on Friday with “Music on the Lawn.” Weekend entertainment includes the Come Up Band, 4BE and gospel musicians Donna Carroll, Rev. Chris Neloms, and Rev. Shaine Rainer and Family Affair. The Uhuru African Dancers, Exodus Reggae Band and Midnighters Band round out the lineup on Saturday. In addition to performances, attendees can expect vendors with traditional and cultural food and clothing and children’s games. Admission is free.

For more information call 256-335-2911.

The Alabama Tourism Department works to inspire consumers and facilitate travel to and within Alabama while leveraging increased involvement by the private sector. An appointed board of industry advisors connects the department with tourism businesses and organizations throughout the state. Tourism is a key sector of the state’s economy, historically attracting 28 million tourists who spend $16.8 billion in leisure and hospitality sales and employing more than 200,000 full and part-time workers. The industry represents 7 percent of Alabama’s private sector employment. Leisure and hospitality also generates in excess of one billion dollars of the state’s sales tax revenues.

Contact: Andi Martin, Public Relations Manager

Alabama Tourism Department

Andi.Martin@tourism.alabama.gov, 334-242-4537

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Gulf Shores & Orange Beach earn top spot of Most Visited Tourism Attractions in 2020

May 18, 2021

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Gulf Shores & Orange Beach earn top spot of Most Visited Tourism Attractions in 2020

(Montgomery, AL) Gulf Shores & Orange Beach claimed top spot of Most Visited Tourism Attraction in 2020. According to state officials, 6.1 million people visited Alabama’s coastal destination.

Little River Canyon National Preserve logged 802,374 visitors while Oak Mountain State Park reported 800,268 guests, rounding out the top three Parks and Natural destinations.

The Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail claimed the number one spot on the list of paid attractions with 441,000. Coming in second on attractions that charge admission was the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville with 302,796 visitors, followed by the Birmingham Zoo in third with 262,1111. Huntsville Botanical Gardens was fourth with 221,279 visitors, followed by Noccalula Falls at fifth with an estimated 200,000 and the U.S.S. Alabama battleship at sixth with 188,652. Filling out the Top 10 were Bellingrath Gardens and Home at 119,932, National Memorial for Peace and Justice with approximately 100,000, Huntsville Museum of Art with 89,649 and Point Mallard Park with 87,693.

Birmingham’s Railroad Park held the top spot of free attractions with 561,536 visitors, followed by the Land Trust of North Alabama with 309,579 tourists and Hoover’s Aldridge Gardens with more than 114,000 guests.

Prior to the onset of the pandemic, more than an estimated 1.2 million people attended Mobile’s Mardi Gras making it the most popular event in 2020.

The tourism department’s 2020 “Year of” campaign centered on Alabama’s Natural Wonders, highlighting some of the unique characteristics of the state landscape including gulf beaches, Mount Cheaha and Cathedral Caverns. Visitors experienced each of these points of interest in one of Alabama’s State Parks where they are protected public lands.

“We know our parks offer some of the most beautiful natural scenery anywhere in the world,” said State Parks director Greg Lein. “We’re also proud that our parks offer activities and attractions that promote safe recreation while social distancing. That’s a unique blend that explains why so many people visited the parks in 2020, and we hope it continues in 2021 and beyond.”

The Alabama Tourism Department also released attendance figures for other categories. Attendance figures were collected from local tourism organizations.

Top 10 Admission Charged Attractions 2020

Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail

1-800-949-4444

2020 attendance: 504,000

2019 attendance: 577,338

U.S. Space & Rocket Center

Huntsville

256-837-3400

2020 attendance: 302,796

2019 attendance: 1,050,958

The Birmingham Zoo

Birmingham

205-879-0409

2020 attendance: 262,111

2019 attendance: 577,338

Huntsville Botanical Garden

Huntsville

256-830-4447

2020 attendance: 221,279

2019 attendance: 376,526

Noccalula Falls Park

Gadsden

256-549-4663

2020 attendance: 200,000

2019 attendance: 180,000

USS ALABAMA Battleship Memorial Park

Mobile

251-433-2703

2020 attendance: 188,652

2019 attendance: 451,601

Bellingrath Gardens and Home

Theodore

877-462-3342

2020 attendance: 119,932

2019 attendance: 102,759

National Memorial for Peace and Justice

Montgomery

334-386-9100

2020 attendance: 100,000

2019 attendance: 500,000

Huntsville Museum of Art

Huntsville

256-535-4350

2020 attendance: 89,649

2019 attendance: 104,691

Point Mallard Park

Decatur

256-341-4900

2020 attendance: 87,693

2019 attendance: 258,185

Top 10 – Free Attractions 2020

Railroad Park

Birmingham

205-521-9933

2020 attendance: 561,536

2019 attendance: 514,721

Land Trust of North Alabama

Huntsville

256-534-5263

2020 attendance: 390,579

2019 attendance: 0

Aldridge Gardens

Birmingham

205-682-8019

2020 attendance: 114, 528

2019 attendance: 81,021

Tuscaloosa Farmers’ Market at the River Market

Tuscaloosa

205-248-5259

2020 attendance: 68,859

2019 attendance: 96,545

5 Rivers Delta Resource Center

Spanish Fort

251-625-0814

2020 attendance: 45,000

2019 attendance: 68,000

Market at Pepper Place

Birmingham

205-490-3176

2020 attendance: 42,000

2019 attendance: 250,000

Alabama State Capitol

Montgomery

334-242-3188

2020 attendance: 35,952

2019 attendance: 152,994

U.S. Army Aviation Museum

Ft. Rucker

334-598-2508

2020 attendance: 34,156

2019 attendance: 100,000

Montgomery Museum of Fine Arts

Montgomery

334-625-4333

2020 attendance: 27,318

2019 attendance: 95,546

Gadsden Museum of Art

Gadsden

256-546-7365

2020 attendance: 20, 973

2019 attendance: 37,000

Top 10 – Events 2020

Mobile Mardi Gras

Mobile

251-208-2000

2020 attendance: 1,028,614

2019 attendance: 1,011,356

Trail of Tears Commemorative Motorcycle Ride

Madison

256-527-9001

2020 attendance: 65,000

2019 attendance: 45,000

32^nd Annual Jubilee Festival

Fairhope

251-928-6387

2020 attendance: 12,000

2019 attendance: 15,000

4^th of July Fireworks

Prattville

334-595-0851

2020 attendance: 10,000

2019 attendance: 7,000

Alabama Cotton Festival

Eclectic

334-541-3581

2020 attendance: 10,000

2019 attendance: 12,000

Orange Beach Festival of Art

Orange Beach

251-981-2787

2020 attendance: 8,000

2019 attendance: 12,000

Mardi Gras Parade and Celebration

Prattville

334-595-0851

2020 attendance: 6,000

2019 attendance: 6,000

Christmas on the River

Demopolis

334-289-0270

2020 attendance: 5,000

2019 attendance: 15,000

Harvest Festival

Headland

334-696-3303

2020 attendance: 5,000

2019 attendance: 8,000

St. Elias Lebanese Food and Cultural Festival

Birmingham

205-251-5057

2020 attendance: 5,000

2019 attendance: 8,500

Top 10 – Parks and Natural Destinations 2020

Gulf Shores & Orange Beach

2020 attendance 6,113,934

2019 attendance 6,296,533

Little River Canyon National Preserve

Fort Payne

256-845-9605

2020 attendance: 802,374

2019 attendance: 649,985

Oak Mountain State Park

Birmingham

205-620-2520

2020 attendance: 800,268

2019 attendance: 422,487

Wind Creek State Park

Alexander City

256-329-0845

2020 attendance: 319,000

2019 attendance: 255,000

DeSoto State Park

Fort Payne

256-845-5380

2020 attendance: 289,000

2019 attendance: 184,000

Monte Sano State Park

Huntsville, AL

256-534-6589

2020 attendance: 276,000

2019 attendance: 209,000

Lake Guntersville State Park

Guntersville, AL

256-571-5444

2020 attendance: 258,489

2019 attendance: 277,719

Cheaha State Park

Delta, AL

256-488-5111

2020 attendance: 245,000

2019 attendance: 210,000

J.D. & Annie S. Hays Nature Preserve

Huntsville

256-564-8077

2020 attendance: 211,700

2019 attendance: 200,000

Lakepoint State Park

Eufaula, AL

2020 attendance: 182,747

2019 attendance: 198,943

The Alabama Tourism Department works to inspire consumers and facilitate travel to and within Alabama while leveraging increased involvement by the private sector. An appointed board of industry advisors connects the department with tourism businesses and organizations throughout the state. Tourism is a key sector of the state’s economy, historically attracting 28 million tourists who spend $16.8 billion in leisure and hospitality sales and employing more than 200,000 full and part-time workers. The industry represents 7 percent of Alabama’s private sector employment. Leisure and hospitality also generates in excess of one billion dollars of the state’s sales tax revenues.

Contact: Andi Martin, Public Relations Manager

Alabama Tourism Department

Andi.Martin@tourism.alabama.gov, 334-242-4537

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Alabama Tourism Department’s new podcast about the Civil Rights Trail allows the listener to take a deeper dive into events that shaped a nation

Highlights:

Alabama Civil Rights Trail Podcast has 3 episodes,
First episode is an in-depth look at the Freedom Riders,
Second episode dives deeper into Birmingham’s role in the Civil Rights Movement,
Third episode examines the Voting Rights Act and the Selma to Montgomery March,
Podcast is available on Apple, Spotify, iHeartRadio or wherever you listen to podcasts.

Montgomery, Alabama (May 13, 2021) — Most American history books only scratch the surface when it comes to telling stories about the Civil Rights Movement, and consequently many of those stories are not that well-known. To help bring a behind-the-scenes look at how the Civil Rights Movement shaped a nation, the Alabama Tourism Department is launching the Alabama Civil Rights Trail podcast, a three-part podcast series that takes an in-depth look into stories of the Civil Rights Movement.

“Our new Alabama Civil Rights Trail podcast series will bring the state’s role in the Civil Rights Movement to life for listeners,” said Lee Sentell, director of the Alabama Tourism Department. “Our goal is for listeners to learn more about the history of the movement and how Alabama played a critical role in shaping voting rights and equality for everyone.”

The first episode provides an in-depth look into who the Freedom Riders were and their mission to ride across the Deep South. Episode two dives deeper into the bombings and other terrorizing activities that took place in Birmingham during the late 1950s through the mid-1960s. Although many of the events that happened in Birmingham were designed to suppress the Civil Rights Movement, these events instead motivated supporters in the state and around the world to join the fight for civil rights. The third episode covers attempted voting rights marches from Selma to Montgomery, which radically influenced the passage of the Voting Rights Act, and discusses how events that happened more than 50 years ago still play a role in the fight for equality today.

The groundwork for the Freedom Riders began after the landmark Supreme Court rulings in the cases of Morgan v. Virginia (1946) and Boynton v. Virginia (1960). In 1944, Irene Morgan was arrested in Virginia for refusing to move to the “colored section” of the Greyhound Bus she was riding on her trip back to Baltimore after visiting her mother. The Supreme Court ruled 7-1 that segregation on interstate buses was an unconstitutional burden on interstate commerce. That ruling was largely ignored by states in the South. In 1959, Selma-native and Harvard Law student, Bruce Boynton was arrested for attempting to order a cheeseburger in the “whites only” section of a Richmond bus station. Rather than pay his fine, Boynton took his case to the Supreme Court, leading to the regulation of interstate commerce and prohibiting racial discrimination in bus terminals.

In 1961, activists who called themselves “Freedom Riders” decided to test the Boynton ruling by boarding buses in Washington D.C. on May 4, 1961, bound for New Orleans, LA, for the seventh anniversary of the Brown vs. Board of Education ruling. The Ride that began with a group of 13 diverse individuals grew to a movement of more than 430 riders between May and November of 1961. The episode reveals how an integrated group of Freedom Riders tested the Supreme Court’s decision by challenging the segregated transportation practices across the South.

Many historians and professors were interviewed for the first episode, providing insights to the scope and impact of the Freedom Rides campaign on the overall Civil Rights Movement.

“(The Freedom Rides) was actually a transformative moment in civil rights history,” said Dorothy Walker, director of the Freedom Rides Museum. “This was the psychological turning point in the entire struggle.” The museum, located in Montgomery’s historic Greyhound Bus station, is where Freedom Riders, including John Lewis, were violently attacked on May 20, 1961.

Ed Bridges, director emeritus of the Alabama Department of Archives and History, provides a geopolitical view of the events that occurred between President John F. Kennedy and Alabama Governor John Patterson and the actions that eventually led to the federal government’s involvement in the Civil Rights Movement.

The first episode of the Alabama Civil Rights Trail podcast powerfully builds context for the succeeding episodes where listeners can examine the stories behind Birmingham’s role in shaping the Civil Rights Movement and the events that led to the Selma to Montgomery march for voting rights. Each episode reveals compelling and moving history lessons that can be applied to events happening in today’s world.

At the end of each episode, listeners are encouraged to visit the Alabama Tourism Department’s website where they can learn more about Alabama’s civil rights legacy and plan their own civil rights journey with the help of the Alabama Civil Rights Trail mobile app – available now for free download in app stores.

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The Alabama Tourism Department has won honors from World Travel Market: London, United States Travel Association, National Council of State Tourism Directors, Travel Weekly magazine, the Southeast Tourism Society, Southern Public Relations Federation and others for its tourism marketing campaigns, and Alabama Tourism was instrumental in developing the U. S. Civil Rights Trail. Last year was an extraordinary year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and despite these circumstances, the state of Alabama thrived as a popular destination for travelers in 2020. More than $800 million in state and local tax revenues were generated by travel and tourism activities.

For more information, please visit: Alabama.Travel/CivilRights

MEDIA CONTACT

Kara Kennedy | kara.kennedy@intermarkgroup.com | 205.370.1677

Alabama’s travel industry survived pandemic better than 45 other states

For Immediate Release

April 22, 2021

Alabama’s travel industry survived pandemic better than 45 other states

(Montgomery, AL) Robust spending by tourists at Alabama beaches in 2020 allowed the state to rank in the top five in the nation for the smallest percentage drop in travel expenditures during the international pandemic, Alabama Tourism Department board chair Judy Ryals of Huntsville says.

The amount of tourism dollars spent in Alabama dropped 20 percent compared to the previous year, versus a nationwide average drop of 42 percent, according to Travel Economics. Expenditures in Baldwin County, home to most of Alabama’s beach accommodations, slipped only 6 percent.

“Baldwin County’s success is all the more remarkable when you factor in that the beaches were closed for six weeks in the spring and one week due to a hurricane in the fall,” Ryals said. She credited the decision by Gov. Kay Ivey to reopen the beaches last May 1 in mitigating the losses.

Overall, visitors to Alabama spent $13.3 billion for food, accommodations, travel, shopping and incidentals, according to the Alabama Tourism Department. Guests paid more than $890 million dollars in taxes to state and local governments. Those taxes saved the average state family an estimated $427 a year in taxes for services, officials said.

Alabama has experienced the largest growth in travel search activity since 2019, rising 24 spots to number 6 nationwide, according to a recent Google study by Trips to Discover.

For more information about the Alabama Tourism Department, or to view the economic impact report, please visit www.tourism.alabama.gov.

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

Contact: Andi Martin, Public Relations Manager

Alabama Tourism Department

Andi.Martin@tourism.alabama.gov, 334-242-4537

Photos: https://alabamatourism.getbynder.com/share/44E3B351-92E1-4A40-AF4492AF129C0D68/

Alabama Saturday Walking Tours return in April

Montgomery, Ala (March 16, 2021) More than 20 Alabama towns will host walking tours on Saturday mornings in April as part of the Alabama Tourism Department April Walking Tours program. The free walking tours are scheduled at 10 a.m. and will be held on April 3, 10, 17 and 24, said tour coordinator Pam Smith. Tours were canceled last spring because of the virus pandemic.

The outdoor setting of the walking tours will allow the public to join in these events while following COVID-19 precautions, including social distancing, Smith said.

Communities participating in the 2021 Walking Tours include:

Athens-Limestone (starting from the Athens Limestone Visitors Center, contact: Teresa Todd 256-777-7836);

Attalla (starting from the Gazebo at 4th St. and 5th Ave., contact: Debby Carden 256-538-1872);

Bayou Le Batre (starting from Mariner’s Park, contact: Beth Fox 251-709-7687);

Birmingham (starting from the Fred Shuttlesworth statue at Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, contact: Gina Mallisham 866-328-9696, ext 211);

Cullman (starting from Cullman County Museum, contact: Drew Green 256-739-1258);

Decatur is offering a virtual tour option for 2021. Pre-recorded tours will be posted at 10 a.m. each Saturday morning on the city’s website: www.decaturcvb.org.

Elba (starting from the Elba Chamber of Commerce, contact: Sandy Bynum 334-879-3125);

Elkmont (starting from the Elkmont Depot, contact: Richard Martin 256-732-3379);

Enterprise (starting from Pea River Historical Society, contact: Tammy Doerer 334-389-1554);

Fairhope (starting from the Fairhope Welcome Center, contact: Gabriel Gold-Vukson 251-929-1474);

Florence (starting from various locations, contact: Alison Stanfield 256-740-4141);

Foley (starting from the Foley Welcome Center, contact: LaDonna Hinesley 251-943-1200);

Mobile (starting from the Welcome Center at The History Museum of Mobile, contact: Patty Kiefer 251-208-2012);

Monroeville (starting from Monroe County Museum, contact: Penelope Hines 251-743-2879);

Montgomery (starting from Court Square Winter Building, contact: Marion Winn 334-261-1107);

Mooresville (starting from the Mooresville Post Office, contact: Nikki Sprader 256-445-2590);

Moulton (starting from Lawrence County Archives, contact: Loretta Gillespie 256-476-1166);

Pell City (starting from Pell City City Hall, contact: Urainah Glidewell 205-338-3377);

Prattville (starting from Prattaugan Museum, contact: Barbara Gaston 334-361-0961);

Selma (starting from Selma-Dallas County Public Library, contact: Sheryl Smedley 334-875-7241);

Sheffield (starting from Sheffield City Hall, contact: Jimmy Austin 256-627-2953);

Springville (starting from Springville Museum, contact: Carol Waid 205-837-2586

and Tuscumbia (starting from Coldwater Bookstore, contact: Susann Hamlin 256-383-0783).

In 2019, 30 communities across the state hosted tours, with more than 2,300 people taking part. Alabama is the only state in the nation to hold statewide, simultaneous walking tours. The state walking tours are being coordinated through the Alabama Tourism Department. More than 38,000 individuals have participated in the walking tours since the beginning of the program 18 years ago.

Another walking tour taking place in April is a “Civil War Walking Tour” at Old Cahawba Archaeological Park in Orrville. The event is scheduled for April 3, 2021 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. This guided tour will immerse visitors in the history of Castle Morgan, the Prisoner of War camp at Old Cahawba, and explore the plight of these soldiers as well as the hardships endured by the town’s residents during wartime. Tickets are $8 for this event and are available via pre-sale at the Old Cahawba Visitors’ Center by calling 334-872-8058.

For more information about the April Walking Tours, or Alabama Tourism Department, please visit www.Alabama.Travel.

Media Contact:

Andi Martin, Public Relations Manager, Alabama Tourism Department

Andi.Martin@tourism.alabama.gov, 334-242-4537

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Alabama Tourism Department Launches New and Improved Civil Rights Trail App

The Free App Allows Users to Discover Alabama’s Role in the Civil Rights Movement

MONTGOMERY (February 5, 2021) – The Alabama Civil Rights Trail mobile app has been completely redesigned and provides a better user experience for all to explore the history of Alabama’s role in the Civil Rights Movement. Originally released in 2014, the updated app allows for exploration of key Civil Rights landmarks, museums, trails, and public spaces to assist those planning a visit across the state or anyone wishing to learn more from afar.

The first day of Black History Month was an appropriate date to roll out the new app. Many will look to explore significant events of the Civil Rights Movement, such as the Freedom Rides throughout Alabama, commemorating 60 years this May.

Users who share their location can easily learn more about destinations close by to visit and explore more about civil rights history. Additionally, bookmarking favorite destinations, media and people offers the ability to dive in again right where a user’s exploration last ended. Operating on the latest systems for iOS and Android, this update allows for downloads to newer devices.

The apps’ media library sets the scene with sights and sounds to watch and listen to the Movement’s events while an interactive timeline enables users to explore the events that transformed the nation and spurred all in the fight for racial equality.

Alabama Tourism Department Director Lee Sentell shared, “Restructuring the Civil Rights Trail app to provide a more cohesive story of the role our state played in the Civil Rights Movement allows visitors the chance to explore the monumental events that shaped our nation’s history and continue to shape its future. I invite all travelers to utilize the app and its many features to further explore the many places in our state that exhibit the travails and more importantly the triumphs of the Civil Rights Movement.”

The free app is available for download in the App Store and Google Play Store. Please visit https://alabama.travel/apps/civil-rights-trail-app for more information.

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The Alabama Tourism Department has won honors from World Travel Market: London, United States Travel Association, National Council of State Tourism Directors, Travel Weekly magazine, the Southeast Tourism Society, Southern Public Relations Federation and others for its tourism marketing campaigns, and Alabama Tourism was instrumental in developing the U. S. Civil Rights Trail. 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.

Tourism Industry Glossary

GLOSSARY OF INDUSTRY TERMS

AAA – Formerly the American Automobile Association – Network of travel agencies that specialize in tour planning. Based in Orlando.

ABA – American Bus Association. Bus owners’ membership organization.

Affinity groups – Groups sharing a common interest. Pre-formed group.

Airbnb– online marketplace and hospitality service, enabling people to lease or rent short-term lodging including vacation rentals, apartment rentals, homestays, hostel beds, or hotel rooms. The company does not own any lodging; it is merely a broker and receives percentage service fees (commissions) from both guests and hosts in conjunction with every booking.

Airline fares: Broad categories are:

~APEX – Advance Purchase Excursion, a heavily discounted excursion fare available on many international routes.

~Excursion – Individual fares that usually require that round-trip travel be completed within specific time limits.

~Group – Discounts from regular fares for groups of varying sizes.

~Tour-Basing – Individual fares that are heavily and variously conditioned, available only on specified routes.

All expense tour – A tour offering all or most services (transportation, lodging, meals, porterage, sightseeing) for a pre-established price. Might not include some airport taxes.

Amenities – Hotel term which covers shampoo, soap, etc. Anything beyond the room and linens.

Amenity package – A cluster of special features, such as free shore excursions, bar or boutique, or wine at dinner, usually offered as a bonus or feature to induce clients to book through a travel agency.

American Bus Association– a trade association for motorcoach operators and tour companies in the United States and Canada. Its membership consists of about 1,000 companies that operate buses or bus-based tours, about 2,800 organizations representing the travel and tourism industry, and several hundred suppliers of buses and related products and services. Its headquarters is in Washington, D.C.^[1][

American Plan – A type of rate that includes the price of the room, breakfast, luncheon, and dinner. Commonly abbreviated as AP.

ARC – Airline Reporting Corporation – The agency which clears all airline ticket purchases, acts as the liaison between travel agents and the airline whose tickets are being sold. The term stock refers to the computer forms which are blanks, like checks. Loss of stock can result in the travel agency losing its plate, the metal imprint of the agency’s name used in validating a ticket.

ASAE—American Society of Association Executives, 1575 “I” Street, Washington, DC 20005-1168, 202-626-ASAE.

ASTA–Acronym for the American Society of Travel Advisors. A private membership trade association designed to help members operate profitably and uphold the integrity of the travel industry. 1101 King Street, Alexandria, VA 22314, 703-739-ASTA

Attendance Building—Marketing and promotional programs designed to increase attendance at conventions, tradeshows, meetings, and events.

Attraction: Any visitor service or product that tourists would enjoy visiting or using. An attraction may not be an “attractor” but can still be an attraction. To be considered an attraction, a product must be a. Findable (clearly located on maps and street addresses, and directions provided). If tourists can’t find the facility, it is not a tourist attraction.

Average room rate – The total guest room revenue for a given period-occupied room. Since it can be related to investment, this statistic is frequently used as a measure of economic feasibility.

Back To Back–A program of multiple air charters between two or more points with arrivals and departures coordinated to eliminate aircraft deadheading and waiting; that is, when one group is delivered at a destination, another is ready to depart from that point.

Bed and breakfast – B&B – Overnight accommodations in a private home often with a full, “American-style breakfast” (eggs and meat) or “Continental breakfast” (coffee, juice, bread) included in the rate.

Bed Tax (Transient Occupancy Tax or TOT) – City or county tax added to the price of a hotel room

Bermuda Plan – Hotel accommodations with full American-style breakfast or Continental breakfast included in the rate.

Blackout Dates – dates where special rates/special terms are not available.

Block – A number of rooms, seats, or spaces reserved, usually by a wholesaler, escorted tour operator, or meeting planner. For example, the Four Points “blocked” many rooms for this conference.

Bonding–The purchase, for a premium, of a guarantee of protection for a supplier or a customer. In the travel industry, certain bonding programs are mandatory: ATC insists that travel agents be bonded to protect the airlines against defaults. Some operators and agents buy bonds voluntarily to protect their clients and for promotional purposes.

Booking form – A document which purchasers of tours must complete to give the operator full particulars about who is buying the tour. Includes tour options and liability clause.

Brand USA– an organization dedicated to marketing the United States as a premier travel destination. Its mission is to increase incremental international visitation, spend, and market share to fuel the nation’s economy and enhance the image of the USA worldwide.

Breakage–Expenses budgeted for a tour but not used or expended, thus resulting in additional profit to the tour operator; i.e., meals budgeted but not consumed, currency fluctuations in favor of the tour operator, or the tour selling much larger numbers of passengers than anticipated.

Bulk fare – Fare available only to tour organizers or operators who purchase a specified block of seats.

Business Travel—Travel for commercial, governmental, or educational purposes with leisure as a secondary motivation.

Buyer – A member of the travel trade who reserves room blocks from accommodations or coordinates the development of a travel product.

Carrier: A company that provides transportation services, such as motorcoach companies, airlines, cruise lines, and rental car agencies.

Cash Flow–Monies available to meet the tour operator’s daily operating expenses as opposed to equity, accounts receivable, or other credits not immediately accessible.

Certified Public Manager – CPM is a United States professional designation established in 1979 to improving performance and advancing best practice standards for public sector managers

Certified Tour Professional – CTP – A designation conferred upon tour professionals who completed prescribed academic study, professional service, and evaluation requirements. The program is administered by the National Tour Foundation, a part of the National Tour Association (NTA) in Lexington, Ky.

Certified Tour Industry Specialist-CTIS – A designation conferred upon tour professionals who completed prescribed academic study, professional service, and evaluation requirements. The program is administered by the American Bus Association (ABA) in Washington, DC.

Charter: To hire the exclusive use of any aircraft, motor coach, or other vehicles.

Circle tour – A journey with stopovers that returns to the point of departure without retracing its route.

City tour – A sightseeing trip through a city, usually lasting a half-day or full-day, during which a guide points out that city’s highlights.

CLIA—Cruise Lines International Association. Non-profit trade association specializing in training affiliate travel agent members on how to sell cruises.

Closeout–Finalization of a tour, cruise, or other similar group travel project after which time no further clients are accepted. Any unsold air or hotel space is released, and final lists and payments are sent to all suppliers.

Commercial rate – A special rate agreed upon by a company and a hotel. Lower than the rack rate.

Commission – The premium amount, which may vary, that a travel agency receives from the supplier for selling transportation, accommodations, tickets, or other services. 10-15% is common.

Commissionable tours – A tour available for sale through retail and wholesale travel agencies which provides for a profit to each level of purchase.

Common Carrier–Anyone or any organization that offers transport for a fee.

Concessionaire – Those firms which under special contract rights operate for another party food, beverage, lodging, and/or services on-site at an attraction. Morrison’s, for example, is a concessionaire at many hospitals and lodges. ARA used to be the Alabama state parks concessionaire.

Conditions–The section or clause of a transportation or tour contract that specifies what is not offered and may spell out the circumstances under which the contract may be invalidated in all or in part.

Confirmed room reservation – Not valid after 6 p.m. unless a guest has specified late arrival and confirmed with a credit card number, in which case they will pay for the room even if they do not arrive.

Consortium–A loosely knit group of independently owned and managed companies such as travel agencies, tour operators, hotels, etc., with a joint marketing distribution process.

Consumer show: A product showcase for the general public. Differs from a “trade show” as a trade show generally targets industry professionals.

Continental breakfast – At a minimum, a beverage (coffee, tea, or milk) and rolls or toast. Sometimes includes fruit juice and/or fruit.

Contractor–A land operator who provides services to wholesalers, tour operators, and travel agents.

Convention and Visitors bureau – CVBs – Nonprofit organization supported by room taxes, government budget, allocations, private memberships, or a combination. A CVB typically encourages groups to hold meetings, conventions, tradeshows in their city; assists those groups with advance preparation, and promotes tourism. A primary concern is how many room nights an event will sell.

Conversion: Getting “heads in beds” or otherwise closing the sale.

Conversion Study – Research study to analyze whether advertising respondents were converted to travelers as a result of advertising and follow-up material.

Co-op Advertising – Advertising funded by two or more destinations and /or suppliers.

Co-op Tour–Selling a tour through wholesalers, cooperatives, or other outlets to increase sales and reduce the possibility of tour cancellations.

Cooperative Marketing – Marketing programs involving two or more participating companies, institutions, or organizations.

Cooperative Partner – An independent firm or organization which works with a tourism office by providing cash or in-kind contributions to expand the marketing impact of the tourism office program.

Costing–Process of itemizing and calculating all costs the tour operator will pay on a given tour. Usually the function of the operations manager.

CTC–Certified Travel Counselor. A designation attesting to professional competence as a travel agent. It is conferred upon travel professionals with five years or more industry experience who have completed a two-year graduate-level travel management program offered by The Travel Institute located in Framington, MA.

CTP–Acronym for Certified Tour Professional. A designation awarded to individuals employed in any segment of the group travel industry. The CTP designation is earned through completion of prescribed academic, independent study, association service, group travel employment, and final evaluation requirements. The CTP Program is sponsored by National Tour Association

Cultural tourism: Travel for purpose of learning about cultures or aspects of cultures

Customized Tour–A tour designed to fit the specific needs of a target market.

Customs–The federal agency charged with collecting duty on specified items imported into the country. The agency also restricts the entry of forbidden items.

Cut-off Date–The designated day when the buyer must release or add function room or bedroom commitments.

Day Rate–A reduced rate granted for the use of a guest room during the daytime, not overnight occupancy. Specific examples are theuse of a guest room by someone as a display room or office, or for persons delayed at transportation terminals by weather or missed connections.

Deluxe Tour -In travel usage, presumably “of the highest standard.”

Departure Tax – Fee collected from a traveler by the host country at the time of departure.

Deposit – A specified amount or a percentage of the total bill due on a specified date prior to arrival.

Deregulation -The act of deregulating the travel industry, specifically the Airline Deregulation Act of 1978 amending the Federal Aviation Act of 1958. Provided for the end of regulations over domestic airlines on January 1, 1985, for removing travel agency exclusivity, thus paving the way for carriers to appoint and pay commissions to non-travel agents, and for removal of antitrust immunity for travel agents. The motorcoach industry was deregulated in 1982 (ex parte 96).

Destination management company (DMC): A for-profit company that operates like a CVB by providing planning and execution services for the convention and meeting market.

Destination Marketing Organization – A destination marketing organization (DMO) or convention and visitors bureau (CVB) is an organization that promotes a town, city, region, or country to increase the number of visitors. It promotes the development and marketing of a destination, focusing on convention sales, tourism marketing, and services.

Docent: A tour guide who works free of charge at a museum.

DOT–Acronym for Department of Transportation. Handle consumer complaints and regulations pertaining to the travel industry. 400 7th Street, SW, Washington, DC 20590, 202-366-4000.

Double occupancy rate – pp (per person) – The price per person for a room to be shared with another person. The rate most frequently quoted in tour brochures. Also, used in hotel package ads. A surcharge is usually added for only one person in the room/cabin.

Downgrade -To move to a lesser accommodation or class of service.

Ecotour: A tour designed to focus on preserving the environment, or to environmentally sensitive areas.

Economy Fare or Services-In U. S. domestic airline operations, passenger carriage at a level below coach service. In international operations, carriage at a level below first-class

Economic Impact – Net change in an economy caused by activity involving the acquisition, operation, development, and use of facilities and services.

Elderhostel–Programs offered to persons over age 60 who want to study and travel. Accommodations are provided in college dormitories

Errors and Omissions Insurance–Coverage equivalent to malpractice insurance, insuring an agent’s or operator’s staff should an act of negligence, error or omission occur causing a client great hardship or expense, often referred to as E and O insurance.

Escort – A person who accompanies a tour from departure to return, or performs that function at a destination.

Escorted tour – A prearranged travel program with an escort who travels the length of the trip. Common among motorcoach groups.

Escrow Accounts-Funds placed in the custody of licensed financial institutions for safekeeping. Many contracts in travel require that agents and tour operators maintain customer’s deposits and prepayments in escrow accounts.

ESTO: U.S. Travel Association’s Educational Seminar for Tourism Organizations (ESTO) is the only national forum where destination marketing professionals at the state, regional and local level get critical tools, tips and information to help them better market and grow their destinations.

Ethnic Tour–A tour designed for people of the same heritage traveling to their native origin or to a destination with ethnic relevance.

European Plan – EP-A type of rate that includes only the price of the room.

Event or Tournament Management – Process by which an event is planned, prepared, and produced. Encompasses the assessment, dentition, acquisition, allocation, direction, control, and analysis of time, nuances, people, products, services, and other resources to achieve objectives.

Event Manager – Responsible for overseeing and arranging every aspect of an event, including researching, planning, organizing, implementing, and evaluating an event’s design, activities, and production.

Event Owner – Youth sports, multi-sport, national governing bodies (NGBs), grassroots programs and any other organization that owns events that are bid out and/or awarded.

Excursion–Journey where the traveler returns to the original point of departure.

Executive coach – A luxury motor coach with seating of 25 or less which can include such amenities as TV, gallery, wet bar, card table.

Extension-A fully arranged sub-tour offered optionally at extra cost to buyers of a tour or cruise. Extensions may occur before, during or after the basic travel program.

Facility Guide – Document or online listing of sports facilities in the local area that can be utilized for hosting sporting events. Should include details of facilities including seating capacity, floor dimensions, lighting available, air/heating system, etc.

Fam tour – familiarization tour – A complimentary or reduced-rate travel program for travel agents and/or travel writers and travel professionals designed to acquaint them with a specific destination to stimulate the sale of travel. Do not usually cover incidentals such as bar tabs. Also, called “fams” or “familiarization tours.”

Feeder Airport/City – An outlying city that feeds travelers to hubs or gateway cities.

F.I.T. – Frequent Independent Travel – Custom designed prepared tour with many individual arrangements.

Fixed Expense–Expenses related to the tour which do not vary with the number of passengers in the group; i.e., promotional costs, tour manager’s expenses, charters, etc.

Fly/drive tour: A F.I.T. package that always includes air travel and a rental car and sometimes other travel components.

Folio–An itemized record of a guest’s charges and credits, which is maintained in the front office until departure. Also, referred to as a guest bill and a guest statement.

Freelance Writer–An individual writer who may contract or “spec” a story for purpose of selling it to a newspaper or magazine. Many writers will have a specific affiliation with a travel publication and with SATW.

Frequency – The number of times an advertisement appears during a given campaign.

Fulfillment – Servicing consumers and trade who request information because of advertising or promotional programs.

Full-service restaurants– This category includes coffee shops, dinner houses, fine dining, and theme restaurants with several menu selections and table service.

Function – A prearranged catered group activity, such as a banquet or cocktail party.

Gateway – City, airport, or area from which a flight or tour arrives.

Global Distribution System-GDS – a network operated by a company that enables automated transactions between travel service providers(mainly airlines, hotels, and car rental companies) and travel agencies. Travel agencies traditionally relied on GDS for services, products & rates in order to provision travel-related services to the end consumers.

Governor’s Conference. The informal name of Alabama’s statewide tourism industry annual meeting. Sometimes the governor attends, sometimes not. Alabama Governor’s Conference on Tourism

Grassroots Event – Sports competitions featuring amateur athletes from “8 to 80”

Ground operator – A company or individual providing such services as hotel accommodations, sightseeing, transfers, and other related services. Also, known as a receptive operator.

Group inclusive tour – A prepaid tour of specified minimum group size, ingredients, and value.

Groups Independent Travel (GIT) –Group travel in which individuals purchase a group package in which they will travel with others along a pre-set itinerary.

Group Leader–An individual group member designated to work directly with a tour operator or travel agent in organizing, planning, and booking a tour group.

Group Rate—Negotiated hotel rate for a convention, trade show, meeting, tour, or incentive group.

Group Tour–A prearranged, prepaid travel program for a group usually including transportation, accommodations, attraction admissions, and meals.

Guaranteed Tour-A tour guaranteed to operate unless canceled before an established cut-off date, usually 60 days prior to departure.

“Heads in Beds” – Occupied hotel rooms.

Host Organization – Sports commission, destination marketing organizations (DMO), park and recreation department, venue, and any other organization that host sporting events.

Hub and spoke tours – Tours that utilize a central destination with side trips to nearby destinations.

Incentive Travel – Travel offered as a reward for top performance and the business that develops markets, and operates these programs.

Incidentals – Charges incurred by the participants of a tour, but which are not included in the tour price.

Inclusive Tour – A tour program that includes a variety of features for a single rate (airfare, accommodations, sightseeing, performances, etc.)

Independent Contractor-Person contractually retained by another (other than as an employee) to perform certain specific tasks. The other person has no control over the independent contractor other than as provided in the contract. In the context of group travel, a tour manager or tour brochure designer/writer might be retained in this capacity.

Independent Tour–An unescorted tour sold through agents to individuals. For one price the client receives air travel, a hotel room, attraction admissions, and typically, a car rental.

Intermediate Carrier–A carrier that transports a passenger or piece of baggage as part of an interline movement, but on which neither the point of origin nor destination is located.

Intermodal Tour–Tour using more than one means of transportation. For example, a tour operator could start a tour by bus and return by plane.

ITB Berlin – (Internationale Tourismus-Börse Berlin) is the world’s largest tourism trade fair. The companies represented at the fair include hotels, tourist boards, tour operators, system providers, airlines, and car rental companies.

International Marketing – Marketing a destination, product, or service to consumers and the trade outside the of the United States.

Itinerary: Travel schedule provided by a travel agent for his/her customer. A proposed or preliminary itinerary may be rather vague or specific. A final itinerary however provides all details (flight numbers, departure times, reservation confirmation numbers) and describes planned activities.

IPW– the travel industry’s premier international marketplace and the largest generator of travel to the U.S.—it is not a typical trade show.

Land Operator-A company that provides local services, transfers, sightseeing, guides, etc.

Lead Time-Advance time or length of time between initiating a tour and its departure date.

Leg – A portion on a journey between two scheduled stops.

Leisure Travel – Travel for recreational, educational, sightseeing, relaxing, and other experiential purposes.

Letter of Agreement-A letter from the buyer to the supplier accepting the terms of the proposal. This may also be the supplier’s initial proposal that has been initiated by the buyer.

Load Factor–Average number of seats occupied.

Local Organizing Committee (LOC) – Group of individuals in the community who form an ad-hoc committee to manage the procurement and running of sports events.

Low season – That time of year at any given destination when traffic, and rates, are at their lowest. Off-peak or off-season.

Market Share – The percentage of business within a market category.

Market Volume – The total number of travelers within a market category.

Motorcoach – deluxe equipment used by most tour operators in group tour programs. Amenities include reclining seats, bathrooms, air conditioning, good lighting, and refreshment availability.

Mystery tour – A tour to an unpublicized destination. The passengers are not told their destination until en route or upon arrival.

NTA – National Tour Association – A membership organization of motorcoach suppliers and buyers based in Lexington, Ky. Its major event is the November convention.

Net wholesale rate – A rate usually slightly lower than the wholesale rate, applicable to groups of individuals when a hotel is specifically mentioned in a tour folder. Marked up by wholesalers.

No Show – A customer with a reservation at a restaurant, hotel, etc. who fails to show up and does not cancel.

Occupancy – The percentage of available rooms occupied for a given period. It is computed by dividing the number of rooms occupied by the number of rooms available for the same period.

Off-peak – A reference to a fare during the slowest time of year.

OMCA–Ontario Motorcoach Association. The strong inclusive network of interdependent businesses producing results greater than the sum of their individual parts. Membership required.

Operations-Performing the practical work of operating a tour or travel program. Usually involves the in-house control and handling of all phases of the tour, both with suppliers and with clients.

Operations Manager-Individual in charge of performing the practical and detailed work of tour operations.

Operator-A term that may mean contractor, tour operator, or wholesaler, or a combination of any or all those functions.

Option Date–The date agreed upon when a tentative agreement is to become a definite commitment by the buyer.

OTA – Online travel agency.

Outbound–Travel departing locally, headed for destinations out-of-state or out of the country.

Outbound Operation–A company that takes groups from a given city or country to another city or country.

Outbound Tour–Any tour which takes groups outside a given city/country to another city/country. In contrast to inbound tours.

Overbook–Accepting reservations for more space than is available.

Override–A commission over and above the normal base commission percentage.

Pacing-Fullness or emptiness, fastness or slowness of a tour itinerary. The scheduling of activities within an itinerary to make for a realistic operation and to give a certain balance of travel time, sightseeing, social events, and free time and rest.

Package – A fixed price salable travel product that makes it easy for a traveler to buy and enjoy a destination or several destinations. Packages offer a mix of elements like transportation, accommodations, restaurants, entertainment, cultural activities, sightseeing, and car rental.

Passport-Government document permitting a citizen to leave and reenter the country.

PAX – Industry abbreviation for passengers.

Peaks and Valleys – The high and low end of the travel season. Travel industry marketers plan programs to build consistent year-round business and event out the “peaks and valleys.”

Port of Entry-Destination providing customs and immigration services.

Pre-formed Group – A group of people who want to travel together. The group requests a tour operator to plan their trip. Pre/Post Trip Tours–Optional extension or side-trip package before or after a meeting, gathering, or convention.

Press Trips – Organized trips for travel writers and broadcasters for purpose of assisting them in developing stories about tourism destinations. Often, journalists travel independently, though with the assistance of a state’s office of tourism or local DMO.

Pricing-Decision making process of ascertaining what price to charge for a given tour once total costs are known. Involves determining the markup, studying the competition, and evaluating the tour value for the price to be charged. Usually a management function.

Primary Market-Foreign countries where the U. S. Travel & Tourism Association (USTTA) maintains an office.

Proof of Citizenship-A document, necessary for obtaining a passport, that establishes one’s nationality to the satisfaction of a foreign government.

Protected-As in “commissions protected,” “agents protected,” or “all departures protected”: a guarantee by a supplier or wholesaler to pay commissions, plus full refunds to clients, on prepaid, confirmed bookings regardless of subsequent cancellation of a tour or cruise. See guaranteed tour.

Property – A hotel, motel, inn, lodge, or another accommodation facility.

Rack card: The typical tourism brochure sized 4” x 9” and used primarily in tourism racks

Rack rate – Regular published rate of a hotel or other tourism service. Usually, the highest rate can be discounted for groups or on weekends to entice traffic.

Reach – The percentage of people within a specific target audience reached by an advertising campaign or social media post.

Receptive operator – An operator who specializes in services for incoming visitors. Inbound.

Repeat Business – Business that continues to return, thereby generating increased profits.

Request for Proposal (RFP) – A document that outlines the requirements to host an event/meeting/. Should include requirements for the following: hotel rooms, bid fee, facility, estimated # of participants, complimentary services, meal service, etc.

Reservations Systems-Computerized systems leased to travel agents offering hotel, airline, car rental, and other travel arrangements. Systems affiliated with major carriers: Sabre (American), Apollo (United), PARS (TWA), and DATAS II (Delta) feature flight schedules for major carriers plus additional travel products, usually at reduced rates.

Resort-Nearly all resorts are in regions associated with recreation and leisure, such as the mountains, seashore, or natural or man-made attractions. A resort hotel or motel offers or is located near facilities for sports and recreational activities such as tennis, swimming, sailing, etc.

Responsibility Clause–That section of a brochure that spells out the conditions under which a tour is sold. It should include the name(s) of the company(ies) that is financially responsible.

Retail pricing – full ticket price without discounts

Retailer-Travel agent/tour operator companies that sell travel packages (full or partial) directly to consumers.

Risk Monies-Funds that an agency would not recoup should a tour not materialize; i.e., non-refundable deposits to suppliers, promotional expenditures, printing expenses.

ROI – Return on Investment

Rooming list – Alphabetized list of names of arriving group.

Room nights – The number of rooms multiplied by the number of nights used by a group.

SATW – Society of American Travel Writers –A professional organization comprised of the travel industry’s most experienced journalists, photographers, editors, broadcast/video/film producers, bloggers, website owners, public relations experts, and hospitality industry representatives from the United States, Canada and beyond.

STS – Southeast Tourism Society – Membership organization-non-profit organization dedicated to the promotion and development of tourism throughout the Southeast United States. Comprised of fourteen regions: Alabama, Arkansas, The District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia.

Sales Mission/Blitz – Where suppliers from one DMO travel together to another state or country to collectively promote travel to their area. Sales missions may include educational seminars for travel agents and tour operators.

Sales Seminar – An educational session in which travel agents, tour operators, tour wholesalers, or other members of the travel trade congregate to receive briefings about tourism destinations

Seasons–High Season-The period of the year when occupancy/usage of a hotel/motel/attraction is usually the highest. High usage also invariably means higher prices for rooms or admission. Also, referred to as on-season, peak season, peak fare, peak rate. Low Season-The period of the year when occupancy/usage of a hotel/motel/attraction is normally the lowest. Low usage also invariably means lower prices for rooms or admission. Also, referred to as off-peak, off-season, value season. Shoulder Season-That period when there is neither a high nor a low demand for a destination. Usually spring and fall months for areas.

Series Operator-A travel agent, wholesaler, tour operator or broker, etc., who blocks space in advance for a series of movements over a given period, not necessarily on a back-to-back basis.

Service charge – A 10-15% fee imposed which relieves a guest of tipping.

Shore Excursion–Land tours, usually available at ports of call, sold by cruise lines or tour operators to cruise passengers.

Sightseeing Guide-A guide who narrates while driving a vehicle.

Single Supplement-An extra charge assessed to a tour purchased for single accommodations.

Site Inspection – An assessment tour of a destination or facility by a meeting planner, convention or trade show manager, site selection committee, tour operator, wholesaler, or incentive travel manager to see if it meets their needs and requirements prior to selecting a specific site for an event. After site selection, a site inspection may be utilized to plan.

Special Event Tour-A tour designed around an event, i.e., Shrimp Festival, Mardi Gras, or W. C. Handy Festival.

Special Interest Tour-A tour designed to appeal to clients with curiosity or a concern about a specific subject. Most such items provide an expert tour leader and usually visit places and/or events of special interest to the participants.

Special Market-Foreign countries with high potential for U. S. travel, but without a USTTA office. U. S. promotional activities under the guidance of Visit USA Committees. Often with the cooperation of the U. S. and Foreign Commercial Service, an agency of the U. S. Commerce Department.

Sports Commission – Organization created to support the development and hosting of amateur sporting events in their community. May be born out of a chamber of commerce, destination marketing organizations (DMO), or be a department within a bureau.

Sports ETA Sports Events & Tourism Association As the only non-profit 501(c)3 trade association for the sport tourism industry. Formerly known as the National Association of Sports Commissions (NASC). IT is the most trusted resource for sports commissions, destination marketing organizations (DMOs), vendors, and sports event owners.

Sports Tourism Industry – Niche of the tourism industry that uses the hosting of sporting events to attract visitors to communities.

Spouse Program – Special activities planned for those who accompany an attendee to a convention, trade show or meeting. Note that programs today are not simply for women, but rather for men and women, spouses, and friends. Programs must be creatively designed to interest intelligent and curious audiences.

Stakeholders: Parties who may be affected by agency decisions and actions (i.e., user groups, elected officials, commercial interests, environmentalists, park managers, tourism industry representatives, consumers, host countries, host communities, funders and financiers, and others).

“Stay to Play”– Rule used by some events which require participants to utilize certain hotels to be eligible to participate in the competition.

Step-on guide: A highly knowledgeable guide who “steps-on” an incoming motor coach and provides narrative interpretation for the experience. Some CVBs offer step-on guides for free. Sometimes an independent company offers this service for a fee.

Stripped Package-(a) A package that includes the bare minimum of ingredients necessary to qualify it for an IT number; (b) Any package or tour offering inferior accommodations and/or omitting some of the many features usually included in an inclusive tour.

Supplier – The actual producer of a unit of travel merchandise: airline, hotel, restaurant, attraction. Also, CVBs. At NTA, if you are not a “buyer” or tour operator, you are a “supplier.”

Surety Bonds–Insurance to guarantee that an insuree will carry out the specific work he or she was hired to do.

Tariff-(a) Fare or rate from a supplier; (b) Class or type of fare or rate; (c) Published list of fares or rates from a supplier; (d) Official publication compiling fares or rates and conditions of services.

Themed/Special Interest Tour-A tour designed around a specific theme with special interest to the participants, such as fall foliage.

SYTA– Student and Youth Travel Association-non-profit, a professional trade association that promotes student & youth travel and seeks to foster integrity and professionalism among student and youth travel service providers.

Target Audience/Market – A specific demographic, sociographic target at which marketing communications are directed.

Target Rating Points – TRPÕs is a statistical measurement that allows one to evaluate the relative impact of different advertising campaigns.

Tiered pricing: When suppliers offer different prices to receptive operators, tour operators, and group leaders, so each party can earn a profit by marking up the supplier’s price while still offering a fair price to customers.

TOT – Transient Occupancy Tax.

Tour Catalog-A publication by tour wholesalers listing all their tour offerings. Catalogs are distributed to retail agents who make them available to their customers. Bookings by retail agents are commissionable.

Tour Departure-The date of the start of any individual or group of a travel program; by extension, the entire operation of that single tour.

Tour Operator – Develops, markets, and operates group travel programs that provide a complete travel experience for one price and include transportation (airline, rail, motorcoach, and/or ship), accommodations, sightseeing, selected meals, and an escort. Tour operators market directly to the consumer, through travel agents and are beginning to be listed on computerized reservation systems.

Tour voucher – Documents issued by tour operators to be exchanged for accommodations, meals, sightseeing, and other services. Sometimes called coupons.

Tour Wholesaler – An individual or company that sells tour packages and tour products to travel agents. Tour wholesalers usually receive a 20% discount from accommodations, transportation companies, and attractions and pass on a 10 to 15% discount to the retail agent.

Tourism – is travel for pleasure or business; also the theory and practice of touring, the business of attracting, accommodating, and entertaining tourists, and the business of operating tours.

Trade mission – Group tour with a business rather than a vacation purpose. Usually planned for business or government representatives traveling overseas to secure new business.

Trade show: A product showcase for a specific industry. Generally, it is not open to the public. Differs from a “Consumer Show” in that a trade show targets the professional industry, while a consumer show targets consumers.

Transfers – Local transportation and luggage handling from an airport to a hotel. Included in packages.

TBEX – Travel Bloggers Exchange-largest conference and networking event for travel bloggers, online travel journalists, new media content creators, travel brands, and industry professionals.

TMP – Travel Marketing Professional-certification received upon completion of the three-year Southeast Tourism Society’s Marketing College held at the University of North Georgia.

Travel South USA – An agency formed by Southern state tourism directors that promote international travel to the South.

Travel Agent – An individual who arranges travel for individuals or groups. Travel agents may be generalists or specialists (cruises, adventure travel, conventions, and meetings.) The agents receive a 10 to 15% commission from accommodations, transportation companies, and attractions for coordinating the booking of travel. They typically coordinate travel for their customers at the same or lower cost than if the customer booked the travel on his/her own.

Travel Blogger – someone whose main income-generating activities are derived from the site or sites that they own and manage. Travel bloggers need to travel to constantly produce new material to keep their sites fresh and bring in traffic to please their advertisers

Travel Product – Refers to any product or service that is bought by or sold to consumers of trade including accommodations, attractions, events, restaurants, transportation, etc.

Travel Seasons – Travel industry business cycles including Peak: Primary travel season Off-Peak: Period when business is slowest Shoulder: Period between peak and off-peak periods when business is stronger but has room for growth.

Travel Trade – The collective term for tour operators, wholesalers, and travel agents.

U.S. Travel Association. A non-profit organization that represents all segments of the travel industry. Its mission is to promote travel to and within the United States. 1100 New York Avenue NW, Suite 450 Washington, DC 20005, 202-408-8422.

Value season – The time of year when prices are lowest.

Vendor – Hotels, sports publications, insurance companies, consulting and research firms, housing services, and any other company that supplies products and services to the sport tourism industry.

Viator – a large online booking company that specializes in attractions and experience ticketing. Viator, a Tripadvisor company, makes it easy to find and book travel.

Visitors Center – Travel information center located at a destination to make it easier for visitors to plan their stay; often operated by a convention and visitors bureau, chamber of commerce or tourism promotion organization.

VRBO – Vacation Rentals By Owners- a website where you can book a stay at a property that the owner or manager is not personally using now, and has instead made available for rent.

VRMA– Vacation Rental Management Association

Wholesaler – Develop and markets inclusive tours and individual travel programs to the consumer through travel agents. Wholesalers do not sell directly to the public.

WTM – World Travel Market– International Travel Trade Show

Alabama Tourism Department Launches Take It All In Responsibly Campaign

**Alabama Tourism Department Launches Take It All In Responsibly Campaign**

Campaign Hosts Pledge and Provides Support to All 67 Counties Welcoming Tourists

MONTGOMERY (December 7, 2020) –The Alabama Tourism Department has launched its latest campaign to support tourism statewide by inviting travelers to experience all the state can offer – safely. Through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act), Governor Kay Ivey allocated $10 million for the Tourism Industry Recovery program, which will provide Alabama’s hard hit tourism industry some much needed marketing support to both educate and instill confidence among potential travelers.

The Take It All In Responsibly campaign includes paid media advertising in states within several hours driving distance without existing travel restrictions. Advertising features attractions from each of Alabama’s 67 counties as backdrops to the campaign’s traveler health safety message. Advertising links to a webpage featuring the campaign’s pledge – based on CDC guidelines, Alabama Public Health Department orders and industry best practices – to best ensure a safe travel experience for both host and guest.

Attractions, accommodations and food service establishments who officially commit to the pledge can benefit directly from the campaign. These pledge partners may create a free detail page on Alabama.Travel, the official State of Alabama tourism website. Their detail page – complete with location information, operations details and photos – will be badged with the Take It All In Responsibly logomark. Pledge partners can then download the campaign logomark, brochure and poster art for use at points of sale and promotion including online.

Tourism industry pledge partners further benefit by being featured on the Alabama.Travel\Responsibly campaign webpage. Each pledge partner will receive a listing with a link to their detail page plus a location tag on an interactive map, all of which will empower potential travelers to better plan a trip to Alabama with added confidence in their health safety. Travelers stopping at any of the State’s Welcome Centers will encounter campaign signage, posters and brochures; and, while supplies last, masks or personal hand sanitizer for use during their trip to Alabama.

Alabama Tourism Department Director Lee Sentell said “We’re eager to begin again to actively invite visitors to the state. And, we are grateful for Governor Ivey’s funding that allows us to share with our visitors that we’ve taken every effort to ensure a safe trip wherever in Alabama their trip takes them.”

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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, Southern Public Relations Federation and others 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.

Alabama Tourism Department Invites Tourists to Take It All in Responsibly

Campaign Pledges Added Health Safety Measures for Travelers

Montgomery, Ala. (December 4, 2020) – Travelers looking for a safe space to visit this holiday season should look no further than Sweet Home Alabama. The Alabama Tourism Department is utilizing federal coronavirus relief funds to facilitate and promote extra health safety measures to protect both hosts and guests from the spread of COVID-19 and to minimize the risks associated with travel during this time.

While much of Alabama’s beauty can be observed in safe, open outdoor spaces through numerous parks, trails, and beaches, the state’s indoor attractions along with dining and lodging establishments have rigorously prepared to keep their doors open to guests following enhanced safety guidelines set in place by the Centers for Disease Control, Alabama Department of Public Health and their relevant industry affiliations.

The Tourism Department has launched its Take it All in Responsibly campaign to support tourism statewide by inviting travelers to experience all the state has to offer – safely. Businesses and attractions across the state are taking the Take it All in Responsibly Pledge, which can be accessed by visiting Alabama.Travel/Responsibly. By taking the pledge, businesses commit to training staff in proper cleaning and sanitization procedures specific to their industry, along with providing contactless reservations, payments, and communication whenever possible – among other measures – to ensure guests can enjoy their trip knowing their health safety is a priority.

Travelers can find an interactive map of businesses that have taken the pledge by visiting Alabama.Travel/Responsibly. There, they can plan their trip with the added assurance that the attractions they visit are putting the health safety of visitors and their loved ones first.

Take it All in Responsibly advertising is appearing in digital, social, and out-of-home media in states within a day’s drive of Alabama. Travelers stopping at any of the state’s Welcome Centers will encounter campaign signage, posters, and brochures, and, while supplies last, may receive complimentary masks or personal hand sanitizers for use during their trip to Alabama.

“Through the Take it All in Responsibly campaign, we are hoping that travelers can come here with peace of mind knowing that their health safety is our primary concern,” said Lee Sentell, director of the Alabama Tourism Department. “We know that travel looks very different right now, and we want to ensure that Alabama’s tourism and travel industry is making the proper accommodations for that.”

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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.

Governor’s Mansion open for candlelight tours Dec. 7, 14 and 21

The Governor’s Mansion will open for candlelight tours on the first three Monday nights in December from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Design and decorations of the Governor’s Mansion this year are by, Jerry Thrash of Capitol’s Rosemont Gardens and the Monday Morning Master Gardener Group.

Tickets for the tours are available free of charge but are limited due to COVID 19 restrictions. Tickets can be reserved by calling 334-241-8824 or by going by the Governor’s Mansion Gift Shop prior to the tours. The gift shop is located at 30 Finley Ave. across the street from the side entrance of the mansion.

Temperatures will be taken at the while entering, masks are required and social distancing will be practiced.

The Governor’s Mansion is a 1907 Colonial Revival house located at 1142 South Perry St. in Montgomery and has served as the official residence for governors of Alabama since 1951.

Alabama Tourism Department partners with the world’s leading hotel distribution channel

With some 22,000 hotel rooms booked by tour companies and travel agents last year on HotelBeds and their BedsOnLine.com website, the Alabama Tourism Department has turned to this B2B travel company to help the lodging industry in the state recover from a Covid travel recession.

Starting Sept. 15, Alabama joins several Southern states and destinations in the Travel South USA Tourism Recovery Campaign. This campaign is aimed at more than 100,000 travel agents and corporate accounts that use Hotelbeds to book hotels in the U.S. and three regions of the world. Those travel advisors work for companies such as airlines, tour companies, AAA travel offices, and American Express.

This campaign targets some of the largest markets of Hotelbed users.

97,000+ travel agents in U.S. & Canada
13,000+ travel agents in UK & Ireland
9,700+ travel agents in Germany

The campaign is designed to increase travel to Alabama in a staged approach over an eight-month booking window covering travel from September to August of next year. It includes promotions aimed at the U.S. market, then Canada and finally the U.K. and Germany. Target starting dates in non-U.S. regions would be modified if travel restrictions are not lifted by then.

U.S. campaign – targeting travel companies and their travel agents booking travel September through March of next year.
Canada campaign – targeting travel companies and their agents booking travel February through June of next year.
UK and Germany campaigns – targeting travel companies and their agents booking travel April through August of next year.

“The cities of Nashville, Tupelo, New Orleans and the states of Mississippi and Louisiana are among the destinations joining Alabama in this promotion,” said Grey Brennan, Deputy Director of Alabama Tourism. “Those agents booking travel for clients looking to make a Southern road trip have a one stop campaign that informs and allows booking of hotels in our region.”

The other destinations participating are the state of South Carolina and Raleigh, North Carolina.

This strategic campaign will appear on the BedsOnLine.com booking site and includes a landing page headlined Authentic South with inspirational travel copy and the Travel South USA logo. In addition, Alabama and the other participating states and cities will have their own landing page with additional editorial copy and a way for travel agents to immediately book hotels.

On the Alabama page of bedsonline.com, hotels in key areas with special deals will be highlighted and receive special placement, followed by a booking engine that will include all of the more than 500 hotels contracted by Hotelbeds in Alabama. In addition, a webinar training will be offered to the travel agents in the U.S. on Alabama and the other participating destinations. Travel agents in each of the targeted counties will also be able to download PDFs with Alabama information.

The special deals offered during the campaign will be available in both the Hotelbeds system and Hotelbeds’ bedsonline.com website.

Hoteliers should contact their HotelBeds representative if they wish to offer special deals or become part of the HotelBeds distribution channel. That representative is Kim Wreyford at kim@hotelbeds.com.

Last year Hotelbeds booked 22,469 room nights in Alabama, with two-thirds of the state bookings at lodgings located in Birmingham, Mobile, Huntsville, Tuscaloosa and Montgomery. These same cities are also some of the hardest hit with declines in visitation because of the Covid crisis.

Hotelbeds has contracted the following number of hotels in Alabama cities;

Alexander City – 4, Anniston-Oxford – 12, Atmore – 3, Auburn – 20, Birmingham – 128, Clanton – 3, Phenix City – 7, Cullman – 5, Daphne – 4, Decatur – 26, Demopolis – 5, Dothan – 27, Enterprise – 6, Florence/Muscle Shoals – 14, Foley – 8, Gadsden – 16, Gardendale – 2, Greenville – 6, Gulf Shores – 18, Huntsville – 50, Jackson – 3, Jasper – 7, Leeds – 4, Mobile – 52, Monroeville – 2, Montgomery – 49, Opelika – 6, Opp – 1, Ozark – 3, Prattville – 9, Rainsville/Fort Payne – 7, Russellville – 1, Saraland – 9, Scottsboro – 5, Selma – 5, Troy – 6, Tuscaloosa – 28, Winfield – 3.

Hotelbeds is a travel technology company that operates a hotel distribution platform accessed by travel agents, tour operators, airlines and loyalty programs to make hotel bookings for their customers. Hotelbeds is the world’s leading accommodation wholesaler with 180,000 hotel properties and 60,000 B2B clients with more than 200,000 travel advisors using the system.

For more information on this promotion, contact grey.brennan@tourism.alabama.gov

Alabama’s UK representative forms his own company

Andy Facer, who has served as Alabama’s main contact for tour operators in the U.K. & Ireland markets since 2017 has formed his own company with Alabama as his first account.

Facer previously worked for Global Travel Marketing, a firm headed by Venessa Alexander, who’s decision to pursue other interest was advanced when Covid caused a worldwide slowdown in travel. Alexander is currently in the south of France picking grapes and enjoying a slow-paced life after two decades in the competitive travel representation business.

“I’ve been very lucky to have Venessa Alexander as my mentor for nearly six years, without her guidance and support I wouldn’t find myself with this fantastic opportunity,” said Facer.

As an employee of Global Travel Marketing, most recently Facer had been serving as Alabama’s contact in the U.K. “The last three & half years looking after Alabama have been some of the happiest of my career. I love sharing Alabama’s stories and seeing the surprise on people’s faces when they learn about everything the state has to offer,” added Facer.

Facer has a long relationship with the tourism industry in Alabama. Prior to his work with Global Marketing, Facer’s first experience with Alabama as a travel destination was in 2014 while he was on a hosted trip to see Gulf Shores and Mobile while working for a U.K. tour company.

“We are lucky to have Facer representing us in our number one overseas market,” said Grey Brennan, Deputy Director Alabama Tourism. “He has the relationship we need with top tour operators in the U.K. market and the knowledge of Alabama as a travel destination necessary to maintain and increase our share of business during these challenging times.”

While the traveling public pauses, the business of convincing travel and tour companies to keep or add destinations to their offerings are heating up.

This year saw several mergers and closures of U.K. and Ireland travel companies. This results in destinations worldwide competing to be included in the offerings of a more concentrated industry. “Only those destinations with an in-market seasoned representative will benefit from a more competitive market. Facer’s years of experience and knowledge of Alabama puts our state in a position of gaining market share when travel resumes,” said Brennan.

Facer has 27 years’ experience in the travel industry, including 19 years working for Europe’s then second largest travel business, Thomas Cook.

Tourism Economics says Alabama received 399,910 international visits in 2019 and leads the country over a 10-year period in compound annualized percentage growth of international visitors at 5.58% compared to the national average of 2.33%. The U.K. and Ireland combined is Alabama’s number one overseas market with an estimated 45,680 visitors spending 80.6 million dollars in Alabama in 2019, an increase in visitors by 7% from the previous year.

Alabama’s marketing and PR firm, Intermark Group, secured the one-year agreement with Facer and his newly formed company 5F Marketing.

Andy Facer can be reached by email at Andy@5FMarketing.com or by phone at +44 208 339 6122.

Five day U.S. Civil Rights Itinerary – Circle tour of top sites

To force change in the United States of America, many took to the streets in the 1960s in deliberate, non-violent confrontations to demand social justice. Montgomery, Birmingham and Selma, among others, were anvils on which civil rights victories were hammered.

Historic events transformed ordinary citizens like Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, Jr., Fred Shuttlesworth, Fred Gray and others into legends. Churches were protests were planned are today recognized.

This circle tour takes you on a journey where thousands risked their lives to reshape America. Their bravery and courage inspired the world.

Download this 5 day circle itinerary that starts and ends in Atlanta and includes Anniston, Birmingham, Selma Montgomery and Tuskegee.

Alabama Tourism Department’s Consumer Website

2020 Alabama Tourism Award Winners

2020 ATD Tourism Award Winners

Social Justice and Civil Rights Tours that make a difference

The tragedies and triumphs that took place in Alabama during the 1950s and 1960s awakened an entire nation and the world to the reality of racial injustice. Now, tour companies in the U.S. and around the world can offer tours in which your clients will experience the legacy of those who changed history while they also making a difference for the people and places of the cause.

Tours planned by the Alabama Civil Rights Tourism Association for your tour company are in conjunction with a consortium of twenty African-American Civil Rights Heritage Sites; some are famous, such as Sixteenth Street Baptist Church, Dexter Avenue / King Memorial Baptist Church and Brown Chapel in Selma while others are very significant though not as well known.

Imagine being in the living room of the private home where Dr. King always stayed while in Selma or in the kitchen of his own home in Montgomery where he had an epitome that gave him strength to become the leader that he was.

As a non-profit, the Alabama Civil Rights Tourism Association can help you plan, or even help you with operating the tour on the ground for you. In either case, the objective is to for your clients to walk in the footsteps of history while they give back to the people and places of the movement.

For more details go to www.civilrightstourism.org or Facebook

For additional information, contact Rosemary Judkins or Graham Roderick.

Rosemary.Judkins@tourism.alabama.gov Group Tour Manager, Alabama Tourism Department

Graham.Roderick@tourism.alabama.gov International Sales Manager, Alabama Tourism Department

Tourism Tuesday August 11, 2020

Join Alabama Tourism in Alabama Restaurant Week

Journalist wins award for her story on Southern food and visit to Highlands Bar & Grill

10 fantastic outdoor experiences in Gulf Shores

Restoration of Alabama’s Lightning Point nearly complete

Update Your Partner Listing Just in Time for Alabama Restaurant Week

Best thing to do in Alabama: Pay respects to Montgomery’s history

Florence-Lauderdale tourism board on a listening mission

‘Save Space Camp’ exceeds fundraiser goal helped by group from Cleveland, TN

World’s Longest Yard Sale still lines roads from Alabama to Michigan

Huntsville historic walking tours for Oct. canceled

Alabama Tourism Partner Pointer

Join Alabama Tourism in Alabama Restaurant Week

___________________________________________

The Alabama Tourism Department is encouraging all local destination marketing organizations in the state to join us in promoting Alabama Restaurant Week which begins this Friday, Aug. 14-23.

There are several ways help your local restaurants receive extra business through this promotion at no cost to you.

In this year’s promotion, we are encouraging everyone to visit an Alabama restaurant at least twice during the 10-day period by dining in, carrying out or ordering take out. There is no requirement for any restrictions or special requirements for restaurants.

Local DMOs, we encourage you to:

• Contact your local news outlets and remind them of the Alabama Restaurant Week promotion

• Link to the Alabama Restaurant Week website www.alabamarestaurantweek.com or create your own.

• Promote on your social media channels.

• Encourage all restaurants to make sure they have their location page on our database through Partner Portal http://partners.alabama.travel so their restaurant will show up on the Alabama Restaurant Week location map. If your restaurant is already listed, make sure information is current. This simple task will ensure their location listing on our website.

• Participating restaurants, and their DMO, CVB, Chamber, are more than welcome to download assets from the press kit in our resource center. https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1h1051i3uMVINdbOT0ijZ1H9fXY_e8M9d

The assets include logos to add to the menu. Posters to hang in windows are provided. You may use any of these assets in your printing of material.

For more information, contact courtney.austin@tourism.alabama.gov

Journalist wins award for her story on Southern food and visit to Highlands Bar & Grill
Editor’s note: Travel writer Sara Lawrence visited several Southern U.S. states on a trip to sample food. Her visit not only resulted in great dining but gained her the Highly Commended award from the VisitUSA organization in the United Kingdom. She has now written a blog on her thoughts on visiting the USA in which she says she will never forget Highlands Bar & Grill in Birmingham. Read her memories visiting America and then click on the link below to read her award-winning article.

Sara Lawrence talks food, more food (and the USA)

By Sara Lawrence

When I think back to my first Coachella in 2011 it’s not Kanye or Kings of Leon who loom largest in my most nostalgic memories of that insanely cool time. Nor is it the clean lines and perfect proportions of the mid-century modern Palm Springs property I rented with some Californian friends. Nope, it’s the thought of the ‘Double-Double Animal Style’ burger from regional fast food chain In-N-Out on the drive back to LA that fires me up most, full of longing for proximity to that iconic red and yellow sign and what lies within. At around $3 for two juicy patties grilled in mustard, two slices of cheese, cooked onions, lettuce, tomato and thousand island sauce crammed into the crispy on the outside, soft on the inside bun, this off-menu (you’ve got to request it) item has become my very own American dream.

To be fair, it’s far from the only one. My idea of holiday heaven is always a food crawl and thinking about the many and varied US locations I love, it’s the meals, snacks and eating-related pit stops which stand out. Crab cakes in Charleston, fish tacos from an unassuming roadside stand in Los Feliz, pizza all over NYC, fried green tomatoes in the South, a food truck serving the king of grilled cheese sandwiches in Massachusetts, the perfect egg custard tart from a Chinese bakery in San Francisco. Hash browns, over easy eggs and bottomless coffee in unpretentious, down-home diners around the country. Long dinners featuring fancy tasting menus, sustainable farm-to-table lunches in a succession of rural idylls, mouth-melting ribs and brisket at mind-blowingly brilliant BBQ joints – two things you can be sure of with these is that A) all will claim to be best in the business and B) whilst you’re eating there you will wholeheartedly agree. Until you hit up the next, of course.

Last summer I was commissioned by a few magazines to take an epic road trip from Nashville to New Orleans through the Deep South and write about it afterwards. The highlights, from visiting the birthplaces of my favourite music, exploring the childhood homes of big-league writers and being amongst extraordinary scenery, were legion. But, true to form, it’s the food I’m still salivating over. Amongst the many sensational eating possibilities this all-encompassing journey offered, it’s dinner at the Highlands Bar & Grill which I will never forget. ‘America’s most outstanding restaurant’ according to 2018’s James Beard Awards (the Oscars of food in the US, these are a very big deal) is found in the somewhat unlikely location of downtown Birmingham, Alabama, a bustling city which played a crucial role in the Civil Rights movement.

The Southern-accented French cooking is exquisite and the service, décor and sophisticated-yet-relaxed vibe add up to a sensational dining experience. The stuffed squash blossoms with farmer’s cheese, tomato relish and basil aioli are next level and there simply aren’t enough superlatives available to describe their pheasant two ways with baked grits. Not only did they clinch the big award but pastry chef Dolores Miles also won in her category – it would be crazy not to leave space for pudding because the memory of her dense yet light, strongly flavoured yet strangely subtle coconut cake dazzles long after the event.

The current absence of travel and restaurants has me yearning for all sorts of food in all sorts of places, but top of my list, now and forever, is always America. The endless variety and strong sense of place all this eating offers makes it easily my most aspirational foodie destination. I can’t wait to get back and greedily resume consuming the joy.

To read her award winning article, about her Nashville to New Orleans trip which included stops in Muscle Shoals, Birmingham, Montgomery, Monroeville and the Mobile-Tensaw Delta, go to https://squaremile.com/travel/travelling-america-alabama-louisiana-tennessee-deep-south/

10 fantastic outdoor experiences in Gulf Shores

From the article by Sara Broers on TravelAwaits.com

Gulf Shores, Alabama, is home to 32 miles of pristine beaches that run parallel to Alabama’s Coastal Connection. It is home to fantastic outdoor experiences that include the beach, encounters with wildlife, and much more. I fell in love with this area of the country several years ago. I hope you find enjoyment in all of these outdoor experiences as I have.

1. Board A Gyroplane And Soar Above Gulf Shores

Beach Flight Aviation offers an out-of-this-world experience in a gyrocopter. You will fly high above the shoreline and experience Gulf Shores from a bird’s eye view. All of the necessary safety information will be reviewed with you before you take to the skies. You will take off at the local airport, a short two miles from the beach, and begin your outdoor adventure. A little while into your flight, you will have the opportunity to take over the controls and fly the plane. On my flight over Gulf Shores, I flew over Fort Morgan and took it all in. This is one of the most epic outdoor experiences that you can have in the Southern part of the United States.

2. Bike Through Gulf State Park

You can hop on your bike or rent a bike and take a leisurely ride on the Backcountry Trail in Gulf State Park. There are seven trails that wind through this area, which includes swamps, sand dunes, marshes, and an opportunity to explore the beach. At one point you will have the opportunity to stop at the botanical butterfly garden and picnic pavilion. Shaded areas are in abundance, as are wide-open spaces. Keep your eyes open, as you may see the alligator that frequents this trail. Beach Bike Rentals offers top-notch customer service with their bike rentals as well as great bikes.

3. Spend A Day On The Beach

Gulf Shores is home to numerous miles of beaches that include fine, sugar sand that you can sink your toes into. Bring a bucket if you like to gather shells as well as a fishing pole if you like to fish. These beaches offer an opportunity to relax or be adventurous. It’s not uncommon to see people fishing and running along the beach. My perfect day on the beach includes a beach chair with a view that I never tire of. It’s important to note that Gulf Shores has a policy that all items must be removed from the beach at the end of each day.

4. Zip Through The Trees On A Zip Line

Zip-lining at The Wharf on the Hummingbird Zipline Course offers a zip line adventure through a canopy of trees. You will fly more than 115 feet above and zip along at 30 miles per hour, high above the trees. It will take you a little more than two hours to complete the course. The actual time it takes will be dependent on the number of people in your group. Each time I have been on this course, there have been people of all ages in my group. It’s always fun to listen to the excitement that the first-time participants show as they fly over the wooded area.

5. Hike The Jeff Friend Loop Trail

The Jeff Friend Loop Trail is a 0.9-mile lightly trafficked loop trail that is ideal for all skill levels. Prepare yourself for this short hike by applying sunscreen and bug spray, and pack your binoculars. The trail is primarily used for hiking, walking, and nature trips. It is accessible year-round. It is a level trail that is wheelchair friendly and a perfect trail for relaxation. It is quiet and depending on the time of year you hike this trail, different species of birds can be seen. The belted kingfisher, bobolink, and brown-headed nuthatch can be spotted.

6. Dine At The Pink Pony Pub

The Pink Pony Pub offers a meal with a view of the beautiful beach in Gulf Shores. You cannot miss it, as it’s a pub that is painted in bright bubblegum pink with a memorable outdoor dining experience. The building has been a staple in Gulf Shores since the 1950s. It has a historic look and feel that you will appreciate. Pub favorites include a shrimp basket, a fresh crab claw basket, and New Orleans barbeque shrimp. If you want a traditional burger, you can order one of those, as well. A visit to The Pink Pony Pub will not disappoint, as you’ll get to experience some of the nostalgia of Gulf Shores.

7. Kayaking With The Dolphins

Kayaking with WildNative Tours offers a memorable kayaking tour with the dolphins. I enjoyed every moment of this tour as we explored the waterways. I realized at one point on this kayaking tour that I was experiencing something that many people will not ever experience. It was the moment that a dolphin went under my kayak that I realized I was in the home of the dolphins. These three hours were a fantastic way to connect with nature along the coastal waterway. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced kayaker, the trained staff will offer great guidance as you navigate the waters.

8. Kayak Fishing

If you want to take your kayak adventure to a new level, book an experience with Whistlin’ Waters. This is a great way for the “lazy kayaker” to experience kayaking, as you use your legs to move the kayak. I loved this adventure for this reason, as my legs are stronger than my arms. There are several different types of adventures to choose from. Choose one that fits into your schedule and interests you. This area of Gulf Shores also offers fantastic birding experiences. Another option: kayak fishing. While kayak fishing, you have the chance to catch a fish, view birds, and kayak through the beautiful waters. A tip that I would give you is to take your camera and view an epic sunrise while out on the water.

9. Build A Sandcastle

Sandcastle building is something for kids of all ages, adults included. For a fun way to experience the beach and the great outdoors in Gulf Shores, book a sandcastle-building class through Sand Castle University. These folks bring all of the necessary equipment to your location on the beach. Your class includes a free time-lapse video of your group building your epic sandcastle. If you have always wanted to build a sandcastle on the beach and were not quite sure how to do it, this is your opportunity.

10. Fish Off The Gulf State Park Pier

The Gulf State Park Pier is the perfect place to toss your line in to catch your find of the day. There is a small fee to visit the pier and you will need to have an Alabama fishing license. You can purchase each of these things on-site at the pier. There is a place to purchase your fishing supplies on the pier as well. The day I fished off of this pier, I learned from a local how to use shrimp for bait.

I live in the North, and I quickly learned that a fisherman does not use a whole shrimp, but portions of it for bait. I was used to baiting the whole worm on the hook, and I was grateful that a local fisherman was willing to educate me. That being said, I did not catch a big fish on that day, but I sure had a memorable fishing experience.

Gulf Shores will keep you busy in the outdoors for hours on end. If rain pops into the forecast on your visit, check out these 10 things to do in Gulf Shores on a rainy day. When the weather is nice, don’t be afraid to explore the miles of trails and the beaches. Sunrise and sunset are two beautiful parts of the day to visit the beaches. And don’t forget to drive and enjoy the best Gulf Shores experiences along Alabama’s Coastal Connection Scenic Byway while in this area of Alabama.

For the complete article please see https://www.travelawaits.com/2551896/best-outdoor-experiences-in-gulf-shores-alabama/

Restoration of Alabama’s Lightning Point nearly complete

From the article by Dennis Washington on AlabamaNewsCenter.com

Work to restore and preserve one of Alabama’s most iconic and important coastal habitats is wrapping up as planners shift their focus to building trails, boat ramps and a pavilion at the site.

The Nature Conservancy in Alabama (TNCA) said heavy construction at Lightning Point in Bayou La Batre is almost complete. Judy Haner, Marine Program director, said contractors finished this phase of the project two months ahead of schedule.

“The contractors really went above and beyond,” Haner said. “The great thing about working with really good contractors is they know how to do it and to do it right. They found ways to do a couple of things at the same time, so it saved us time and made this project progress faster than what we thought.”

Contractors installed two jetties at the mouth of the channel and 1.5 miles of overlapping, segmented breakwaters along both sides of the navigation channel. The breakers provide a buffer from waves and boat wakes while the jetties help maintain access for all types of vessels, including commercial shrimp boats and recreational bay boats.

“The project was about more than the habitats,” Haner said. “It was about how those habitats supported the fisheries and the livelihoods, how the breakwaters protect the entry to Bayou La Batre, this fishing hamlet on the coast of Mississippi Sound. That is the biggest win for me.”

TNCA broke ground on the restoration project in April 2019 after securing support from public agencies and private organizations, including the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources and Alabama Power. As the project got underway, additional support was provided by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Gulf of Mexico Energy Security Act, CITGO, Restore America’s Estuaries, the Alabama Bicentennial Commission, the city of Bayou La Batre, Mobile County, Dauphin Island Sea Lab, Mobile Bay National Estuary Program, Partners for Environmental Progress, UAB, Embrace the Gulf 2020, Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, Alma Bryant High School and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Haner said construction was handled by engineers and contractors at Moffatt & Nichol, GEC, J & W Marine, Magnolia Dredge & Dock, Wildlife Solutions and Hydroterra.

“When we first started this project and we saw this schematic our engineer firm, Moffatt & Nichol, came up with, we all thought, ‘Doesn’t that sound good? It looks good. It’s pretty on paper, but can we really build it?’” Haner said. “What we’ve seen is we have. We’ve watched that transformation over time and what’s really cool is the community has watched that transformation over time and they are excited.”

In addition to the breakwaters and jetties, the project created 40 acres of coastal habitats ranging from marshes to tidal creeks, scrub-shrubs and shell hash beaches that support a wide range of fish, shellfish and birds.

“We’re really excited about the diversity of the habitats we’ve been able to create at this project,” Haner said. “The wildlife we’ve seen over on the west side – otters, alligators and, in our tidal creeks, we have schools of minnows that have come in and are already using areas that don’t have the habitat fully set yet. So if you will build it, it looks like they will come.”

The project got its first test in June when Tropical Storm Cristobal made landfall in Louisiana, dumping lots of rain and generating a 4-foot storm surge at the new breakwaters. Haner said the breakwaters performed as designed.

“Four feet of water came over the top of these breakwaters, but it held up like a champ,” Haner said.

For the complete article please see https://alabamanewscenter.com/2020/08/05/restoration-of-alabamas-lightning-point-nearly-complete/

Update Your Partner Listing Just in Time for Alabama Restaurant Week

Alabama Restaurant Week begins this Friday, August 14. Make it easy for travelers and locals alike to find your restaurant by becoming an Alabama Tourism partner. By becoming a partner, you can promote your organization through our content online, social media, promotions and collateral. The best part: it’s free! If you’re already a partner, be sure to update your listing to ensure your restaurant’s details are up to date. Guests will especially want to be reassured of your safety measures and aware of any modifications to your on-premises dining operations.

Visit http://partners.alabama.travel/users/signin today to update your listing.

Best thing to do in Alabama: Pay respects to Montgomery’s history

Traveling to the South is complicated. It’s a region of the United States with plenty of attractions for tourists (not to mention some of the best food in the country), but, like much of the U.S., it hasn’t always owned up to its ugly past. But Montgomery is one city that is starting to find a balance between tourism and history, with cultural institutions like the Legacy Museum opening their doors among the chain restaurants and riverboat tours. “My time in Montgomery was a reminder of how crucial it is to cling to sacred remembrance and confront those ghosts of a troubled past,” writes Nneka M. Okona, an Atlanta-based travel writer, of her visit to the museum. “It’s a difficult space, but it’s also one where the act of remembering honors the struggles of the past—while leaving room for transformation and healing in the present.”

For the complete article please see

https://www.cntraveler.com/galleries/2015-06-27/things-to-do-in-america-all-50-us-states?verso=true

Florence-Lauderdale tourism board on a listening mission

From the article by Bernie Delinski on Timesdaily.com

Florence-Lauderdale Tourism officials want to do a lot of listening.

On Monday, the board held a planning meeting led by Mitch Hamm, director of Innovation and Entrepreneurship for the College of Business at the University of North Alabama.

Tourism President/CEO Rob Carnegie invited Hamm to talk with board members about ways to enhance communications with the public.

Hamm discussed the importance of letting the public know you want to hear from them, rather than simply speaking to them.

“Ask them for ideas,” Hamm said. “Tell them, ‘Here’s the situation: We’re looking for ideas on what you want us to do.”

He challenged the board and staff to look for a pattern in presentations they have made.

“The common thing I kept recognizing is there was somebody you felt didn’t understand,” Hamm said. “Is there a different approach you could use?”

For the complete article please see

https://www.timesdaily.com/news/local/tourism-board-on-a-listening-mission/article_2b50cb19-5be2-57c8-abce-b70edb663fd3.html

‘Save Space Camp’ exceeds fundraiser goal helped by group from Cleveland, TN

From the article by Alison Pryor on WRCBTV.com

Last week, Space Camp and the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama announced that they would have to close their doors in October if they didn’t raise 1.5 million dollars.

Happily, they reached and are now exceeding their fundraising goal in just 7 days. Over 8,000 people donated with major donations from two corporations.

The Alderman Group, based in Cleveland, played an integral role in running the ‘Save Space Camp’ fundraiser.

Years ago, they assisted space camp with social media and marketing. When they were asked to help this time with an important mission, they were pleased to facilitate the fundraiser and be part of the group that saved Space Camp.

“I’m proud of Space Camp. I’m proud of our team and the role that they’ve played. They’ve worked non-stop, and I’m proud of the American people and people across the globe,” Rob Alderman, Senior Partner at Alderman Group, said of the fundraiser.

He continued “and, it’s really lovely to see people to get on board a mission of hope and exploration.”

He called the campaign reaching its goal inspiring, adding “to be a part of something like that is truly humbling for us, and we’ve loved every minute of it.”

Even though the original goal has been met, Save Space Camp continues to raise funds to ensure it thrives for future generations.

For the complete article please see

https://www.wrcbtv.com/story/42429389/update-save-space-camp-exceeds-fundraiser-goal-helped-by-group-from-cleveland-tn

World’s Longest Yard Sale still lines roads from Alabama to Michigan

From the article by Jay Reeves on Newschannel9.com

For decades, thousands of vendors have fanned out along roadsides from Alabama to Michigan each summer to haggle over the prices of old Coca-Cola bottles, clothes, toys, knives and more at The World’s Longest Yard Sale.

And though the coronavirus pandemic has canceled events around the globe, the six-state yard sale is happening this weekend for the 34th straight year.

Beginning Thursday and ending Sunday, thousands of people will mingle, chat and bargain across a 690-mile-long stretch of Middle America. You can see tents lined up along U.S. 127 in Signal Mountain, Tennessee.

Organizers say they might not get the usual crowd, estimated at 200,000 people, but they could.

“We feel like there’s a lot of pent-up demand,” said Hugh Stump III, executive director of tourism in Gadsden, at the southernmost end of the sale.

The crowd was predominantly older on the first day in Gadsden, and many people wore face masks and visibly tried to keep away from others. COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus, can be particularly dangerous for the elderly and people with other health problems.

But many others didn’t wear facial coverings, and it wasn’t uncommon to see people standing shoulder-to-shoulder as they looked through racks of clothes or tables full of shoes set up outside.

Promoters considered canceling the event because of the pandemic, which has killed more than 160,000 Americans and infected 5 million more, but they decided to go ahead with precautions including reminders about masks, social distancing and hand-washing.

For the complete article please see

https://newschannel9.com/news/local/worlds-longest-yard-sale-still-lines-roads-from-alabama-to-michigan

Huntsville historic walking tours for Oct. canceled

From the article by John Few on Themadisonrecord.com

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has claimed another annual event, at least for 2020. The Huntsville/Madison County Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) has announced that the guided historic walking tours, originally scheduled to take place the first two Saturdays in Oct. are now cancelled.

The free walking tours are part of a statewide initiative by the Alabama Tourism Department to foster the exploration of Alabama’s history and culture. They have been held through the Five Points, Old Town and Madison historic districts.

The CVB hopes to return the walking tours for the spring season in April 2021.

For the complete article please see

https://m.themadisonrecord.com/2020/08/04/historic-walking-tours-for-oct-canceled/

Alabama Tourism Partner Pointer

Connect with us on Facebook – we have a page for industry partners just like you! During these unprecedented times, we want to provide updates, hear your thoughts and know what you’re up to.

Follow the link, give us a “like” and get connected.

https://www.facebook.com/Alabama-Tourism-Industry-Partners-564171043961223/

Sign up for monthly tour operator newsletter

click here https://tourism.alabama.gov/tour-operator-newsletter/

List of guides, transportation companies and other services in Alabama

To help contact tour companies with the resources they need, the Alabama Tourism Department has a searchable database of guides and transportation companies.

Click here and search by city and type of service needed; such as tour guide, tour operator, receptive operator, charter company or motorcoach company. All information, including classification of type of company is provided by the entity.

To view all of a type in Alabama, leave the city box blank

Education Product –Environment & Sustainability / STEM, STEAM – Jean-Michel Couteau’s Ambassadors of the Environment

Ambassadors of the Environment at Gulf Coast is a multi-day educational experience developed in partnership with Jean-Michel Cousteau’s Ocean Futures Society and the Gulf Coast Center for Ecotourism & Sustainability. This program is located at the Learning Campus at Gulf State Park, Gulf Shores, Alabama.

While visiting the Ambassadors program, students are guided through a series of experiential learning adventures, each aimed to bring about a deeper understanding and connection to the environment. Aligned with STEM, STEAM and many state and national science standards, the curriculum encourages critical-thinking, group-processing and project-based learning.

This multi-day camp program is designed for groups of students and their attending adult chaperones. Ambassadors activities include kayaking, hiking, beach ecology, microscope lab, team-building, organic gardening and composting, outdoor cooking, service-learning, habitat restoration, sustainable living, biking, nature-based art, native cultures, sea-turtle ecology and more.

The Gulf Coast Center for Ecotourism & Sustainability

In addition to the Ambassadors of the Environment Program, the Gulf Coast Center for Ecotourism & Sustainability offers other educational programs as well.

Location

Coastal Alabama offers breathtaking scenery and unforgettable outdoor experiences. In addition to the white sand beaches that make the region famous, visitors will explore lush forests, coastal wetlands, elevated boardwalks, and state-of-the-art environmental facilities throughout Gulf State Park and the City of Gulf Shores.

Programs

We offer day and overnight programs throughout the winter, spring, summer and fall. Our trained field naturalists ensure a fun, educational and safe experience for all ages. Programs we offer include:

School-year Outdoor Education Camp
Summer Arts and Ecology Camp
Summer Day Camp
Family Camps and Retreat Programs
Field Studies and Service-Learning Programs

Activities

Whether you’re looking for adventure, scientific discovery or a quiet reflective moment, our hands-on activities highlight the best the Gulf Coast has to offer.

Beach Ecology
Kayaking
Art in Nature
Hiking
Teambuilding
Sustainable Living Lessons
Organic Gardening and Composting
Ecological Restoration
Outdoor Cooking

For more information https://gulfcenter.org

Additional information from Rosemary Judkins, Group Tour Manager, Alabama Tourism Department, rosemary.judkins@tourism.alabama.gov

Education Product – Literature – Harper Lee / F. Scott Fitzgerald / Hank Williams

To Kill a Mockingbird, one of the world’s best loved novels, is set in our beautiful town of Monroeville, Alabama, where Pulitzer Prize-winning author Harper Lee grew up just a few blocks from the old courthouse.

Contact the Monroe County Museum to schedule a field trip or reserve space in one of their popular educational programs.

Each July the Museum produces two teacher workshops that can only be found in Monroeville!. Both offer SARIC credit and are free for teachers.

If you can’t come to Monroeville, they can help bring “Maycomb” to you! Be sure to look at these classroom and teaching enhancements – each around $25 charge.

The F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald Museum in Montgomery is the only museum dedicated to the lives and legaceis of F. Scott & Zelda Fitzgerald in the world. The Firzgeralds live in Montgomery from 1931 until 1932, writng portions of thir respective novels, Save Me the Waltz and Tender is the Night during their time in Montgomery. Their home is the museum’s location.

Also in Montgomery is the Hank Williams Museum. While not a centerpoint of the museum, the late coutnry music icon did receive a Putlizer Prize and could tie in nicely to a Montgomery trip of the Fitzergarld music and Hank; two pop-cuture icons of their day.

The Pulitzer Prize Board awarded a posthumous special award to Williams, who died in 1953 at 29, for his lifetime achievement as a musician, praising the country legend for “his craftsmanship as a songwriter who expressed universal feelings with poignant simplicity and played a pivotal role in transforming country music into a major musical and cultural force in American life.”

For more information, contact Rosemary Judkins, Group Tour Manager, Alabama Tourism Department, Rosemary.Judkins@tourism.alabama.gov

Education Product – STEAM – Barber Motorsports

Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum has the best and largest motorcycle collection in the world and stunning views of their race course. Guided Field Trips are available.

Wheels of Technology fits Science, Technology, Math & Engineering studies
Wheels in Motion is about math, science, social studies, technology and character education
Rollling though Time is Social Studies focused

And after hours activities include Build-a-bike and Design-a-Bike studies and challenges.

For more information, contact Rosemary Judkins, Group Tour Manager, Alabama Tourism Department, rosemary.judkins@tourism.alabama.gov

Education Product – STEAM – Space Camp/U.S. Space & Rocket Center/NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center

Your classroom curriculum comes alive when your students enjoy the Ultimate Field Trip at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center.

The Rocket Center houses more than 1,500 artifacts from America’s space program, including an authentic Saturn V moon rocket and Pathfinder, the world’s only full-scale space shuttle stack.

The U.S. Space & Rocket center is all about STEAM, Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics, curriculum based instruction. The ultimate field trip includes Hands on STEAM Lab with instructor.

There are educational resources for grades 3-8 and Algerbra 1 posted online at https://www.rocketcenter.com/education/resources

Space Camp

International known, Space Camp is an educational camp on the grounds of the U.S. Space & Rocket Center museum at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center. It provides residential and educational programs for children and adults on themes such as space exploration, aviation and robotics. www.spacecamp.com

Marshall Educator Resource Center

NASA established Educator Resource Centers to disseminate agency-related information and materials to the nation’s educational community. ERCs provide expertise and facilities to help formal and informal educators access and use instructional products that emphasize science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM. These products are based on NASA’s unique mission and are aligned with national education standards and appropriate state frameworks.

The Marshall Space Flight Center ERC is located at the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Alabama, and is open by appointment only. Educators may reach an education specialist from Marshall’s Office of Academic Affairs by calling 256-544-5812 to schedule a visit.

As a second option, in lieu of visiting the ERC in person, teachers may ask the education specialist for an overview by phone of NASA education resources and learn how to obtain materials electronically. The Academic Affairs office maintains a wealth of formal and informal educator resources at nasa.gov/education. To find resources that support a STEM curriculum, teachers can click on the “For Educators” section to search hundreds of topics by subject, grade level, type and keyword (or go to https://www.nasa.gov/audience/foreducators/index.html)

NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center Educator Resource Center

Phone: 256-544-5812

For more information, contact Rosemary Judkins, Group Tour Manager, Alabama Tourism Department, rosemary@tourism.alabama.gov

Education Product – Sports

Among the many sports museums in Alabama is the Jesse Owens museum in North Alabama. And in 2022, The World Games comes to Birmingham, Alabama.

The Jesse Owens museum highlights the achievements of this OLYMPIC WINNER that defeated racism by winning while the Olympics was in Nazi Germany.

This is an inspirational visit for school children, especially those in field and track.

And don’t forget that The World Games will be coming to Birmingham in the summer of 2022.

ARTISTIC & DANCE SPORT DanceSport, Gymnastics
MARTIAL ARTS 5 different Martial arts sports
BALL SPORTS 9 different including lacrosse, racquetball, softball
PRECISION SPORTS Archery, Billiards, Bowling
STRENGTH SPORTS Powerlifting, Tug of War
TREND SPORTS roller sports, sports climbing, lifesaving
INVITATIONAL SPORTS 4 invitational sports including Wheelchair Basketball Wheelchair Rugby

Click here for The World Games website.

For more information, contact Rosemary Judkins, Group Tour Manager, Alabama Tourism Department, rosemary.judkins@tourism.alabama.gov

Education Destinations

The Alabama Tourism Department has gathered a list of important adult and student educational destinations for SYTA and other group tour companies.

From U.S. Civil Rights, STEAM, and environmental programs at our beach. What happen in Alabama changed the world and continues to do so today.

For more information, contact Shawna Faniel, Domestic Sales Manager, Alabama Tourism Department, shawna.faniel@tourism.alabama.gov.

Education Product – History – First Nations of America

An excellent educational location is Moundville Archaeological Park near Tuscaloosa.

Moundville is one of the largest prehistoric Native American settlements in the U.S. It once the political and ceremonial center of the first people of America during the 11th and 16th centuries.

They offer a small charge for their educational outreach program in which they come to nearby classrooms, or of course, you can go to Moundville and see the mounds and museum.

Explore Moundville’s rich history through one of our guided or self-guided tours. Self-guided tours of the park grounds and the museum usually last two to three hours. Guided tours, which require reservations, last about two hours.

There are two basic tours; an in-depth tour of our newly renovated museum and a brief park tour or a comprehensive park tour and a brief museum tour. Either tour lasts approximately two hours. Other tours include;

Ancient Tools & Weapons – Tour the park and museum focusing on the materials and technologies that Native Americans used to make tools and weapons and visit with a flintknapper as he makes a stone point. A number of different tools and weapon reproductions are displayed and are hands-on for students or visitors. In addition to seeing an arrow point being made, program participants get to practice throwing spears and rabbit sticks. Students get to take home their own small arrow point.

Arts, Images, & Ornaments – Tour our brand new museum exhibits and learn why archaeologists know how Mississippian Indians looked and dressed. You’ll see what the Moundville Indians looked like and find out what researchers think different symbols mean. Then kids can get their faces painted like a Mississippian Indian and make themselves a shell necklace.

Mother Earth & the Three Sisters – The Three Sisters Garden, shaped like a bi-lobed arrow, demonstrates early methods of sustainable agriculture. Tour our nature trails and visit our museum and Indian garden (April through October) while learning about native plants and foods. An expert then shows your class how different plants can be used for tools, weapons, medicine, and food. Visitors will make a fiber friendship bracelet, grind corn, taste Indian tea and sample an authentic Indian trail mix.

Past Time Pastimes, Southeastern Indian Games – Find out how the game of lacrosse evolved and why Southeastern Indians called stickball “the little brother of war.” Participants learn two versions of this game and also play Indian football. Finally, kids make and take their own pieces, playing a bean toss game.

For more information or to book a tour, please contact their education department at (205) 371-8732 or email Lisa Rasco (education assistant) at llrasco@ua.edu. Website; https://moundville.ua.edu.

For additional in contact Rosemary Judkins, Group Tour Manager, Alabama Tourism Department, rosemary.judins@tourism.alabama.gov

Education Product – History – WWII Battleship

The USS Alabama Battleship Park has a wide range of programs to offer.

Step into history when you book your school trip to Battleship Memorial Park. Public, parochial and private schools, along with certified home school programs, qualify for a discounted admission rate with a group of 10 or more students.

The USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park offers a lunch in the Aircraft Pavilion with educational tour. Their lunch package includes: a hamburger, chips, fresh baked cookie, soft drink, a USS ALABAMA souvenir cup, and admission to tour the park.

The USS Alabama Battleship Memorial Park is more than just the USS Alabama. Sitting in her cradle beside Mobile Bay at the memorial park is the National Historic Landmark WWII submarine USS DRUM (SS-228). The DRUM is the oldest American submarine on public display, and we invite you to come and learn about her 72 member crew and her missions during the war.

While you are touring Battleship Memorial Park, be sure to stop in the Medal of Honor Aircraft Pavilion, home of our extensive aircraft collection, historic vehicles and war artifacts. Dedicated to all of Alabama’s Medal of Honor recipients, the Aircraft Pavilion features a memorial wall that pays tribute to these heroes. Among their collection of aircraft is the Red Ball Express display, honoring those men who ran supplies during WWII and a Red-Tail P-51 airplane, just like the planes flown by the famed Tuskegee Airmen.

One of the newest additions to the collection is Marine One, a recently restored VH1-N/ Bell 212 helicopter used by Presidents Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan and George H. W. Bush. There is also their super-secret spy plane, the A-12 Black Bird. It was used by the CIA in 1965 for spy missions.

Tanks, boats, planes, memorials, and artillery dot the scenic surroundings at Battleship Memorial Park. Since the Park is dedicated to those who served in all branches of the United States Armed Forces, you will find artifacts from the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, and Coast Guard.

Several iconic tanks from World War II, Korea, and the Vietnam Wars are included in the collection. You’ll find a M-26 Pershing tank, a M-4 Sherman, M-48A 1 Patton, and a M-60A 1 tank. Also included is a T-55 Russian/Iraqi tank from Desert Storm.

They have a special relationship with nature at Battleship Memorial Park. You can take a walk through the quieter areas of the grounds and encounter pond slider turtles slipping into the water. Ospreys raise their young in specially-erected nests high above the ground. Their nature boardwalk and gazebo were built in partnership with the National Estuary Program.

There are quiet places to sit and watch Canadian geese goslings scurry behind their parents as they feed. The USS Alabama Memorial Park is Stop #29 on the Alabama Coastal Birding Trail.

For more information contact Rosemary Judkins, Group Tour Manager, Alabama Tourism Department, rosemary.judkins@tourism.alabama.gov

Education Product – History – U.S. Civil Rights

The U.S. Civil Rights Trail is a collection of churches, courthouses, schools, museums and other landmarks, primarily in the Southern states, where activists challenged segregation in the 1950s and 1960s to advance social justice.

This one website highlights more than 100 locations across 14 states. Sites in 8 Alabama cities are listed. Complete with timeline, photo gallery, and event highlights, the information is informative and we hope will call you to action to take students to many of the actual sites where history was made – especially those in Alabama. Sites such as the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma; 16^th Street Bapitst Church and Birmingham Civil Rights Institute and other sites in Birmingham; Rosa Park’s Museum, Dexter Ave King Memorial Church, Dexter Parsonage Museum, Freedom Rides Museum, Alabama State Capitol Building and other sites in Montgomery, Selma-to-Montgomery National Park Interpretive Center and National Historic Trail, and the Tuskegee Airmen Mkuseum from the National Park Service in Tuskegee.

Alabama information on the website can be viewed at www.civilrghtstrail.com

The new Equal Justice Iniativce’s memorial and museums are powerful teaching tools on a diffeicult American subject. Both are located in downtown Montgomery, about a four minute drive from each other.

The National Memorial for Peace and Justice: This is the nation’s first memorial dedicated to the legacy of enslaved black people, people terrorized by lynching, African Americans humiliated by racial segregation and Jim Crow, and people of color burdened with contemporary presumptions of guilt and police violence.

The Legacy Museum: From Enslavement to Mass Incarceration is situated on a site in Montgomery where enslaved people were once warehoused. A block from one of the most prominent slave auction spaces in America, the Legacy Museum is steps away from an Alabama dock and rail station where tens of thousands of black people were trafficked during the 19th century.

More informaiton can be found at https://museumandmemorial.eji.org

Additional information from Rosemary Judkins, Group Tour Manager, Alabama Tourism Department, rosemary.judkins@tourism.alabama.gov

Tourism Tuesday August 4, 2020

Mobile highlighted as tourist spot

Lonely Planet includes an Alabama bar-b-q original on list of best BBQ

Alabama Tourism Department calls on public to help struggling restaurant industry

Alabama RV parks modernize during coronavirus

Alabama State Parks introduces new reservation system

Here’s how Alabama got its giant roadside peach tower

Free Alabama Vacation Guides available

Alabama Tourism Partner Pointer

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Mobile highlighted as tourist spot
Editor’s note: The Active Times website listed Mobile as the most underrated tourist spot in our state. Here is the Mobile mention.

The Most Underrated Tourist Spot in Every State
From the article by Kaitlin Miller on TheActiveTimes.com

The most popular tourist destinations in America such as the Grand Canyon or the Statue of Liberty have earned distinction for a reason and certainly deserve a place on your American bucket list. However, certain off-the-grid places shouldn’t be overlooked. Not only are many relatively unpopular destinations still just as exciting to visit, but they often also offer fewer crowds, more affordable prices and more authentic, less “touristy” experiences.

You don’t have to look far from home to discover a city, charming small town or national park that offers natural beauty, culture, relaxation or fun. Explore the road less traveled and check out the most underrated tourist spot in every state.

Alabama: Mobile
The Gulf Coast is home to many vibrant coastal towns, but Mobile, Alabama, has something for every type of traveler. Lounge on the city’s multiple white-sand beaches, stroll through squares lined with live oak trees and explore historic neighborhoods. Mobile is also home to one of the largest river deltas and wetlands in the country, nicknamed America’s Amazon because of its amazing eco-diversity.

For the complete article please see https://www.theactivetimes.com/travel/most-underrated-tourist-spot-every-state

Lonely Planet includes an Alabama bar-b-q original on list of best BBQ
Editor’s note: Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q came in 2nd place in a field of 17 U.S. BBQ joints. Here is an excerpt of the Lonely Planet article.

The best BBQ joints in the United States
From the article by Maya Stanton on LonelyPlanet.com

Barbecue is perhaps the ultimate American food, with regional styles as diverse as the country itself, from the smoked brisket of Central Texas and the sticky ribs of Memphis to Kansas City’s burnt ends and the vinegar- and mustard-sauced pork of the Carolinas. But there’s more to the iconic cuisine than meets the eye.

“Barbecue is a form of cultural power and is intensely political, with a culture of rules like no other American culinary tradition: sauce or no sauce; which kind of sauce; chopped or not chopped; whole animal or just ribs or shoulders,” food historian Michael W. Twitty writes for the Guardian. “And, if America is about people creating new worlds based on rebellion against oppression and slavery, then barbecue is the ideal dish: it was made by enslaved Africans with inspiration and contributions from Native Americans struggling to maintain their independence.”

Whether you’re road-tripping this summer or mail-ordering treats for a virtual vacation, these are the barbecue joints – from small mom-and-pop shops, slick spots slinging fusion fare, and everything in between – making their mark on the scene today.

2. Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q – Decatur, Alabama
In North Alabama, and at Big Bob Gibson’s in particular, the barbecue pork shoulder tends to be cooked low and slow, over hickory, until the poor pig gives up the ghost. But it’s the chicken – spatchcocked, grilled, and “baptized,” as the grandson of the restaurant’s namesake puts it, with the white barbecue sauce Gibson himself invented back in the 1920s – that steals the spotlight here. In the intervening years, that white sauce has become standard across the region, but there’s nothing like the original.

For the complete article please see https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/best-bbq-usa

Alabama Tourism Department calls on public to help struggling restaurant industry
The Alabama Tourism Department is asking the public to dine out or order take out at least twice from Aug. 14-23, the 10-day period of Alabama Restaurant Week.

“Food is part of many celebrations and special occasions; it brings us comfort and joy,” said ATD deputy director Grey Brennan. “What better way to recognize the efforts our restaurants have made during an unprecedented time than to support them with our patronage.”

To make it easy for people to find and support restaurants, the website www.alabamarestaurantweek.com not only lists restaurants but suggest five ways someone can help their local restaurant in addition to ordering food.

Looking for help on which restaurants to visit? The Alabama Restaurant Week website also includes information on ATD’s popular “100 Dishes to Eat in Alabama” brochure and the restaurants offering those dishes.

“Alabama restaurants and their staff have endured these past months in stride while implementing enhanced operational and safety measures to ensure that tourists and local restaurantgoers have a safe and enjoyable experience while dining on some of the best dishes in the world” Brennan said. “Let’s return the love by visiting two or more restaurants during Alabama Restaurant Week.”

Alabama RV parks modernize during coronavirus
From the article by John Sharp on AL.com

Ed Bridgman was in full sales pitch mode for his Homestead RV Community in south Mobile County as a reality TV camera crew filmed his every movement Thursday.

“Very few (RV parks) have been built in the last 20 years (in Alabama),” said Bridgman, wearing a cowboy hat and taking questions before a small crowd of local RV dealers and county and tourism officials. The film footage, he said, would be used for a program broadcast on HGTV or another network.

“The average (RV) site is 20-foot, by 50-foot,” he added. “You cannot park your truck on either side of that. But you will have plenty of room (here) for a therapeutic-jetted hot tub.”

The crowd chuckled as Bridgman emphasized the hot tub rentals, “Have I said that enough times? I’m working on it.”

Indeed, Bridgman’s RV complex, which opens in October with 59 large campsites, is aimed at attracting a younger working-class traveler that is fueling a surge in RV sales in the U.S. during the coronavirus pandemic. Equipped with high-speed Internet and amenities like a stocked pond for fishing and jacuzzi rentals, Bridgman is banking on an uptick of RV users seeking an experimental leisure experience they cannot get from an older RV park.

“Millennials are driving this market,” said Bridgman, referring to the age group that is between 26 and 40 years old. “This is about the young professionals. They need to be able to work where they want to live, and they need to live wherever they want to vacation. That is important to the young professionals.”

He added, “They want to have experiences with their children. Instead of sitting around with an iPad and a phone and doing calculations, they want to get outside and do hiking and kayaking experiences.”

Soaring sales
The timing of Bridgman’s development comes during an abrupt turnaround in the RV industry at a time when Americans are forgoing airline and train travel in favor of driving along the open road in an RV.

The industry’s largest manufacturers — Winnebago and Thor Industries — have seen their stock prices surge more than 200% since hitting low prices in late March and early April. Camping World, a popular RV seller, has seen its stock price rise 776% from March’s low.

RV camper lots, such as B&R Camper Sales in Mobile, are emptying. Typically, the family-owned dealer carries 100 or so campers on its property. But last month, the sales lot had no more than a dozen campers on it, according to Shawn Nelson, sales manager with the 50-year-old retailer.

“The manufacturers were shut down for 1-1/2 to 2 months, and then sales boomed nationwide,” said Nelson. “Everything is made in Elkhart, Indiana, and it takes a while for our stuff to get in. At the same time, it takes time to build the inventory back up. I have over 100 units on order that we’re trying to get in.”

The soaring sales come after a period of growth in the $114 billion industry that saw its best year occur in 2017, when 504,000 new RVs were sold. Sales slumped off somewhat in 2018 and 2019, but they are expected to continue to rise as Americans emerge from their spring quarantines in search of safe leisure travel.

According to data from the Reston, Va.-based RV Industry Association, the month of June represented the industry’s strongest month since October 2018, as over 40,000 units were shipped from manufacturers to retailers. That represented an 11% increase from a year ago.

“The demand is crazy right now,” said Bridgman. He said there were supposed to be representatives from other local camper retailers at Thursday’s event, but they had to cancel due to a lack of inventory.

RV travel and camping is viewed largely as a safe activity during the COVID-19 pandemic. Among prospective campers surveyed by Kampgrounds of America, 37% say it is easier to practice social distancing via a camper than other types of travel. Nearly half of leisure travelers are saying they plan to replace one of their cancelled or postponed trips this year with a camping trip, the survey results show.

“You control everything about this trip,” said Steve Polunsky, director of the Alabama Transportation Policy Research Center at the University of Alabama. “You control the food you eat, the supplies you use. You don’t go through TSA or through buses and trains. You can avoid hotels if you want to. You have a choice, really, in the selection of where you go.”

Monika Geraci, spokeswoman with the RV Industry Association, said a flood of new RVs have been added into the market in the past four years as first-time buyers seek affordable vehicles. Notable increases are occurring in sales for smaller-sized units like camper vans (up 40% for the past year), and towable travel trailers which are “flying off the lots as young, first-time buyers are coming in and purchasing” campers, said Geraci. The prices for travel trailers that can be hitched to the back of a pickup truck are affordable for first-time buyers as they often range in price from $20,000 to $35,000, she said.

“We know the pre-pandemic sales, there was an increase in younger buyers,” said Geraci. “The average age of ownership has been dropping for years.”

The average cost of an RV unit runs around $109,000, according to Bridgman. He said that is still a good value relative to a purchasing a $200,000 brick-and-mortar home, which can take several years of interest payments before equity is built into the investment.

“People are downsizing because they want their equity to be on wheels,” said Bridgman.

Campsite demand
The increase in new RVs and campers on the roadways has led to a higher demand for more RV campsites, such as the one Bridgman is developing. He is also working on three other projects in Alabama – one near Prattville, and two in Baldwin County.

His Homestead RV Community in south Mobile County is only in its first of three phases of development. The project, once fully developed in about five or six years, will feature 250 total camp sites that will be large enough to accommodate an RV, a pick-up truck and a jacuzzi.

He said that amenities like a hot tub rental can take place on Homestead’s app, and without requiring an in-person visit to a front office.

The U.S. has an estimated 1.23 million individual trailer campsites, according to the estimates from the National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds. Bridgman said about 20,000 new campsites are expected to be added in the country during 2020, which he called a “drop in the bucket compared to the number required.”

Alabama’s state parks account for approximately 2,300 campsites, some which are pre-booked for months. At Gulf State Park in Gulf Shores, 496 campsites are booked “five to six months in advance” during the summer months, according to Chris Blankenship, commissioner of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Snowbirds, who travel from colder Northern states via RVs during the winter months, will book a year in advance, he said.

Blankenship said that DeSoto State Park in Fort Payne is also another high-demand location where the approximately 100 campsites are often booked. He said that Meaher State Park along the Spanish Fort Causeway, is also often booked up.

“Overall, I would say especially during the COVID time when people are not comfortable going to big cities and Disney World and places like that, we are seeing a good demand for campsites,” said Blankenship.

The state, however, has no immediate plans to expand the properties at its parks aside from a $3.5 million addition at Meaher State Park that is being financed through the state’s settlement from the 2010 BP oil spill. The state is, instead, spending public money on addressing maintenance upgrades at its older parks that include, among other things, installing improved electrical systems that can accommodate larger RV units.

On the federal level, the Great American Outdoors Act approved by Congress last week is expected to add slightly under $10 billion to address maintenance backlogs at federal parks throughout the country over the next five years. That includes making much-needed improvements and upgrades at campgrounds, said Geraci.

She said that private developments that cater to experimental leisure travelers will continue to be important ahead of next year as industries continue to encourage people to work from home, and as schools cancel in-person education.

“You have this interesting environment where parents and kids could be home this fall and able to work and learn from anywhere,” she said. “It’s a unique opportunity for people, with or without kids, to get into a travel trailer and see America and work from anywhere.”

For the complete article please see https://www.al.com/business/2020/07/hot-tubs-fishing-ponds-and-high-tech-alabama-rv-parks-modernize-during-coronavirus.html

Alabama State Parks introduces new reservation system
Alabama State Parks is excited to announce they will begin the transition to a new camping reservation system at the beginning of August 2020. They have listened to the feedback from our guests and have designed this new, user-friendly system to include these features:

•Allow our guests to create a customer account.

•View availability of camping and camper cabins for an entire year.

•Make bookings at multiple parks.

•History of reservations for each customer account to help our guests remember their favorite campsites.

In preparation for the launch of their new camping reservation system, online reservations will not be taken between Aug. 2 and Aug. 13 for campsites or camping cabins. To make a reservation or modify an existing reservation scheduled to arrive before Aug. 11 please call the park for assistance.

Note: No reservations or modifications for campsite or camping cabins with arrival dates after Aug. 11, can be processed on the phone or online between Aug. 2 and the launch of the new system. These changes only relate to camping reservations. Lodge rooms, standard cabins (not camping cabins), chalets and cottage reservations are not affected. Gift cards cannot be used or accepted during the blackout period between Aug. 2-11.

The park system apologizes for any inconvenience this may cause and thanks you for your patience as they work toward improving our online reservation system guest experience.

How is the system better?

•Allows customers to make bookings for all parks (for camping and camper cabins) from same site.

•Customers can view entire year availability on specific sites.

•Multiple sites/parks can be booked at once.

•Reservation history is stored in customer account – customers can look back and remember favorite sites.

•Integrated use and purchase of gift cards.

Other features include:

•Creating customer account – viewing reservations.

•Navigating from park to park to make multiple bookings.

•Viewing availability on favorite sites.

Here’s how Alabama got its giant roadside peach tower
From the article by Kelly Kazek on AL.com

Very near the center of Alabama stands a landmark known to anyone who has ever driven along Interstate 65. Known as the Big Peach, the iconic oversized fruit is actually a 500,000-gallon water tower in Chilton County, the state’s largest producer of peaches.

While it seems it must have always been there marking Exit 212, the 120-foot high Big Peach was built in 1992, 11 years after the water tower that inspired it. The original peach tower in Gaffney, S.C., which produces more peaches than Georgia, is known locally as the “Peachoid.” The Gaffney tower, built in 1981, holds 1 million gallons of water, according to the website RoadsideAmerica.com.

Both of the steel-and-concrete towers were constructed by the Chicago Bridge and Iron Co., according to NPR. Because of the colors and curves of the peaches, which were once painted to highlight clefts like those on the fruits, both towers have been likened to looking like rear ends. The Big Peach’s cleft was toned down with paint.

Local authorities saw Gaffney’s peach tower and, hoping to create a tourist draw and county symbol, a committee of local business people began fundraising efforts. Several places in the area are named for the landmark, such as Peach Tower Road and Peach Tower Industrial Park. People traveling down the interstate to the beach often stop at Easterling’s (formerly Headley’s) Big Peach where they can get fresh peaches, homemade peach ice cream and more. Headley’s began as a small stand in the 1960s and had to move its location slightly in 1992 to make room for construction of the Big Peach Tower, according to story in the Clanton Advertiser.

At nearby Exit 205, visitors can visit Peach Park, which opened in 1980 with a restaurant and gift shop, the Encyclopedia of Alabama says.

The Encyclopedia of Alabama says, “This striking symbol of Alabama’s peach industry demonstrates to passersby that while Georgia might be the peach state, Chilton is the peach county in Alabama.”

The Clanton and Gaffney towers have become tourist draws, luring motorists from the interstates for a selfie or two. The Gaffney peach gained even more fame in 2013 when it became part of a storyline on the popular show “House of Cards.”

The popularity of the Peachoid also led to more vandalism so, in 2018, Gaffney officials erected a barbed-wire fence around its base, according to the Charlotte Observer.

In 2010, both water towers were photographed by Carol M. Highsmith for a Library of Congress project cataloging the nation’s quirky landmarks and historic homes.

For the complete article please see https://www.al.com/life/2020/08/heres-how-alabama-got-its-giant-roadside-peach-tower.html

Free Alabama Vacation Guides available
Does your attraction, hotel or tourism organization need more copies of the 2020 Alabama Vacation Guide?

The more-than-200-page guide, which focuses on sites and attractions throughout the state, is free. Just send an email to rick.harmon@tourism.alabama.gov that includes your name or your organizations name, address and how many copies you are requesting.

Since it will be delivered through UPS, you must list a street address rather than a P.O. address. Please include your phone number and email address in case there are questions.

The Alabama Vacation Guide can be mailed individually or in cases that hold 27 each. Organizations involved with tourism can order up to four cases initially and reorder more if needed.

“The 2020 Vacation Guide focuses on Alabama’s natural wonders and trails for hiking, caving, paddling, bird-watching and just enjoying the state’s spectacular wealth of nature,” said Rick Harmon, the publication’s editor with the Alabama Tourism Department.

“It also includes almost everything else you’d like to do in the state from its top restaurants, hotels, golf courses and attractions, and has some of the most gorgeous photography of Alabama that you will see this year.”

Besides profiles of top destinations in every part of the state, the 2020 Vacation Guide contains calendars of Alabama’s top festivals and events and listings for everything from hotels, resorts, condos, bed & breakfasts to RV resorts.

Alabama Tourism Partner Pointer

Alabama Restaurant Week is just around the corner. Mark your calendars for Aug. 14-23. Check out our press kit on Tourism’s Resource Center at

https://tourism.alabama.gov/media/resource-center/ for all assets you may need in preparation for this event.

Alabama Tourism Department calls on public to help struggling restaurant industry

Montgomery, Ala. (July 28, 2020) ‒ The Alabama Tourism Department is asking the public to dine out or order take out at least twice from August 14-23, the 10-day period of Alabama Restaurant Week.

Tourism Tuesday July 28, 2020

Body of civil rights icon John Lewis crosses Selma bridge

Financial support will ensure Space Camp will continue

• U.S. House passes the Great American Outdoors Act

• Birmingham airport had $1.6 billion economic impact on state

• Bellingrath Gardens and Home hires Dr. F. Todd Lasseigne as executive director

• Outdoor Alabama Photo Contest opens Aug. 3

• Take a 3-hour road trip from Atlanta to this Alabama waterfall hidden in a cave

• Alcohol board announces bar closing times

• Alabama Tourism Department calls on public to help struggling restaurant industry

• Show your guests how you are keeping them safe during Alabama Restaurant Week

• Alabama Tourism Partner Pointer

Tourism Tuesday July 21, 2020

Alabama is featured in new national tourism virtual trade show

Alabama steers money for preservation of last slave ship

‘Flavors of the Black Belt Trail’ campaign to highlight some of Alabama’s local hidden gems

EJI’s memorial to lynching victims to open for after-dark visits

Civil rights museums within driving distance

Tourism program offers ‘backstage pass’

The Aviation Council of Alabama releases report on economic impact

Historic Oakleigh to reopen Aug. 1 for tours with modified operations

Free Alabama Vacation Guides available

Alabama Tourism Partner Pointer

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Alabama is featured in new national tourism virtual trade show
The Alabama Tourism Department, including director Lee Sentell, will be featured Wednesday in the national travel industry’s first virtual trade show, the U.S. Travel Association says.

Since the virus pandemic caused the industry’s annual international trade show to be canceled, the virtual exhibition floor will give group tour operators the chance to visit with suppliers representing cities and states, officials said.

With over 50 domestic suppliers, a virtual exhibit floor, mini-training sessions, breakout sessions and live chat networking opportunities, the All-American Road Show will be unlike any previous virtual experience, officials said. Participants will find a host of interactive content sessions that include the videos “Into America’s Wild,”by Shaun MacGillivray and “Roadtrippin’ – An American Classic.” The virtual trade show is being produced by TravPRO’s mobile events division.

USTA official Malcolm Smith taped interviews with Sentell and Visit California representative Jennifer Montero via a 30-minute video last week to highlight destinations in the two states. Sentell describes road trips as the best way to experience Alabama’s landmark sites featured on the U.S. Civil Rights Trail. Sentell thanked Southeast Tourism Society president Monica Smith for nominating Alabama to be one of the nation’s two featured destinations in the virtual trade show.

There will be virtual breakout sessions throughout the show. “This is awesome,” said Alabama’s international sales manager Graham Roderick. He will be Alabama’s virtual host during the show. “Usually during this month we are busy following up from appointments held at our summer international trade show and preparing for upcoming sales missions. However, given the current pandemic situation, these events have had to be postponed. We are excited to virtually ‘sit’ down with operators to discuss the new ways travelers can experience Sweet Home Alabama.”

Tour operators will be able to share content with their clients from anywhere and on any device along with mini-training sessions for agents, Roderick said. Also, each exhibitor booth comes with a call-to-action allowing suppliers to share content with consumers directly. More than $3,000 worth of prizes will be given at the event. Roderick said registration is free to all U.S. travel advisors.

To register, visit www.theallamericanroadshow.com.

Alabama steers money for preservation of last slave ship
From the article by on APNews.com

Alabama is spending $1 million to preserve the remnants of the last slave ship known to have landed in the United States more than 150 years ago.

The Alabama Historical Commission said Thursday that the money will be used to begin Phase 3 of preservation efforts for the Clotilda. The agency said that will include targeted artifact excavation and an engineering study to evaluate what is needed for site protection as well as the integrity of the riverbed for consideration of erecting a memorial on site.

Legislators included the money in the state budget that takes effect Oct. 1.

“The Clotilda is a priceless and significant artifact very much deserving of our respect and remembrance,” Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey said in a statement released by the agency.

The schooner named the Clotilda was sailed to West Africa in 1860 after a wealthy businessman wagered he could bring a shipload of people from Africa to the United States in defiance of laws against slave importation. The ship was burned in a bayou in 1860 to hide evidence of the crime.

After the Civil War, the freed captives settled in a community called Africatown where some of their descendants still live.

“With the confirmation of the vessel, there is no denying the brutality they suffered, and the reality of how they survived and built a community in Alabama in spite of all the things they endured,” state Sen. Vivian Davis Figures of Mobile said.

The remains of the ship were discovered in 2019. A federal judge granted ownership of the Clotilda shipwreck to the Alabama Historical Commission.

For the complete article please see https://apnews.com/ 21df034834458d5a318fc856b529c64a

‘Flavors of the Black Belt Trail’ campaign to highlight some of Alabama’s local hidden gems
From the article by Sean Ross on Yellowhammer.com

Alabama Black Belt Adventures Association (ALBBAA) on Thursday announced the “Feed Your Adventure — Flavors of the Black Belt Trail” campaign.

A release explained that the campaign features nine themed trails which feature “a bounty of cold drinks, good eats, and back road treats created by the locals across the Black Belt.”

The full brochure and individual trail maps with additional information can be found online here.

“For me, and so many others, the Black Belt of Alabama is home,” Governor Kay Ivey said in a statement. “Alabama Black Belt Adventures’ Flavors Trail is the perfect way to highlight the local specialty food creations, small business owners, cultural attractions and historical sites that make the Black Belt region of Alabama a truly special place.”

Each color-coded trail includes a shopping checklist where travelers can procure tasty treats as well as lists of the numerous uniquely Black Belt destinations, eateries and overnight accommodations across the 23-county region.

State tourism director Lee Sentell commented, “Alabama has had great success spotlighting the culinary items featured in the ‘100 Dishes to Eat in Alabama Before You Die.’ Just like the local creations featured in Flavors, many of the ingredients that make up those recipes are grown and crafted in this region which takes great pride in the rich family history of recipes and agriculture skills passed down for generations.”

The Black Belt includes Barbour, Bullock, Butler, Choctaw, Clarke, Conecuh, Crenshaw, Dallas, Greene, Hale, Lee, Lowndes, Macon, Marengo, Monroe, Montgomery, Perry, Pickens, Pike, Russell, Sumter, Tuscaloosa and Wilcox Counties.

“We could not be more excited about this new collaborative effort with regional partners to highlight the amazing creations of foodstuffs and refreshments found within the Black Belt,” stated ALBBAA director Pam Swanner. “The people in the region sure know how to produce delectable goodies, and we know that you’ll feel right at home as you responsibly venture along these trails exploring all this region has to offer. We invite you to come hungry on your back road tours across the Black Belt!”

Along the way, Black Belt adventurers are also encouraged to participate in a fun passport competition and monthly photo contests.

Utilizing the passport, those who visit all nine trails will be entered for a grand prize weekend getaway at Lakepoint State Park that includes a guided fishing trip by Gone Fishing with Tony and a guided canoe or kayak aquatic eco-tour.

For the complete article please see https://yellowhammernews.com/flavors-of-the-black-belt-trail-campaign-to-highlight-some-of-alabamas-local-hidden-gems/

EJI’s memorial to lynching victims to open for after-dark visits
From the article by Mike Cason on AL.com

The National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery, a visually powerful memorial to thousands of Black victims of terror lynching, can soon be experienced at night.

Beginning Wednesday, the Equal Justice Initiative will open the memorial to visitors from 9 p.m. until 10:30 p.m. Wednesday through Friday each week. It is free.

“I just think there’s something about the weight of this history and tragedy of this whole era that’s particularly poignant when you experience it at night,” EJI founder and executive director Bryan Stevenson said. “So much of this violence was done under darkness.

“We’ve had our staff out here at night and they’ve contrasted the experience between day and night. And I think most of us feel like there’s something really powerful and important about going through the space when it’s quiet and dark.”

EJI is a nonprofit organization that promotes racial justice and criminal justice reforms and represents people it believes have been wrongly convicted or sentenced.

Stevenson’s book, “Just Mercy,” which recounts his battle to win the exoneration of Alabama death row inmate Walter McMillian in 1993, was adopted for a movie released in January. The film, starring Michael B. Jordan as Stevenson and Jamie Foxx as McMillian, has streamed on Amazon Prime. Stevenson said EJI has received thousands of emails and inquiries because of the movie, which he said moves to Netflix next month.

EJI opened the National Memorial for Peace and Justice in April 2018. The debut of the memorial and the companion Legacy Museum: From Enslavement to Mass Incarceration, drew national media attention.

EJI says more than 750,000 people have visited the memorial and museum, which helped create a surge of tourism in Montgomery until the pandemic forced both to close in March. The Alabama Tourism Department named the memorial and museum the Attraction of the Year in 2019.

More recently, EJI has added the Peace and Justice Memorial Center, which includes a 350-seat theater and gift shop, and the Legacy Pavilion, with a cafeteria, gift shop, and coffee shop.

The museum and the Legacy Pavilion remain closed because of the pandemic.

The National Memorial for Peace and Justice, which is outdoors, reopened on June 24. It covers six acres on a hill overlooking downtown Montgomery. Stevenson said several hundred people a day have toured since it reopened. Plans to open the memorial after dark were in the works before the pandemic.

“There’s parts of the memorial that were so powerful with the lighting, and we knew we needed to add more lights to make it kind of an experience,” Stevenson said. “So, we had been working for the last several months. We had always planned to open it up at night in the summer, particularly because the heat in the late afternoon can be challenging to some folks. So, the one upside to this pandemic is that we’ve had time to really kind of advance that work.”

The memorial carries the names of more than 4,000 men, women, and children who died from acts of racial terror that occurred from the the 1870s to the 1950s. Their names are engraved on about 800 steel monuments, one for each county where a lynching was documented. Visitors entering the memorial first see the rows and rows of the hanging, six-foot slabs from a distance as they pass a sculpture of an enslaved family in chains and informational panels describing how terror lynching took root as a way to enforce white supremacy after the Civil War and for decades into the 20th century.

When visitors reach the pavilion atop the hill, they face the rust-colored steel monuments at eye level. But as they move to the main section of the pavilion, the plank floor slopes downward, causing the monuments to gradually rise above the heads of visitors as they walk through.

EJI gave media members a preview of the nighttime tours Thursday night.

After dark, the soft lighting makes the memorial easy to safely navigate on foot and the steel monuments are partially illuminated from below. But the limited lighting leaves plenty of shadows that make the tour an after-dark experience, with stars overhead and the summer hum of insects.

Nighttime visitors to the memorial will receive a finger flashlight to help explore, illuminate the names and informational panels, and see the evocative sculptures that are in partial darkness.

“The sculptures really have a different power when you see them sort of in shadow,” Stevenson said. “You get a sense of not fully appreciating all that’s there. We give people the finger lights because that just means you just have to kind of discover things. So when you come here, you can read the names. So that way you can kind of explore a little bit more. It’s a little bit more of a journey, a discovery, than in the daytime. And we think that’s an important part of how this should work.”

For the complete article please see https://www.al.com/news/2020/07/ejis-memorial-to-lynching-victims-to-open-for-after-dark-visits.html

Civil rights museums within driving distance
From the article by Chris Chamberlin on StyleBlueprint.com

Editor’s note: The article lists the cities of Memphis, Jackson and Montgomery. We focused on Montgomery. Locations or attractions mentioned in this article may have altered hours of operation or be temporarily closed. Please contact them before planning a visit.

As Americans continue to address long-term problems of social injustice, many people seek out the context of history to reveal how these are by no means new phenomena. Discussing these issues with your children can be especially uncomfortable, as youngsters generally don’t have a sense of the history of racial issues, especially here in the South where so many of the most historic struggles against inequality have taken place.

Fortunately, the region has not attempted to completely conceal the often shameful history that surrounds the civil rights struggles of the 1960s that occurred right here in their own proverbial backyards. Some of the most compelling stories of powerful and meaningful actions against oppression took place in major Southern cities, and there are important memorials and museums dedicated to civil rights scattered across the Southern states.

If you’re ready for a road trip and looking for a way to help educate your children and give them some important historical context into the national discussion that will ultimately be part of their own future, here’s an itinerary that can be undertaken as a three-day weekend tour of major civil rights landmarks in three Southern cities that were right in the midst of the struggle: Memphis, TN; Jackson, MS; and Montgomery, AL. Whichever city you choose as a starting point for your expedition through history, they’re all located within a triangle with no more than a three- to four-hour drive between them, so you can spend the day visiting museums, grab a meal, and travel to your next site. To help out, we’ve also included a hotel of historical significance in each town and a couple of Black-owned restaurants where you might choose to contribute some of your spending money during your trip.

Montgomery, AL
When Rosa Parks refused to give up her bus seat to a white man in December of 1955, Montgomery cemented itself as an important birthplace of the civil rights movement. The ensuing boycott of the city’s buses by Black riders finally ended a year later when the Supreme Court upheld a decision that this sort of segregation was illegal, a landmark early ruling in the battle for equal rights. The capital of Alabama was also the site of numerous student sit-ins, the site of ugly police interactions with Freedom Riders seeking to test the laws governing desegregation on interstate bus travel and other violent clashes between protesters and police during the 1960s.

Montgomery is home to several important sites along the US Civil Rights Trail that share stories of the ongoing struggle in the city and the state. Troy University operates the Rosa Parks Museum at the location where Parks was famously arrested. Historic markers on the street show where she boarded the bus to begin her ride into history, and the museum houses artifacts from her life and the era, including a reconstructed city bus like the one she was riding. Exhibits tell the story of the Montgomery Improvement Association, which Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. helped to found during the boycott, and an attached library is a repository of scholarly research about the civil rights movement through history.

A dramatic Civil Rights Memorial designed by Maya Lin, the same artist behind the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall on the National Mall in Washington, D.C., is situated downtown across from the Southern Poverty Law Center’s office building. A striking black granite circular table is inscribed with the names of those who gave their lives as part of the struggle for civil rights, radiating out from the center of the monument like the hours on a clock. A sheen of water flows across the surface of the granite, echoing MLK’s pronouncement that “We will not be satisfied until justice rolls down like waters and righteousness like a mighty stream.”

Of all the monuments in Montgomery, none is more powerful and emotional than The National Memorial for Peace and Justice. Opened to the public in 2018, the somber six-acre site sits alone in the middle of a field with more than 800 steel rectangles, the size and shape of coffins, hanging from the ceiling, each inscribed with the names of victims of racial violence and lynching in the United States. Each display also lists the state and county where the tragedies took place, revealing the breadth and reach of violent racism throughout the years, and almost 4,400 victims are listed as part of the exhibit.

The experience of seeing the representation of so much violence can be immensely sad, and the adjacent Legacy Museum attempts to put the jarring memorial within the context of the larger history of racial inequality and economic injustice in the United States. It’s a difficult and painful journey toward understanding the history of the South and its role in the struggle for civil rights, but it’s an important sojourn to make as we seek to come to grips with centuries of inequities and the demands for societal change that are ringing through the streets of America today.

For the complete article please see https://styleblueprint.com/everyday/civil-rights-museums/

Tourism program offers ‘backstage pass’
From the article by Bernie Delinski on TimesDaily.com

A new program designed to help promote the Shoals’ rich music heritage will provide a “backstage pass” to six local music venues.

Florence-Lauderdale Tourism officials on Wednesday announced “Muscle Shoals Backstage Pass,” which allows participants to get customized stickers when they visit any of the venues by the end of the year.

After visiting three locations, each participant receives a free T-shirt, and anyone who visits all six is eligible for a grand prize to be announced later, said Rob Carnegie, CEO of Florence-Lauderdale Tourism.

The locations include Muscle Shoals Sound Studios, FAME Studios, Cypress Moon Studios, the Alabama Music Hall of Fame, W.C. Handy Home and Museum and Swampers Bar and Grille.

The passes are available at the Florence-Lauderdale Visitor Center, Muscle Shoals Sound and the hall of fame.

Carnegie said the program is an effort to boost local tourism, which like many industries has been hurt by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Our studios are known worldwide, and the music recorded here has made the soundtracks and playlists of millions,” he said. “This is part of our recovery plan, but we hope this campaign will be around a long time to help visitors navigate our music attractions and stay longer in the Shoals.”

The Muscle Shoals National Heritage Area and Alabama Music Hall of Fame sponsor the program.

“We’re thrilled and very excited to see this project come to fruition, and I can’t wait to see everyone out there enjoying themselves in the studios,” said Carolyn Barske Crawford, director of the heritage area.

Hall of Fame Executive Director Sandra Burroughs said this is the type of collaboration that is important, especially during these times.

“This COVID situation will pass, but until then we need to remain relevant in searches for tourist destinations and that’s what this backstage program is going to do for us,” Burroughs said.

“Smaller towns, smaller venues and smaller attractions are actually going to receive the majority of visitors right now. People are actually looking for the road less traveled and definitely areas less traveled.

“I hope this is the beginning of many more programs we do together in the Shoals area to keep the Shoals area in the thoughts and plans of those traveling,” Burroughs said.

For the complete article please see https://www.timesdaily.com/news/local/tourism-program-offers-backstage-pass/article_5b4dbc87-ea8e-5883-954c-255747dfd459.html

The Aviation Council of Alabama releases report on economic impact
From the article on AviationPros.com

The economic impact of U.S. airports in 2017 amounted to $1.4 trillion in value of goods and services produced (output), $428 billion in earnings, and 11.5 million jobs according to the Airports Council International (ACI) of North America. They state that, “airports are not just the gateways for their communities but are vital contributors to the health of the American economy.

With the release of Dr. Keivan Deravi’s report on the economic impact of Alabama’s six major commercial service airports, The Aviation Council of Alabama demonstrates that not only nationally, but inside Alabama, airports are more than runways and terminals. Airports are powerful engines of economic growth and they are one of the most fundamental components of business infrastructures, because they facilitate continuous economic growth for contiguous economic regions. Airports also provide both economic benefits and economic impacts for their respective regions.

Economic impacts are typically measured in terms of the additional employment and earnings for the community that are directly attributable to the airport’s business and aviation operations. The economic benefits, on the other hand, are measured in terms of transportation efficiency, or more specifically, the dollar value of time and resources saved. The transportation benefits of airports can include safety, convenience, access, and time savings.

Currently there are 76 airports in Alabama. Six of the airport are commercial, and 70 are general aviation facilities. The purpose of the “Economic Impact of Alabama’s Six Major Commercial Service Airports” report is to provide an estimate of the economic impact for Alabama’s six commercial service aviation facilities. More specifically, this report looks at the economic impacts of Birmingham-Shuttleworth International, Huntsville International- Carl T Jones Field, Mobile Regional, Montgomery Regional (Dannelly Field), Dothan Regional, and Northwest Alabama Regional airports.

“Airports across the state of Alabama have been critically impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic”, said Todd Storey, Aviation Council of Alabama President. “The passage of the Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES Act) was an important step toward delivering broad-based relief across the aviation industry, however, the relief is only temporary. This report shows that it is imperative that air travel regains momentum and that organizations return to the sky as a part of conducting business. This is because if they do not it will be detrimental to not only aviation and the airports, but also to the local community and national economic recovery as a whole. The importance of air travel to the overall national economic recovery was also recently stressed by Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin during a segment discussing economic models during the pandemic.”

Dr. Deravi’s report estimates that the total spending (output) impact of the Alabama airports on the state’s economy amounted to approximately $5.0 billion in 2019. It is also estimated that approximately $1.7 billion of this total economic impact is solely due to the aviation and aviation related activities. Furthermore, the total employment and payroll impact attributable to Alabama airports is approximately 69,200 direct and indirect jobs and over $2.6 billion of additional payroll to the economy of the state. The report found that direct total employment of the airports (aviation and aviation related entities) is estimated to amount to 16,200 jobs (on a full-time equivalent basis in 2019) and that the payroll of the entire on-site business operation is estimated to be $705.5 million.

These six Alabama commercial service airports and their auxiliary businesses collectively add a total of $948.1 million to the State’s economy in the form of non-payroll business transactions. In summary, the airports are directly (not counting tourist spending and the induced and indirect impacts at any level) responsible for a total employment of 16,200 individuals and a total direct addition of $1.6 billion to the State’s economy.

“The Aviation Council of Alabama serves as a unified voice for Alabama’s airports”, said Rick Tucker, ACA Legislative Committee Chair/Huntsville International Airport CEO. “This report illustrates the impact of Alabama’s six major commercial service airports on the state’s economy. For every $1 investment in these airport core businesses it can generate $5 of additional income for the local community and state of Alabama. It validates the need for continued development, expansion and improvement to Alabama airports in order for them to meet the needs of tomorrow’s business environment so that they will continue to substantially impact Alabama’s economy.”

For the complete article please see https://www.aviationpros.com/airports/airports-municipalities/press-release/21146486

Historic Oakleigh to reopen Aug. 1 for tours with modified operations
From the article by Lily Jackson on AL.com

The Historic Oakleigh House Museum, positioned in Mobile’s canopied Oakleigh Garden District, will reopen for tours at the start of August.

The tours will have a new look and feel, though. In response to COVID-19, the museum is now requiring masks, online reservations ahead of time and limiting the tour group size, according to the website. The museum has been closed since March 15, because of a lack of funding during the pandemic.

The Oakleigh House was originally built by a Virginian cotton broker, James W. Roper in 1833. It is one of the rarest examples of Greek revival architecture in the country. Visitors can view over 1,000 artifacts that interpret life in Mobile between 1830-1900 in the museum.

For the complete article please see https://www.al.com/news/mobile/2020/07/ oakleigh-historic-to-reopen-aug-1-for-tours-with-modified-operations.html

Free Alabama Vacation Guides available
Does your attraction, hotel or tourism organization need more copies of the 2020 Alabama Vacation Guide?

Since it will be delivered through UPS, you must list a street address rather than a P.O. address. Please include your phone number and email address in case there are questions.

The Alabama Vacation Guide can be mailed individually or in cases that hold 27 each. Organizations involved with tourism can order up to four cases initially and reorder more if needed.

Alabama Tourism Partner Pointer

Are you a food and/or beverage service? Be sure you have your location listing updated and ready for Alabama Restaurant Week, August 14-23.

For more information about this year’s event and changes that have been made to accommodate current circumstances, visit www.alabamarestaurantweek.com.

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.

For more information contact Dwayne O’Riley at: dwayne.oriley@tourism.alabama.gov

Tourism Tuesday July 14, 2020

State launches ‘Revive Alabama’ grant program

Travel to Montgomery

Gulf Coast small towns place as winners

Spend an Alabama summer outdoors

July 9 marked 160 years since Clotilda arrived in Mobile Bay

Southeast Tourism Society reschedules inaugural Domestic Showcase

Alabama Tourism Partner Pointer

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State launches ‘Revive Alabama’ grant program
From the article by Howard Koplowitz on AL.com

Gov. Kay Ivey on Wednesday announced a $100 million grant program that will give small businesses up to $15,000 for expenses occurred because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Small businesses will be eligible for the “Revive Alabama” program if they didn’t receive federal assistance for the expenses that they claim to the state, the governor’s office said. The expenses have to be incurred by operational interruptions caused by the pandemic and related business closures. The funds will be distributed on a first-come, first-served basis until the $100 million is used up.

“In many ways, our small businesses were hit the hardest from the coronavirus pandemic,” Ivey said in a statement. “Ensuring these owners have every opportunity to recoup expenses incurred due the disruption of business is essential to getting our economy roaring once again.”

Business owners can apply for a “Revive Alabama” grant here. Applications will be taken from noon on July 16 until midnight on July 26.

All applicants have to sign up for a My Alabama Taxes account to protect their personal and business information on their applications.

For the complete article please see https://www.al.com/business/2020/07/state-launches-revive-alabama-program-granting-100m-to-small-biz-suffering-amid-pandemic.html

Travel to Montgomery
From the article by Brianna Goebel on StyleBlueprint.com

Editor’s note: Locations or attractions mentioned in this article may have altered hours of operation or be temporarily closed. Please contact them before planning a visit.

Established in 1819, Montgomery is the capital and one of the largest cities in the state of Alabama. Situated on the banks of the Alabama River, the city has played an important role in some of the most pivotal moments in America’s history. Emerging from its agricultural roots in the 19th century, Montgomery transformed from the “Cradle of the Confederacy” to the “Birthplace of the Civil Rights Movement” in less than a century and has been a place that faced intolerable issues head-on — initiating unprecedented change for the better. Today, this vibrant river town is experiencing a resurgence with a revitalized downtown and re-establishing itself as a landmark Deep South destination — inspiring visitors to believe that together we can be the change.

Alabama Shakespeare Festival
Located on the grounds of the 293-acre Blount Cultural Park, the Alabama Shakespeare Festival (ASF) is one of the largest Shakespeare festivals in the world and one of the largest professional theaters in Alabama — staging around 10 productions a year. From its founding in a high school auditorium in Anniston in 1972 to its designation as the State Theatre of Alabama in 1977 to the stunning $21.5 million performing arts complex in Montgomery, ASF has been a leader in the performing arts throughout the state, region and country. As a beloved Alabama arts institution, ASF broadens the cultural identity of the South by producing Shakespeare classics, contemporary plays, musicals, theatre for young audiences and exciting new works everyone in the family can enjoy. Not to mention visitors can walk the breathtaking grounds of Blount Cultural Park for free before a show.

Equal Justice Initiative Memorial to Peace & Justice and Legacy Museum
Displaying the history of slavery and racism in America, this memorial and museum opened to the public for the first time in April 2018. Since opening, these cultural experiences have been visited by more than 800,000 visitors. The memorial — located on a six-acre park — is a sacred space for reflection on racial terrorism in America, and the museum (just a short walk away) uses interactive media, sculpture, film and exhibits to immerse and educate visitors. In 2020, EJI added a location of the renowned Alabama restaurant Pannie George, more retail and exhibition space, bus parking, and a shuttle station just blocks away. While somber in nature, both institutions are thought-provoking and will stimulate interesting conversation between you and your family for the remainder of your stay.

Rosa Parks Library, Museum and Statue
The Rosa Parks Library and Museum tells the inspiring activist’s story in several multimedia displays, including a permanent exhibit, time machine, temporary exhibit, archives, classroom, conference room and an auditorium. An important icon in the Civil Rights Movement and the catalyst of the Montgomery bus boycott, Rosa Parks is known for her courage, and she serves as a reminder for future generations of the struggles many faced as a result of segregation. There is also a new bronze monument of the civil rights pioneer by the city’s Court Square Fountain — only feet from where Rosa Parks boarded the public bus on Dec. 1, 1955.

Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church
Dr. Martin Luther King was only 24 when he came to Montgomery to accept his first appointment as a pastor in a little red brick church. It was here he began his pivotal role in the Civil Rights Movement. The Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church contains the pulpit from which King first preached his message of hope and brotherhood. Visitors can take a tour of this National Historic Landmark to learn more about the national leader and his influence on American history.

Downtown Montgomery
Visitors can park and put away their keys once they arrive in Montgomery. The walkable downtown area has recently been revitalized, and there is no better way to discover its historic and cultural sites, beautiful riverfront and delicious eateries than on foot. Wander from the pulpit where Dr. King preached, to the sidewalk where Rosa Parks boarded a bus and ignited a revolution. Take in the city’s street art and building murals or cheer on the Montgomery Biscuits — an AA minor league baseball team — at their award-winning Riverwalk Stadium. Try a famous hot dog from 103-year-old Chris’ Hot Dogs, or taste Central’s reinvented Southern cuisine featuring favorites like pimento cheese and shrimp and grits. Segway and bike rentals are available to rent downtown, and adventurers can even explore the neighboring Alabama River by kayak or paddleboard. Regardless of your mode of transportation, the possibilities are endless in Montgomery.

For the complete article please see https://styleblueprint.com/everyday/virtual-vacation-montgomery-al/

Gulf Coast small towns place as winners
From the article on 10Best.com

Alabama has two small towns, Gulf Shores and Orange Beach announced as USA Today’s 2020 Small Towns Readers’ Choice award winners.

The sister communities placed in two categories, Best Coastal Small Town and Best Small Town Food Scene.

Best Coastal Small Town
9. Gulf Shores

Best Small Town Food Scene
8. Orange Beach

For the complete listing of the USA Today’s 10Best go to: https://www.10best.com/awards/travel/

Spend an Alabama summer outdoors
From the article on CourierJournal.net

Be it standing at the foothills of the Appalachians in countless river valleys or on the sugar white beaches of the Gulf, natural wonders abound for the explorer in you. Caves, caverns, and towering mountaintops – adventure awaits. Marvel in the beauty of our many trails and waterways which are sure to take you off the beaten path. The 22 state parks, which encompass 48,000 acres of land and water, provide endless opportunities to fish, camp, canoe, hike and enjoy the great outdoors. Each season in Alabama brings a beautiful change for adventurers to enjoy all year long.

Alabama’s 7 Natural Wonders
Go for a hike, a bike, or a stroll through picturesque mountains, layered canyons and scenic valleys in Sweet Home Alabama. After you’ve done that, take a cool dip in one of the many cascading waterfalls or winding rivers that you will find hidden throughout the wilderness. If trekking through the great outdoors is not your thing, our Alabama beaches are here to provide you with a relaxing getaway. Whatever your interest may be, there’s no better place to enjoy some sunshine and fresh air than in the great state of Alabama.

From free flowing rivers to the towering mountaintops, natural wonders abound in Sweet Home Alabama. See below for seven of our favorites:

Mount Cheaha
The 2,799-acre mountaintop retreat is the highest point in Alabama with an unbeatable view that is unlike any other. As you stand at the top of Mt. Cheaha, you are surrounded by miles and miles of Talladega National Forest. The forest continues on as far as the eye can see.

No matter what season, these breathtaking views are available all year round.

Dismals Canyon
Deep in the canyon along the canyon floor is where you will find the geological and biological splendor that lands this site on the list of Alabama’s Seven Natural Wonders. As you walk along the 1.5-mile long hiking trail, you’ll encounter cascading waterfalls, deep caverns, moss-covered rocks and diverse plant life that will transport you into a thriving world of natural beauty. If the natural beauty of this canyon doesn’t draw you in, how about an experience that can only be found in three areas of the world? The Dismalites found in Dismals Canyon are a type of glowworm that emits a bright blue-green light to attract its prey. When the conditions are just right, the glow of these creatures make it difficult to determine where the Dismalites end and the night sky begins. Peak seasons to visit are April through May and late September through early October.

Little River Canyon
Towering rock bluffs that look over a rushing river below make Little River Canyon a place of solitude where you can truly take it all in. Its ability to showcase the power that water has on shaping the land is just one of the features that make it one of Alabama’s Seven Natural Wonders. As you stand on the rigid bluffs overlooking the canyon, you can feel the cool canyon air on your skin and hear the rush of the river below. Little River Canyon is truly an oasis amid the business of life.

Cathedral Caverns
Cathedral Caverns received its name because of its cathedral-like appearance. You enter the caverns through a grand entrance, but that’s just the beginning. As you move deeper into the depths of the cave, you encounter some of the most beautiful rock formations ever created. Along with hearing the gurgle of the “Mystery River,” you will encounter a “caveman” perched atop a flowstone wall, a “frozen” waterfall and a stalagmite forest that contains one of the largest stalagmites in the world.

Mobile-Tensaw Delta
The Mobile-Tensaw Delta is a vast region of wetlands that is home to some of the most diverse wildlife in the United States. This phenomenal region features numerous interconnected stream systems, floodplains, swamps, bayous, lakes and forests. The 45-mile long delta is home to 1,071 flora and fauna species. Out of these species that call the Mobile-Tensaw Delta their home, 67 of them are rare, imperiled, threatened or endangered. More importantly, and perhaps, one of the most fascinating things about this bio-diverse land is that the Delta is the place where all the water flowing downhill from the rest of the state meets the sea.

Cahaba River
The Cahaba River is Alabama’s longest stretch of free-flowing river with an abundance of biological diversity. This river is home to more fish species per mile than any other river in the country. In May you can find a rare and beautiful sight along the babbling waters of the Cahaba, although the Cahaba Lily is as rare as it is fleeting. They consist of large white blossoms with a bright green center and petals that spread in a shape resembling a star. These lilies bloom between late May and early June. Each lily blooms in the evening, but usually withers away the next day.

Gulf Coast Beaches
The sugar-white sands and turquoise waters of Alabama beaches are a crowd favorite. As soon as you step on the warm, soft sands, it’s like a cushion forms around every curve of your foot. Walk a little further, and you will step right into the warm, clear turquoise waters that go as far as the eye can see. Just the beauty of the beach itself lands it on the list of the Seven Wonders of Alabama.

Whether you’re interested in going off the grid in the great outdoors or simply disconnecting beach-side, plan your Alabama-inspired escape today. Which of our Seven Wonders of Alabama are you visiting first?

For the complete article please see https://www.courierjournal.net/this_week/article_ e0807034-c39f-11ea-969e-63026e789b47.html

July 9 marked 160 years since Clotilda arrived in Mobile Bay
From the article on WKRG.com

One hundred and sixty years ago on July 9, 1860, the schooner Clotilda arrived in Mobile Bay. The ship was carrying 110 people who were taken from their homes in Africa and smuggled into Alabama as slaves.

Mobile Mayor Sandy Stimpson said, “This shameful and illegal act is a painful part of our history, and the Clotilda is remembered as the last known slave ship to enter the U.S.”

In recent years, the wreckage of the Clotilda was discovered in Mobile Bay, not far from the Africatown community where many of the descendants continue to reside. Efforts are underway to build a new visitor’s center in Africatown, and to create a memorial for the Clotilda.

“We will embrace the story of Africatown. We won’t run from it. We will tell this story to the world. I encourage you to learn more about the Clotilda story, and to join our efforts to find creative ways to link our history with a brighter future for all of our citizens,” Stimpson said.

For the complete article please see https://www.wkrg.com/mobile-county/july-9-marks-160-years-since-clotilda-arrived-in-mobile-bay/

Southeast Tourism Society reschedules inaugural Domestic Showcase
From the article by Ozgur Tore on FTNNews.com

The Southeast Tourism Society (STS) announced that planning for its inaugural Domestic Showcase, scheduled for Feb. 8-11, 2021, in Huntsville, AL, will be rescheduled due to the nation’s current COVID-19 pandemic and ongoing concerns for public health and safety. STS is working to develop a new online education and networking program for Domestic Showcase group tour buyers, tourism product suppliers and travel journalists to be held in Spring 2021. Additional information about the new online program, registration and sponsorship opportunities will be announced later this fall.

“We carefully evaluated various options for the 2021 event and surveyed previous Domestic Showcase participants to gauge the impact of COVID-19 on both their budgets and health & safety concerns. We are appreciative of the support we have received from the Huntsville/Madison County Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) and the Alabama Tourism Department as we worked through the process to reach this difficult decision, but one that we know is best for the health and well-being of our members, partners and the industry,” said STS President & CEO Monica Smith. She indicated that STS will partner with the Virginia Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau and Virginia Tourism Corporation to host the society’s inaugural Domestic Showcase event in Virginia Beach, VA, Feb. 13-15, 2022, and that they are working closely with the Alabama Host Committee to finalize dates for 2023.

“The Huntsville/Madison County Convention & Visitors Bureau appreciates our strong partnership with the Southeast Tourism Society. Although the decision to reschedule Domestic Showcase was difficult, the health and well-being of the showcase participants is paramount. We appreciate the consideration, cooperation, and professional manner in which the determination was made, and we look forward to working with the Southeast Tourism Society to ensure a successful Domestic Showcase in Huntsville, Alabama, in 2023,” said Judy Ryals, President & CEO of the Huntsville/Madison County CVB.

Smith said, “As always, STS is committed to supporting the efforts of our members and partners, as we all work to safely revive the travel industry by bringing the attention of group tour businesses, leisure travelers and the travel media to the amazing tourism assets our region offers.”

For the complete article please see https://ftnnews.com/mice/39874-inaugural-sts-domestic-showcase-event-in-alabama-postpones

Alabama Tourism Partner Pointer

Connect with us on Facebook. We have a page for industry partners just like you. During these unprecedented times, we want to provide updates, hear your thoughts and know what you’re up to. Follow the link, give us a “like” and get connected.

https://www.facebook.com/Alabama-Tourism-Industry-Partners-564171043961223/

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.

For more information contact Dwayne O’Riley at: dwayne.oriley@tourism.alabama.gov

Tourism Tuesday July 7, 2020

Public television will air Bicentennial Park documentary on Aug. 16

Liberty Bell tolls for sites where history is alive and ringing

Ben and Erin Napier announce the town selected for new HGTV series ‘Home Town Takeover’

Gulf Shores/Orange Beach tops Lonely Planet’s hottest summer destinations

The perfect weekend getaway: Montgomery from Atlanta

Alabama self-drive vacation included in UK Travel Weekly magazine

Alabama’s beaches manage surge of visitors, spike in coronavirus

Montgomery BLM mural artist featured on TODAY

Lincoln begins work on $6 million, 38-acre fishing park

Alabama Tourism Partner Pointer

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Public television will air Bicentennial Park documentary on Aug. 16
Alabama Public Television will premiere a new documentary on Sunday, Aug. 16 on the creation of the Alabama Bicentennial Park that was unveiled in front of the State Capitol six months ago.

Under the guidance of the Alabama Department of Archives and History and the Alabama State Council on the Arts, Tuscaloosa artist Caleb O’Connor sculpted 16 panels that span the history of Alabama from the era of dinosaurs through the past 200 years and anticipates space travel in the future.

Bicentennial Commission Executive Director Jay Lamar praised the film for giving proper credit to the talented visionaries who managed the project to completion in a relatively short period of time. State Senator Arthur Orr of Decatur, the chair of the commission, said the film will be an important educational resource about Alabama’s history when shown in classrooms for years to come. Orr said financial support from members of the Alabama Legislature and private corporations were largely responsible for building the historic park.

Public television executives released clips that introduce the Tuscaloosa artist and interviews with two civil rights veterans who advised him on the events that occurred. Bloody Sunday in Selma in 1965 shaped the panel representing civil rights history in the state.

FYI, here is a link to a teaser for the documentary:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/tajh3hilcxism6i/Intro_teaser%201-Up%20to%204K.mov?dl=0

And the Bloody Sunday Panel Sneak Peek version in process
https://www.dropbox.com/s/k0jhdwo6ary22zb/Bloody%20Sunday%20sneak%20peek%201080%20preres.mov?dl=0

And here is the park website created by the Department of Archives and History:
https://www.al200park.alabama.gov/

The park was revealed on the exact date two hundred years after Congress declared Alabama as the twenty-second state on Dec. 14, 1819. The film will receive its initial airing at 2 p.m. on Sunday, Aug. 16.

Liberty Bell tolls for sites where history is alive and ringing
From the article by David Colman on NYTimes.com:

Little did she know.

Back in the spring of 2019, when the Los Angeles artist and curator Nancy Baker Cahill entered into discussions with Art Production Fund about a public art project to be unveiled on July 4, 2020, her vision was still modest. She wanted to create a piece conceptualized around Philadelphia’s Liberty Bell — that quintessential American symbol of independence.

The piece, “Liberty Bell,” a special 3-D animation of an enormous abstraction shaped like a swaying bell, was planned for Philadelphia. But Ms. Baker Cahill’s chosen medium is the ultralightweight, fast-advancing technology known as augmented reality, and she was used to being ambitious with it. In 2018, she helped curate “Defining Line,” a show of AR artworks along the Los Angeles River that tackled issues including the environment and immigration.

Last year she and Jesse Damiani organized an AR show in New Orleans, “Battlegrounds,” with locations chosen by 24 local artists for their works, from polluted waterways to Confederate statues to slave trade sites around the city. So before long, Ms. Cahill and Casey Fremont, the executive director of Art Production Fund, were wondering if this project could be produced in half a dozen different locales along the Eastern Seaboard. It wouldn’t be that much more work than doing one, right?

Fifteen months and much more work later, “Liberty Bell” is being unveiled on Saturday, in six spots where American history is still being interpreted, its Constitution tested and its identities forged. From north to south, the pieces will be at the site of the Boston Tea Party revolt in Boston; Fort Tilden, the U.S. Army installation in Rockaway, Queens, N.Y.; the Washington Monument in Washington, D.C.; Fort Sumter in Charleston, S.C. The fifth site, the “Rocky Steps” leading to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, is a civic hub and pop-culture tourist attraction. The sixth location is a civil rights landmark, the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Ala., where the brutal “Bloody Sunday” attack on demonstrators took place in 1965 by police officers blocking their march to Montgomery, the state capital.

The timing of Ms. Baker Cahill’s project looks purpose-built for the summer of 2020, when public opinion has been radically rethinking what statues and sculptures merit monument status. Indeed, this month has seen a forceful movement to strip Selma’s bridge of its name — that of Edmund Pettus, a U.S. senator, Confederate officer in the Civil War and Ku Klux Klan grand dragon — and rename it for the longtime civil rights leader and Representative John Lewis, Democrat of Georgia, who was injured during the march.

Ms. Baker Cahill’s project is fortuitously timed in terms of public health, too. Although experiencing the different works does necessitate traveling to the locations in a car or public transportation, there’s no need to enter an art institution or touch a single shared surface. And since the viewing areas are on average 37,000 square feet, it’s a social distancing dream.

“Liberty Bell” is on view through July 2021, and is presented in partnership with 7G Foundation and Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy.

For the complete article please see https://www.nytimes.com/2020/07/02/arts/design/liberty-bell-nancy-baker-cahill.html

Ben and Erin Napier announce the town selected for new HGTV series ‘Home Town Takeover’
From the article by David L. Haynes on HGTV.com:

Get ready for your closeup, Wetumpka, Alabama. “Home Town’s” Erin and Ben Napier just announced that they will be shooting a new renovation show in the quaint Southern city as part of a hugely ambitious project — to take over and make over an entire small town.

The news is out. The jig is up. The cat’s out of the proverbial bag. The quest to find the perfect location for the new HGTV special-event series, “Home Town Takeover,” is now complete. And the chosen community — following a months-long nationwide search — is the tiny Southern city of Wetumpka, Alabama. Population: 8,278. (Sahhh-LUTE!)

For the record, Wetumpka was selected from among no less than half a million photo and video submissions representing more than 2,600 towns across the U.S. It’s one gem of a classic, small Southern town, but one not without its share of challenges and a need for some structural and aesthetic enhancements.

“Home Town Takeover,” if you haven’t heard, is a six-part docu-series that will premiere on HGTV in 2021.

In that special, the residents of Wetumpka get the breathtaking news that their town was selected for the extensive and far-reaching renovation led by Erin and Ben that’s certain to bring new hope and inspiration to an entire community. And at the risk of sounding overly romantic or a bit hyperbolic, the series Home Town Takeover really is something more than just another TV show. This is a heartfelt mission and an initiative with a grand scope — and is perhaps HGTV’s single biggest renovation undertaking ever.

Home Town Takeover: A Quick Recap
Back in January, HGTV brought you the exciting news that Ben and Erin Napier would be taking the concept of their hit series “Home Town on the road” in an exciting new venture. The undisputedly endearing couple who famously restore and revitalize old and historic homes in the tiny town of Laurel, MS would be expanding their scope beyond their beloved hometown. They would be leading a team of renovation pros to breathe new life into another small town — the entire town — including several homes as well as some locally grown businesses and historic treasures unique to that community. It’s all elemental to the Napiers’ overarching mission of helping to establish and foster a town’s persona that draws on its roots, history, resources and traditions.

To put it simply, Erin and Ben were set to take their trademark inspiration, dedication and expertise beyond the borders of Laurel. But where to start? The location where all of this was destined to happen was not known – until now.

Quest to Find the Quintessential Small Town
Simultaneous to the series announcement back in January, HGTV and Home Town’s production company RTR Media put out a casting-call of sorts, inviting residents of America’s small towns (population 40,000 or less) to log on to a website to make the case that their town should be the one featured in the new series. Applicants were encouraged to highlight aspects of their town that make it special, fascinating, historic or unique — including distinctive features like vintage period architecture, special destinations or a classic main street.

We’re now a half million or so submissions (and 2600 towns) later, and that brings us to today. In a special reveal announcement via Facetime call, the Napiers surprised Wetumpka’s Chamber of Commerce executive director, Shellie Whitfield, with the news that the town would be getting an epic injection of TLC a la Ben and Erin. That call, and lots more background, are documented in the special preview, “Home Town: A Small Town Salute.” But that’s just a taste of what’s to come.

“Ben and I often speak about our love of small town living and what that lifestyle means to the people who live in one,” says Erin. “The people of Wetumpka know they have a small town that’s worth saving, and now the world will see why this tight-knit community deserves a fresh start.”

So Where Exactly Is Wetumpka?
Wetumpka, known by its slogan, “a city of natural beauty,” is a tiny and semi-isolated burg nestled in the bucolically scenic area of central Alabama, set along the banks of the free-flowing Coosa River. As such, it’s a popular destination among whitewater enthusiasts and other generally adventurous and outdoorsy types. It notably serves as host to the annual Coosa River Challenge, a three-part competition involving paddling, mountain-biking and a cross-country run.

The town has fostered something of a green revival, with newly christened walking and nature trails. It is also, coincidentally, home to the wonderfully strange Wetumpka Meteor Crater — a five-mile-wide site of a meteor crash that occurred some 85 million years ago — a prehistoric event known regionally as “Alabama’s greatest natural disaster.” So it has just a hint of that Ripley’s Believe It or Not appeal as well.

At the same time Wetumpka faces many of the same challenges that beset small and remote towns across the country — closing businesses, compromised employment prospects, outmigration of young people, the impact of natural and climate-related disasters as well as homes and neighborhoods in varying stages of neglect or disrepair.

A glimmer of optimism came a few years ago with a plan to revitalize, but the endeavor was set back when a tornado struck the town, decimating the police station, a historic church, a number of homes and hundreds of acres of land. But the prospect of hope and progress remained alive, just waiting for sparks to ignite.

The town itself could be characterized as a sort of diamond in the rough. With its picturesque setting and features, it has served as the location for the filming of several Hollywood productions including “The Grass Harp” (based on the Truman Capote novella), “The Rosa Parks Story” and the fantastical Tim Burton feature, “Big Fish” — three films with central themes tied to and drawing on the historical South.

In short, Wetumpka is a place steeped in a certain authentic, heritage-rich, easy-pace tradition that’s essentially the perfect landing place for Ben, Erin and crew — not to mention some special surprise guests.

We think this new HGTV adventure presents a rare opportunity that will deliver to viewers something that’s genuinely inspirational, hopeful and compelling — with excitement unrivalled since that foray involving a certain house (and people) associated with the Brady Renovation. The two projects could hardly be more different, but the scope, spirit and excitement are, in a way, comparable. Both tap into a collective American psyche that’s tied to ideals, roots, vision and potential.

In summary, “Home Town Takeover” is shaping up to be an epic adventure with real connections to real people, community and history — and generous helpings of small-town love and feel-good energy. Are you ready for that? We are.

For the complete article please see https://www.hgtv.com/shows/home-town/ben-and-erin-napier-announce-town-selected-for-new-hgtv-series-home-town-takeover

Gulf Shores/Orange Beach tops Lonely Planet’s hottest summer destinations
From the article by Maya Stanton on LonelyPlanet.com:

Editors note: Lonely Planet has listed 10 U. S. destinations this summer that are getting the most attention according to Vrbo. Gulf Shores/Orange Beach tops the list.

Here is an excerpt from the July story.

1. Gulf Shores/Orange Beach, Alabama
Ten years on from the Deep Horizon oil spill that devastated its beaches, Southern Alabama’s Gulf Shores / Orange Beach is once again known for their family-friendly atmosphere and their sparkling white sand. Gulf State Park has also seen a host of improvements, adding miles of biking and hiking trails, pine-tree-lined paths, and elevated boardwalks through marshes teeming with wildlife.

For the complete article please see https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/vrbo-summer-destinations-2020

The perfect weekend getaway: Montgomery from Atlanta
From the article by Doug Stallings on Fodors.com:

Editor’s note: Some locations or attractions mentioned in this article may have altered hours of operation or be temporarily closed. Please contact them before planning a visit.

Alabama’s capital has become a pilgrimage of sorts for those interested in The National Memorial for Peace and Justice and the Legacy Museum, bringing some 400,000 visitors to Montgomery in their first year.

Once you arrive, you’ll find a city that hasn’t exactly reached hot-spot status but is certainly becoming a destination to be reckoned with. Few cities have done a better job of laying out the stakes of the Civil Rights Movement than Montgomery, which is both acknowledging and reckoning with its role in the slave trade and slavery. After all, this is where the Civil Rights Movement was born, where Martin Luther King, Jr. preached, and where the Equal Justice Initiative, one of the country’s most successful legal aid organizations, is currently seeing much success. With good food, fun bars, and plenty of other activities, prepare for a jam-packed three-day weekend.

Atlanta is 160 miles northeast of Montgomery, a fairly brisk 2.5-hour drive via I-85 south. If you leave fairly early, you’ll be in Montgomery in time for an early lunch.

Day 1
If you are planning a long weekend, try to arrive early enough on Friday or Saturday to do a little touring, ideally by late morning. A fitting place to begin your Montgomery visit is the Dexter Ave. King Memorial Baptist Church on Dexter Avenue, where Martin Luther King, Jr., was pastor during the Montgomery bus boycott. The church is within easy walking distance of all the downtown hotels. You can tour the church and also the Dexter Parsonage Museum on South Jackson Avenue, a few blocks away, where the King family lived during their time in Montgomery. If you are short on time, book a timed tour in advance (the last Friday tour is at 3 p.m.), but walk-ins are accommodated if they have room; allow an hour for the church, two if you visit the parsonage.

Nearby, on Washington Avenue, is the Maya Lin–designed Civil Rights Memorial that sits in front of the Civil Rights Memorial Center. If you have time, definitely go inside to see the exhibits, the Wall of Justice, and to watch the short film on the Civil Rights Movement. Set aside an hour for this visit.

By this time, you may be ready for a break. Take it at Chris’ Hot Dogs, which has been selling hot dogs, hamburgers, chili, chicken salad, and a few other things since 1917 at its location on Dexter Avenue. You will not be disappointed if you get your dog with chili sauce. If coffee is more your thing, then you’ll find Prevail Union, a modern coffee shop in the old Kress building, also on Dexter Avenue.

If you still have time and the literary inclinations, you may wish to make the pilgrimage to the Cottage Hill neighborhood to see the historic Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald Museum. Zelda was born in Montgomery in 1900, and she and Scott came back to Montgomery to live for about six months from 1931 to 1932 in this house, when he was writing “Tender Is the Night” and Zelda began work on her only published novel, “Save Me the Waltz.” On display are some of Zelda’s paintings, Scott’s books, various possessions, and even clothing.

If you prefer spending some time strolling and shopping, try Cloverdale, which is home to several locally-owned shops, galleries, restaurants, and other businesses along East Fairview Avenue. The area’s large, historic homes may be familiar to you if you’ve seen the movie “Big Fish,” which was filmed here in 2003. You can also take a break at Cafe Louisa, a bakery that also serves great coffee.

Downtown Montgomery doesn’t roll up the sidewalks at night. In fact, downtown is home to many popular bars and restaurants, including Montgomery’s only production brewery, Common Bond. You can have a pint or a flight, and if you’re hungry bring over something from Bibb Street Pizza Company, next door. If you’re looking for a more formal dinner, downtown has many other choices, including Wintzell’s Oyster House, a branch of the Mobile original, and Central, one of the city’s most popular upscale restaurants, which specializes in steaks, chicken, and fish from its wood-fired oven. If you’re not ready to call it a night, Aviator Bar, also downtown, is a local favorite.

Day 2
You’ll want to set aside a day for Montgomery’s two signature attractions, The Legacy Museum and the National Memorial for Peace and Justice, which you can visit in either order. The museum is busy enough that you’ll need a timed ticket, and you may want to go early because it can be very busy, especially on weekends. The museum, housed in a former slave warehouse, covers lynching, racial segregation (“Jim Crow”) laws, and mass incarceration, the three primary successors to slavery in the United States. It takes a while to digest all there is to see and read here, and it’s well worth every moment you spend.

After the museum, you’ll need a break to decompress and unwind. You can sit in the adjacent cafe, which shares space with a wonderful bookstore, or you can head out to lunch somewhere like Martin’s (if you are looking for delicious fried chicken, this is definitely your spot). Unfortunately, it’s not open on Saturday. If you have a car and don’t mind driving a bit, Southern Comfort in Hope Hull (out near the airport) is a popular spot for barbecue and other Southern comfort foods (including its own pretty good fried chicken), and it’s open every day.

When you’re ready, head back downtown and visit the National Memorial for Peace and Justice, which documents and memorializes the thousands of lynchings that occurred since the Civil War. The memorial, set on six acres, demands a slow pace, which is fitting for the subject matter. A slow walk through the memorial takes at least 60 to 90 minutes.

Have dinner at Vintage Year in the Cloverdale neighborhood, a favorite special-occasion spot in Montgomery that began as a wine shop. The wine list has won awards, while the restaurant’s food has been recognized by the James Beard Society. You’ll need reservations. After dinner, if you aren’t ready for bed, head over to Leroy, also in Cloverdale. It may look like a dive, but you’ll find a surprisingly long list of craft cocktails and 18 beers on tap. If you are looking for a little Williamsburg, Brooklyn atmosphere in Montgomery, you’ll find it here.

You aren’t done with Montgomery yet. Your final day can go in any number of directions, but if it’s Sunday, you won’t want to miss the chance to have a good Southern breakfast.

Day 3
If you can manage to get up early (and even if you can’t), head over to Cahawba House to fortify yourself for the day. Breakfast is served from 6:30 to 10:30 a.m. If you’re looking for some delicious biscuits and gravy, grits, cinnamon beignets, locally made jams and jellies, or Conecuh sausages, you may find yourself standing in a long line to order at the counter. It’s definitely worth the wait.

Just around the corner is the NewSouth Bookstore, an excellent source for anything related to Southern history or literature. They will also be happy to give you advice on what to see and do.

The final don’t-miss attraction in Montgomery is the Rosa Parks Museum, which offers a look at the beginning of the Civil Rights era. The museum is not just about Ms. Parks but rather all the people and events associated with the year-long Montgomery bus boycott that lasted from December 1955 to December 1956. If you have time, it’s a short walk over to the Freedom Rides Museum, in Montgomery’s former Greyhound bus station. These museums are worth at least an hour, perhaps more.

If you are interested in Alabama history, you are in luck. There’s the Museum of Alabama, which covers the history of the state in some detail. It’s near the Alabama State Capitol (the building is open weekdays and Saturdays, and there are regularly scheduled guided tours on Saturdays). You may especially want to visit the Goat Hill Museum Store inside the Capitol building.

Are you are a baseball fan? If you are visiting between April and August, there’s a pretty good chance the Montgomery Biscuits will be playing during your visit. The games are held in the Montgomery Riverwalk Stadium. How about Hank Williams? The native son is memorialized in the Hank Williams Museum in downtown Montgomery.

Whatever you do, try to find time to get out to Capitol Oyster Bar. It’s decidedly off the beaten path but has a scenic, riverfront location and is a wonderful destination for fresh fried seafood at lunch and dinner, open Wednesday through Sunday. On Sundays, you’ll almost always find some kind of blues performance around 5 p.m., which typically has a cover charge (though you can eat inside without paying the cover).

For the complete article please see https://www.fodors.com/world/north-america/usa/alabama/montgomery/experiences/news/the-perfect-weekend-getaway-montgomery-from-atlanta

Alabama self-drive vacation included in UK Travel Weekly magazine
From the article by Katie McGonagle on TravelWeekly.co.uk:

Editor note: The July 2 edition of Travel Weekly features a 3-page spread on American driving vacations. Alabama’s Civil Rights Trail is one of only four self-drive packages highlighted in the article. Travel Weekly magazine is targeted to the UK travel industry and has a circulation of 45,000.

Best for… Civil Rights History
The Black Lives Matter movement has captured the public imagination in recent weeks, and nowhere does the struggle for political representation and social equality become clearer than along the Civil Rights Trail in the Southern states of the US. The full trail covers more than 100 sites across 14 states, so narrow it down to a more manageable portion with a self‐drive journey.

Venessa Alexander, managing director of Global Travel Marketing and UK representative for Alabama Tourism, says: “Alabama was at the heart of the civil rights movement in the US. Many of the key moments in the movement that occurred in Alabama have been very well preserved for people to truly understand the importance of what happened there in the fight for human rights and how it continues to this day.”

Fly into Atlanta and head to state capital Montgomery to visit the Rosa Parks Museum, dedicated to the woman who famously refused to give up her seat on a city bus.

Next, head to Selma, starting point for the landmark civil rights march that changed the course of the campaign, and Birmingham, a centre for the civil rights movement where a whole district is dedicated to its history.

To see the entire Travel Weekly publication, go to https://www.travelweekly.co.uk

Alabama’s beaches manage surge of visitors, spike in coronavirus
From the article by John Sharp on AL.com:

At least eight restaurants have had to shut down for sanitization after employees tested positive for coronavirus. The fireworks in Gulf Shores and at the OWA entertainment complex are canceled. Gulf Shores city hall is closed to the public after two employees tested positive for COVID-19.

But the beaches are filling up in record-setting numbers, both pleasing and startling city officials who are alarmed over the sudden rise of coronavirus cases in Baldwin County.

“They are still coming,” Orange Beach Mayor Tony Kennon said. “Most of these folks are coming from places worse off than we are. They are coming to paradise. It concerns all of us who live here. It’s walking a tight rope.”

Scorching-hot market
The Fourth of July weekend is historically the busiest time period for coastal Alabama’s beach communities, but this year is different: The beaches have been experiencing Independence Day-like traffic for weeks.

After the beaches were closed through a state order in March and through April, they have been the hottest go-to places since May 1. Rental agencies are experiencing numbers that outpace previous record-setting vacation seasons. Some are attributing the torrid pace to the temporary and prolonged closures of the Florida Panhandle beaches during early May, and the closure of amusement parks, such as Walt Disney World theme parks in Orlando.

According to Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism, vacation rental occupancy is exceeding last year’s record-setting pace. In June, occupancy rates were 82.8%, up from 82.1% in 2019. In May, the rates were 70.9%, up from 56.1%. The tourism bureau attributes the May spike to the reopening of the beaches at a time when schools were closed, people working flexible hours from home and federal stimulus money assisting helping Americans afford extra travel.

“Traveler sentiment research shows there was pent-up demand to get out of the house and travel to a destination that offered beaches and outdoor nature pursuits suitable for social distancing,” said Joanie Flynn, vice president of marketing for Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism. “We were one of the first beach markets that reopened. At the end of April 2020, when we reopened, both Orange Beach and Gulf Shores were near the top of online searches for beach destinations (in the country).”

Further fueling the surge, Flynn said, was the lowered interest in international and domestic air travel and the rise of people pursuing road trips. Alabama’s Gulf Coast is historically a drive-to market, and a popular destination for Alabama residents driving south on Interstate 65. Of the nearly 6.9 million visitors who came to Baldwin County in 2019, a whopping 92% drove.

“A research study we subscribe to shows that people are willing to drive as far as 700 miles to visit a beach destination that offers a selection of outdoor activities,” Flynn said. “(Recreational vehicle) road trips are also popular this summer, and Gulf State Park and our other available RV parks are seeing strong utilization.”

Virus concerns
The surge is creating alarm for some residents, and Gulf Shores City Councilman Steven Jones is hearing from them.

Jones said residents and business owners are also expressing some surprise that Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey and State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris didn’t call for a closure of the beaches again when they extended the State’s “Safer at Home” health order to July 31.

Baldwin County, which remained relatively unscathed from the worst effects of COVID-19 from March to early June, has seen its number spike in the past 14 days. Of the 735 total cases within the county, 336 or 46% have been added in the past two weeks. Another 92 positive cases were added on Thursday, representing a single-day high for the county.

The increase is happening as Alabama is also spiking with record numbers, adding 1,758 new cases on Thursday and setting single-day record. The surge has prompted city governments in Mobile and Tuscaloosa last week to enact mandatory face covering ordinances joining Birmingham, Montgomery, Selma and Jefferson County.

“The chamber of commerce’s phones are ringing every day with the same question: Are your beaches open and are they going to be open?” Jones said. “I’m a little surprised Ivey (didn’t consider) a beach closure. I didn’t have any idea what she would say and do and a lot of people were surprised she didn’t do something a little more tighter than what she did.”

Kennon and Jones do not expect the cities to enact a face covering requirement similar to Mobile, which carries a fine for violators.

Visitors who stop into one of the coastal area’s welcome centers can pick up a mask while also picking up brochures that are wrapped in plastic.

Said Jones, “Many cities are dealing with residents and not many visitors, but we are in a much more difficult place and speculate that by requiring a face covering, how in the world would a police department of 50 people police 100,000 people per day? How effective are we going to be able to physically enforce those regulations?”

Added Kennon, “There is no way to enforce it. We don’t have the manpower. We are trying hard to impress upon people (to wear) a mask and follow the directives of the (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), but I just don’t know how you enforce (a mandate).”

So far, beach patrols haven’t issued anything other than warnings to beach-goers for disobeying social distancing requirements. The State Health Order still requires six-feet social distancing but does not limit gatherings. The initial health order, in early May, required gatherings be limited to fewer than 10 people at one time.

Jones said during a recent trip to Walmart, about 50% of the people inside the store wore face coverings. But he’s noticed the visitors flocking to the beaches this year are unconcerned about safety precautions, and are also not “treating the area with respect.” They are leaving litter on the beaches and violating the coastal area’s “Leave Only Footprints” campaign that requires tents and other personal items removed daily from the beaches.

“By and large, our visitors are not interested in protecting themselves and the people who live here,” said Jones. “It’s also clear that a lot of (Florida) beaches have closed, so they are flocking to us. They are not our regular visitors. The normal visitors have embraced the ‘Leave Only Footprints’ but this new rash of visitor is trying us because they can’t go elsewhere. They are not treating our area with respect and that is very clear.”

Jones said he isn’t sure there is anything extra Gulf Shores can do to help reduce the COVID-19 spread, adding he isn’t sure there is a “consensus” among local officials on adding additional measures beyond what is in place.

The city of Gulf Shores, on Thursday, announced a “zero tolerance” approach to enforcement of any person or business who refuses to comply with social distancing requirements. Failure to comply could lead to a fine of up to $500 or a business license suspension. Individuals are also strongly encouraged to wear facial coverings while inside businesses or other indoor venues which are open to the public.

“We are weighing the economic impact with the human safety impact,” said Jones. “As things rise, you have to wonder when the human safety aspect will take precedent over the economy.”

Rental rebound
For rental agencies, the economy is good with bookings eclipsing 90% in June and headed for 100% over the Fourth of July. Overall, the economy is on the uptick in Baldwin County with the overall unemployment rate dropping from a high-water mark in April at 15.4% in to 9.6% in May.

“Unless there is another mandatory closing of specific businesses by the state again, we believe we have seen the peak for unemployment in Baldwin County,” said Lee Lawson, president & CEO with the Baldwin County Economic Development Alliance.

The fear of a closure still exists, said Hunter Harrelson, owner of Beachball Properties. Hurricane season is also a concern, he said.

“Guests seem to be waiting 14-21 days out to book due to fear of the beaches closing again and the weather,” Harrelson said.

But the recent surge in the virus is having little harmful effect on business, according to Harrelson and other rental agents.

“Individuals who are fearful of the virus are choosing not to come and the rest are still planning to visit the beaches,” said Harrelson. “We are fielding more calls from guests fearful that the beaches will close, not the uptick in cases. Us, the Florida Panhandle and the Carolinas seem to be the only games in town for vacationers to get away to within driving distance.”

Randy Hall, president/owner of Liquid Life Vacations, said he hasn’t heard “very many people” who are concerned about the virus. Liquid Life Properties manages 330 rentals in the region, and the company has not “had a direct report of a positive COVID-19 test anywhere near our business.”

But the virus has hit home for Hall: His 78-year-old mother who lives in a nursing home tested positive eight weeks ago.

“She has all kinds of health issues (but) she never had a symptom,” said Hall. “She is now testing negative. Our family is very pleased. I look forward to visiting her but I understand the boundaries (preventing visitations at nursing homes).”

Rental units are increasing cleaning protocols during the pandemic. At Liquid Life, Hall said his crews are taking “extra care to wrap and contain dirty soiled linens” from inside the condominiums to the company’s main facility.

“For our company, owning the equipment and employing the cleaners directly has provided a degree of control,” said Hall, noting that most management companies hire third-party cleaning companies.

“The labor market is very tight,” Hall added. “We had to almost double pay to get cleaners.”

Harrelson said his company is taking cleanliness seriously. Door knobs, handles, remotes, etc., are sanitized routinely, he said.

Visitors, he said, are mostly unconcerned.

“The guests visiting our area seem to understand the risk and are more concerned with getting away from home than contracting a virus that 99-plus percent of people recover from,” said Harrelson.

Herb Malone, president & CEO with Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism, said his agency continues to stress to the rental agencies and other tourism businesses to stress the “importance of adhering to the guidelines” in the state’s Health Order as well as the CDC’s guidelines for social distancing and hand washing.

Kimberly Boyle, assistant professor of Restaurant, Hotel and Meetings Management at the University of Alabama, said despite the recent rise in coronavirus cases, the public isn’t staying away from the beaches.

“Those with underlying health conditions may cancel or postpone until the fall, but the average family will keep their scheduled beach trip,” said Boyle. “We are drawn to water and having a beach vacation is the escape we all needed after the shutdown. Visitors can still keep their social distancing at the beach, order take-out, cook at the condo and use the grocery delivery service, just like at home.”

For the complete article please see https://www.al.com/news/2020/07/walking-a-tight-rope-alabamas-beaches-manage-surge-of-visitors-spike-in-coronavirus.html

Montgomery BLM mural artist featured on TODAY
From the article on WSFA.com:

The artist of the Black Lives Matter mural in downtown Montgomery caught the attention of the national audience.

Montgomery native Michelle Browder was featured on NBC’s TODAY Wednesday for her mural surrounding the Court Square Fountain in downtown Montgomery.

Browder told TODAY she believes art has the ability to change worldviews.

“Nina Simone said, ‘It is my duty to use my art to speak truth to power,’ and so that’s what I’m doing,” Browder said.

Browder said her mural was not only meant to start conversation about the actual art piece itself, but the history that exists at the center of what the art surrounds.

The area that surrounds the Court Square Fountain was the center of Montgomery’s slave trade. It’s also within view of the nearby Winter Building where the telegraph was sent that marked the start of the Civil War, as well as the statue of Rosa Parks that reminds visitors of the spot where she refused to give up her seat on a city bus.

“It’s so historical,” said Browder. “Like, that fountain has seen every aspect of history as it relates to Black lives.”

For the complete article please see https://www.wsfa.com/2020/07/03/montgomery-black-lives-matter-mural-artist-featured-today/#:~:text=MONTGOMERY%2C%20Ala., Square%20Fountain%20in%20downtown%20Montgomery

Lincoln begins work on $6 million, 38-acre fishing park
From the article by William Thornton on AL.com:

Despite a pandemic that now has a stranglehold on the state’s economy, one small Alabama city is wading into a new economic development project they believe could lure big dollars.

Lincoln, already known for its Honda manufacturing plant and nearby Talladega Superspeedway, is building a $6 million fishing park that local leaders hope will inject more tourism dollars into the small town off Interstate 20.

About 75 people attended the groundbreaking for a 38-acre site off Travis Drive, not far from the Honda plant, on the banks of Logan Martin Lake. Officials said they hope the park will be completed by the end of the year, depending on the weather.

The park was designed to host bass fishing tournaments, and will be built to accommodate about 300 truck and boat combinations. It can also be used by recreational fishers, and leaders hope the park will be a catalyst for hotels, restaurants, and other development.

The park will feature 10 boat launches, a 1,400-foot boardwalk and concrete parking areas, Keith Strickland, project manager with Goodwyn, Mills & Cawood, said.

“Hopefully by next spring, we’ll be fishing out here,” Strickland said.

The project has been in the works since 2016, Watson said, with an idea of creating a destination spot that takes advantage of the water and its location to the Interstate. Logan Martin Lake covers 18,000 acres and is a popular spot for fishing and water activities throughout the year. Watson said fishing tournament organizations gave input into the design.

The COVID-19 pandemic and its effect on the economy had no effect on the project’s timing, he said, but underscored the need to begin work.

“We wanted this to have as much impact as we could get,” he said. “Just like Honda was a spark for this area, we hope this is another.”

For the complete article please see https://www.al.com/business/2020/06/lincoln-begins-work-on-6-million-38-acre-fishing-park.html

Alabama Tourism Partner Pointer

Would you like your events to be featured in the 2021 Alabama Vacation Guide? Add and update your 2021 events by July 31.

Be sure to include an image! Sign in today at https://partners.alabama.travel/

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.

For more information contact Dwayne O’Riley at: dwayne.oriley@tourism.alabama.gov

Tourism Tuesday June 30, 2020

Ivey extends Safer at Home order; beaches remain open

Demand for beach vacations over July 4 ‘stronger than ever’

Space Camp resuming in Huntsville after virus shutdown

Mobile lodging community creates the first tourism improvement district in the state

Muscle Shoals music landmarks’ plans for surviving

Flat Rock Park a ‘natural wonder’ for recreation and biological diversity

Airport launches airport Artway and Community Art Wall

Alabama Tourism Partner Pointer

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Ivey extends Safer at Home order; beaches remain open
From the article by Leada Gore on AL.com:

Gov. Kay Ivey is extending Alabama’s Safer at Home order through July 31.

The order, in place since May 1, was set to expire Friday. Ivey is extending the order through the end of July as COVID case numbers in Alabama continue to rise.

“This is an unprecedented event in our state, our country and our world,” Ivey said in making the announcement from Montgomery. “We are learning to live with this disease and need to continue to do what we need to do to avoid another total shutdown.”

Ivey also warned that if case numbers continue to grow and hospitals are strained, “we reserve the right to reverse course.”

The Safer at Home order will expire July 31 at 5 p.m.

The order requires entertainment venues, gyms, childcare facilities and close-contact service providers such as salons and barber shops to follow social distancing guidelines and sanitation rules and, in most cases, wear masks. Retail stores may open with 50% occupancy rate.

Orders also limit capacity inside restaurants.

Ivey did not close Alabama’s beaches, a step taken in some places to prevent greater outbreaks after the July 4 holiday.

For the complete article please see https://www.al.com/news/2020/06/gov-kay-ivey-offering-coronavirus-update-today.html

Demand for beach vacations over July 4 ‘stronger than ever’
From the article by Alison Fox on TravelAndLeisure.com:

Americans looking to get away for July 4 are overwhelmingly booking relaxing, toes-in-the-sand-type destinations, according to data from home booking site Vrbo shared with Travel + Leisure.

Travelers who booked a stay on the site for the holiday weekend mostly picked beachy locales in the South, followed by those on the East Coast, according to Vrbo, with the Florida Panhandle coming in as the top booked destination.

“We typically see families trying to get out of town for the 4th of July, but this year’s list of top destinations reveals that the desire to soak up the sun and fresh air at a beach… is stronger than ever,” Melanie Fish, a Vrbo travel expert, told Travel + Leisure in an email. “As summer heats up, families are using it as an opportunity to get a much-needed change of scenery.”

Gulf Shores/Orange Beach in Alabama came in as the second most popular holiday weekend spot, with the Hamptons in New York, which saw demand grow twice as much as any other destination, coming in third. The Hamptons started reopening in time for Memorial Day with some popular Montauk resorts welcoming guests after New York’s Gov. Andrew Cuomo OK’d state and local beaches to reopen.

Fish noted the Outer Banks in North Carolina, which came in at No. 7 on the list, is also seeing a large spike in searches. The area, recently featured on a Netflix show, is known for its herds of wild horses.

In general, Fish said 95 percent of demand for summer travel is for non-urban destinations.

Vacation home rentals are becoming a popular choice for travelers hitting the road in a post-COVID-19 world, experts have shared with Travel + Leisure. To that end, bookings for Labor Day on sites like Airbnb and Vrbo are actually comparable to last year for the same time period, according to Guesty, a property management platform.

These are the top 10 destinations for July 4, according to Vrbo’s booking data.

Florida Panhandle, FL.

Gulf Shores/Orange Beach, AL.

The Hamptons, NY.

Hilton Head, SC.

San Diego, CA.

Myrtle Beach, SC.

Outer Banks, NC.

Gatlinburg, TN.

Cape Cod, MA.

Charleston, SC.

For the complete article please see https://www.travelandleisure.com/travel-tips/travel-trends/july-4th-destinations-us-vrbo

Space Camp resuming in Huntsville after virus shutdown
From the article by Alison Fox on APNews.com:

Space Camp is resuming at the U.S. Space and Rocket Center in Huntsville after shutting down because of the coronavirus pandemic.

A scaled-back version of the popular program will resume Sunday as students arrive for a week of hands-on lessons and activities related to space travel, WHNT-TV reported.

Fewer campers than normal will be present, and workers have adjusted some of the activities to reduce the chance of spreading the virus that causes COVID-19.

The state-owned space museum that operates Space Camp also has reopened with limited attendance rules, physical distancing and additional cleaning procedures. The museum closed some activities where it wasn’t possible for visitors to stay apart.

For the complete article please see https://apnews.com/64593dc3d6fd9e5241 ddb9e1c35c2f47

Mobile lodging community creates the first tourism improvement district in the state
The Mobile Area Lodging Corporation announced today that they have formed a Mobile Tourism Improvement District (MTID). The proposed district provides specific benefits to over 65 lodging properties by funding targeted marketing and sales promotion efforts designed to generate hotel room nights. The MTID includes all lodging properties with 40 rooms or more located within the boundaries of the City of Mobile. The annual assessment rate will be $1.00 per occupied room night, a cost that will be assessed to the hotel guest and included on the guest’s room portfolio upon checkout. On May 19, the Mobile City Council formally approved the MTID.

“The Tourism Improvement District is a game changer and is a terrific example of what coming together collectively can do to raise the bar in elevating lodging and tourism in our great city,” says Kent Blackinton, President of the Mobile Area Lodging Association. “Our lodging partners are united and are ready to be innovative to produce positive results. All stakeholders win.”

The MTID is designed to provide benefits directly to assessed lodging properties through targeted digital, print, broadcast, internet and mobile advertising and communications for leisure marketing as well as convention sales efforts. Visitor interaction programs and capital improvement projects affecting a tourist’s experience are also elements of the district. The Mobile Area Lodging Corporation (MALC) is made up of six hoteliers from each geographic part of the City, the MALA president, one attractions representative, one restaurant representative and two non-voting representatives from the City of Mobile and Visit Mobile. MALC will have full oversight of the use of the MTID funds. Visit Mobile, the city and county’s official destination marketing organization, will develop and execute the marketing plan under the direct supervision and approval of the Mobile Area Lodging Corporation.

“The Tourism Improvement District creates a significant platform to position Mobile as a top tourist destination,” says David Clark, Visit Mobile President & CEO. “Thank you to our lodging partners for seven years of hard work and tremendous leadership to bring the MTID to fruition.”

Over 165 Tourism Improvement Districts have been formed since the introduction of the program in 1989. New Orleans, Kenner, Savannah, Memphis, and Tampa are other southern cities with or pursuing a Tourism Improvement District.

Muscle Shoals music landmarks’ plans for surviving
From the article by Matt Wake on AL.com:

Last year, a combined total of 60,000 or so people visited Muscle Shoals’ FAME Studios, Sheffield’s Muscle Shoals Sound Studio and Tuscumbia’s Alabama Music Hall of Fame.

The triumvirate draws guests from all 50 states. And from foreign lands like the U.K., Australia, Thailand, Japan, Germany, Sweden, Netherlands, Canada and Syria, too.

After shutting down mid-March due to the coronavirus pandemic, the hall, FAME and Muscle Shoals Sound are back in the tourism business.

“The reaction from visitors now is very different than before the pandemic,” says the hall of fame’s marketing manager, Mackenzie Akin. “The visitors seem to stay a little longer, go a little slower through the museum and ask more questions.”

Muscle Shoals Sound executive director Debbie Wilson says the studio’s post-shutdown guests, “mention we have been on their bucket list and are excited we are open.”

FAME co-owner Rodney Hall says studio tours help continue the legacy of the studio – and of the legendary musicians, songwriters, producers and others who shaped the Muscle Shoals sound. “We are telling the story to a new generation,” Hall says, “that wasn’t lucky enough to live through the golden era of recording. So many times, we get fans of the soul music made here in the ’60s and ’70s, with their kids and grandkids. The kids are just along for the ride. Then they hear that Jason Isbell or Demi Lovato recorded here and they are all about it.”

In some ways, the song remains the same for Muscle Shoals music. But amid an ongoing pandemic, how tours are conducted has changed. At Alabama Music Hall of Fame, where inductees range from country legend Hank Williams to R&B star Martha Reeves, only eight guests are now allowed to tour the museum at one time. There are areas and inside the facility for guests to wait their turn. Visitors are asked to wear masks. Before reopening June 2, the entire museum was thoroughly cleaned and sanitizing stations set up throughout.

Signature items on display include a tour bus used by Fort Payne country stars Alabama. The bus is big enough the museum had to be constructed around it. The bus exterior is emblazoned with Alabama’s band logo, and hall of fame guests can even enter the ’80s model vehicle and look around. “Everything inside is original,” Akin says, “so you get a full concept of what it was like to travel on tour with the group Alabama, from the shag carpet to mauve sofas.”

FAME Studios reopened for tours June 1. Hall says the facility is following current Center for Disease Control guidelines. Those include social distancing, masks required and tour groups limited to eight or less. ” We are constantly disinfecting and cleaning everything following each tour,” Hall says. But since FAME remains an active recording studio with a Neve console and other world-class gear, cleaning is a meticulous process. “We never spray anything on equipment,” Hall says, “but wipe it down with a lightly dampened cloth. Mics are the most complicated. We can’t actually clean the vocal mics, but we can clean the exterior wind screens on the mic as well as external wind screens.”

Fans who tour FAME get to see items like the Wurlitzer electric piano heard on hundreds of hit records, including Aretha Franklin’s “I Never Loved a Man (The Way I Love You)” and Etta James’ “I’d Rather Go Blind.” The walls are literally covered with historic photos of stars who recorded there, including Wilson Pickett, Otis Redding, Duane Allman, Little Richard and Bobbie Gentry. Back in the ’60s, Hall’s father – late great producer, songwriter and studio mastermind Rick Hall – had the foresight to book a photographer for major sessions. “We really don’t have wall space for them all,” Rodney Hall says. “We are thinking of doing a coffee table book at some point.”

Muscle Shoals Sound reopened June 2, and will even be open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on July 4. Staff and visitors are required to wear masks, no exceptions. In addition to limiting tour group sizes, the tour has also been modified, for now only the studio’s upstairs is toured. Staff frequently sanitizes the interior. Hand sanitizer for guests can be found throughout the building. Until it’s time for tours, guests are asked to wait outside, in a charming umbrella and chairs dotted area. Up front in the Muscle Shoals Sound gift shop, some shelving has been removed and merchandise spread out more, to open the space up a bit.

Muscle Shoals Sound guests can see the black baby grand piano used on hits like Bob Seger smash “Old Time Rock and Roll” and the original demo of Lynyrd Skynyrd anthem “Free Bird.” Swampers studio musician David Hood’s old bass rig is still there. As is the tiny bathroom where Keith Richard wrote lyrics for The Rolling Stones’ ballad “Wild Horses.”

Given health concerns, the studio no longer allows guests to sit at or play that piano. Or sit at the console inside the nearby glassed-off control room. “We loved being hands on, but that has had to change unfortunately,” Wilson says.

Being closed during April and May, tourism prime-time, was devastating for Muscle Shoals Sound. “It is like Christmas for retailers,” Wilson says. “We’ve lost our Christmas and will find it challenging to get through the winter months.”

Muscle Shoals Sound’s business model relies heavily on merch sales and studio tours. Recording sessions and fundraisers comprise Muscle Shoals Sounds’ third-largest revenue stream. In 2018, after renovations, Muscle Shoals Sound began hosting recording sessions again. Hard-rock band Rival Sons recorded some of their Grammy nominated album “Feral Roots” here. So did rising Southern rockers and Rolling Stones/Guns N’ Roses opening act Bishop Gunn.

Pre-pandemic shutdown, producer Dave Cobb – who helmed “Feral Roots” as well as albums by Jason Isbell, Brandi Carlile, Highwaywomen and Chris Stapleton – had planned on bringing a “well-known pop act” to Muscle Shoals Sound to record this year, Wilson says, “So we hope he reschedules,” Wilson says. “We’ve also had a few country act inquiries as well.”

About 25 percent of Muscle Shoals Sound visitors are international. During the pandemic the U.S. has shutdown borders to travelers from many parts of the world, including Europe and the U.K. currently. Wilson says for MSS the loss of international guests is financially devastating. “Internationals outspend domestic travelers three to one,” Wilson says.

Muscle Shoals Sound’s biggest fundraiser of the year, an April 25 concert on the grounds with sponsors and ticket sales estimated to bring in about $30,000 was canceled. To offset revenue lost to the pandemic, Muscle Shoals Sound was able to obtain an Alabama Humanities Foundation grant. “We’re also pursuing other grant opportunities,” Wilson says.

Since Muscle Shoals Sound reopened, many guests have been from within a two or three state “day drive.” There’s been a noticeable uptick in visitors arriving via RVs. “So far everyone is good with the masks and social distancing and appreciate the precautions,” Wilson says.

FAME’s primary revenue streams are studio time, tours, merchandise sales and royalties. Tours and merch became a much larger factor the last five years, Hall says. When FAME shutdown in March, a band had been recording there for about 10 days and finished the session. Then, everything else the studio had booked started canceling. “We just hunkered down and sucked it up like everyone,” Hall says. “Luckily we qualified for a little of the government stimulus money so we didn’t lay anyone off due to the shutdown. However, our income was devastated. We went from our best first quarter in years to absolutely zero. Other than a few online orders our income stopped on a dime – pun intended.”

On the business side, during shutdown FAME conducted online video meetings via Zoom with partners planning for future possibilities. The studio did a couple of remote recording sessions during this time, including one involving guitarist Nuno Bettencourt of the hard-rock band Extreme. “They were in L.A. and wanted our horn guys on their record,” Hall says. “Through emerging technology, we were able to record horn overdubs in real time while those guys produced the track from Los Angeles.” Bettencourt previously recorded at FAME in 2019. With Aerosmith singer Steven Tyler and local session musicians, he cut a rousing cover of Stones rocker “Brown Sugar,” for a Muscle Shoals music tribute album.

FAME reopened for in-studio recording sessions May 18. “The musicians are really just so happy to be able to sit in a room again with a group of folks making music together,” Hall says. “That is such a huge part of what we do here. We put great players into our great sounding rooms with great equipment. When the song is there, magic will happen.” FAME is currently in discussions to book sessions for, as Hall puts it, “some true international celebrities to come in later this year.”

During shutdown, Alabama Music Hall of Fame staff worked from home to complete backburner projects, including a revised marketing plan and updated inductee contact info.

Since most Alabama Music Hall of Fame artifacts displayed are behind glass and protected from the elements, chemicals used to clean the building never came in contact with those items. The museum’s busiest months are typically April and May because of school field trips. But none of that happened this year. Still, if reopening restrictions continue to be lifted in Alabama, Akin believes August could be a strong month. The hall is also seeing increased interest in renting the facility’s outdoor stage, as during coronavirus people seem to be more comfortable easing back into public events held outside. “Just like with every other industry,” Akin says, “the pandemic has been a learning experience for travel and tourism. We are seeing people visiting more local attractions they may have not been to in a while. And we see tourists seeking out smaller destinations to visit, which puts the Shoals area in the mix.”

The hall of fame is planning upcoming exhibits through 2021, including a Grammy winning artist themed project. Since arriving late 2018, the museum’s executive director Sandra Burroughs is reaching out to other parts of Alabama, besides legacy rich Muscle Shoals, so the entire state’s music is better represented, Akin says. “We plan to hit the road soon to do live broadcasts from other areas of the state with stories and concerts that highlight more talent statewide.”

It takes about 45 minutes to an hour to walk through the Alabama Music Hall of Fame, located at 617 Hwy. 72 W. The museum is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday. Admission ranges from $10 for adults to free for ages 5 and under). FAME Studios, 603 Avalon Ave., conducts tours on the hour 10 a.m. through 2 p.m. Saturdays as well as 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. only Monday through Friday. Cost is $10, with $5 admission for ages under 12. Located at 3614 Jackson Highway, Muscle Shoals Sound is open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, with tours every half-hour. Pricing ranges from $15 for adults to free for ages 10 and under. More info at alamhof.org, famestudios.com and
muscleshoalssoundstudio.org.

Depending on level of guest interaction, FAME and MSS tours can range from about 30 minutes to an hour. Fans get to hear about the studios’ history, tales from iconic sessions and more. Some of these stories were told in the excellent 2013 “Muscle Shoals” documentary film. But being in the rooms where that history was made is a special experience.

Even if fans can’t make it to Muscle Shoals right now, they should revisit timeless tracks made here. Songs like the Staple Singers sanctified gem “I’ll Take You There,” cut at Muscle Shoals Sound, and Wilson Pickett’s jubilant “Land of 1000 Dances,” recorded at FAME, aren’t vaccines. But they can help a worn-thin soul feel more whole.

For the complete article please see https://www.al.com/business/2020/06/how-muscle-shoals-music-meccas-are-surviving-and-reopening.html

Flat Rock Park a ‘natural wonder’ for recreation and biological diversity
From the article by Michael Sznajderman on AlabamaNewsCenter.com:

Alabama is blessed with many places of natural beauty and biological importance. That is the basis for 2020 being designated as the “Year of Natural Wonders” by the Alabama Tourism Department.

State officials have compiled their list of “20 for 2020” natural wonders to explore. The designation has also spurred conversations about other unique places in the state where biological diversity is thriving.

One of those places is Flat Rock Park in Randolph County, which was recently included in a list of the “Next 10 natural wonders” in Alabama.

“Just to see that habitat – it is absolutely amazing,” said Dan Spaulding, senior curator at the Anniston Museum of Natural History and a co-author of a recent inventory of plant life found at or near Flat Rock Park.

Operated and managed by Alabama Power, Flat Rock is a 25-acre day-use park that sits on a shelf of granite overlooking the company’s Lake Harris, also known as Lake Wedowee. Part of the granite shelf, or outcrop, extends 20 acres beyond the recreation area and hosts a remarkable variety of plants.

Tom Diggs, a botanist at the University of North Georgia, led the survey team that included Spaulding and Katie Horton, a Ph.D. student at the University of Missouri. They spent months identifying the plant life on and near Flat Rock. In a report issued in February, the team tallied 365 plant species growing at the site during the course of the 2019 growing season. Among them were 67 species never recorded in the county before. The spotted scorpion weed in Alabama grows only on rock outcrops in Randolph County.

Granite outcrops are rare and present a unique habitat for plants that are tough enough to exist in harsh conditions, especially during the heat of summer.

“They look like a moonscape,” Spaulding said.

And yet, during the hottest times of the year, granite outcrops can explode in colorful flora, Diggs said. “Late winter, early spring you have these incredible plants that come out of these vernal pools.”

Vernal pools are small, eroded depressions that fill up with clear, nutrient-poor water that collects off the rock shelf during rains.

One of the more showy and rare plants at Flat Rock is the elf orpine, which – if conditions are ripe – will bloom in a burst of red with tiny white blooms, Diggs said.

In summer, the granite outcrop can explode with thousands of knee-high stone mountain daisies and longleaf sunflowers, along with purple, small-head blazing star.

“These flat rock outcrops, large numbers of species are associated with them and them only,” Diggs said.

In the report, surveyors documented 10 “species of conservation concern” found at Flat Rock that face some, or even serious, risk of extinction because of their rarity, their restricted range or because their populations have seen steep declines. Among them are the spotted scorpion weed, Harper’s dodder and granite flatsedge.

The survey listed a number of invasive plants, such as Japanese privet, yellow bristlegrass and sheep sorrell, that have made their way into the ecosystem.

Jeff Baker, a biologist at Alabama Power, said the company is working with the survey team, the Alabama Glades Conservation Coalition and others to help preserve the habitat, which is adjacent to but distinct from Flat Rock Park’s popular recreation area. He said the company has taken steps to protect the area from vehicular traffic while still allowing pedestrian access for those who want to enjoy its scenic beauty and botanical bounty.

“Alabama Power has been very responsive,” Diggs said.

Baker said, “This is a unique opportunity to work with others to protect the outcrop and help manage the unique and rare plant community so that people can enjoy it for years to come.” And with Pollinator Week 2020 underway, Baker noted, “Many of the flowering plants found at the outcrop are an important food source for many pollinators as well. Pollinators benefit from conservation of natural areas like this.”

Spaulding said the diversity of plant species at Flat Rock isn’t the only reason protecting the granite outcrop habitat is important.

“There’s a lot of reasons you want to preserve the diversity. It’s an interwoven web – a delicate balance in nature. We don’t know, if you remove species, what will happen and topple.

“It’s not only the diversity. It’s beneficial to humankind – for its educational value, and for its psychological and aesthetic value,” Spaulding said. “It is just beautiful.”

For the complete article please see https://www.alabamanewscenter.com/2020/06/23/flat-rock-park-a-natural-wonder-for-recreation-and-biological-diversity

Airport launches airport Artway and Community Art Wall
From the article by Brandon Moseley on ALReporter.com:

The Huntsville Airport announced earlier this month that the Community Art wall has expanded to both sides of the breezeway that connects the airport to the parking garage on the second level.

This area displays art created by budding artists in the North Alabama community and is a reminder that anyone can be an artist. This quarter the Community Art Wall is featuring a series entitled “Visit North Alabama” with works from the Pictures of Hope Program based out of Scottsboro.

Pictures of Hope is an art program developed by Jackson County Drug Court and Family Wellness Court, along with artist Sonya Clemons, to benefit the Recovery Community in Jackson County.

“The Airport Artway and Community Art Wall is a quality of life initiative showcased at Huntsville International Airport,” economic developer Nicole Jones said in a statement. “Students from the Pictures of Hope family wellness program contributed to this quarter’s featured pieces on the Community Art Wall. Pictures of Hope, a voluntary program administered through the Jackson County Drug Court, has an 85 percent drug recovery success rate. It is a blessing to have local artist Sonya Clemons assist students in developing their talents amidst their road to recovery.”

The Huntsville International Airport has an ongoing partnership with the Carnegie Visual Arts Center in Decatur. The program features professional and budding artists from across the Tennessee Valley community. The Airport Artway and Community Art Wall exhibits are available for viewing anytime free of charge. This series will be featured for online viewing to abide by social distancing guidelines.

The Airport Artway is a quarterly exhibit displayed on the second floor of Huntsville International Airport’s terminal building. This area is located just above the airline ticket counters and baggage claim.

Rebecca Burns is the Airport Artway Exhibit Coordinator. The current series brought works from local artists and artists from Franklin, TN. This series explores farmhouse architecture. This series will be available for viewing until Sept. 13.

For the complete article please see https://www.alreporter.com/2020/06/25/huntsville -airport-launches-airport-artway-and-community-art-wall-series-two/

Alabama Tourism Partner Pointer

Would you like your events to be featured in the 2021 Alabama Vacation Guide? Add and update your 2021 events by July 31. Be sure to include an image.

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.

For more information contact Dwayne O’Riley at: dwayne.oriley@tourism.alabama.gov

Tourism Tuesday June 23, 2020

Free Alabama Vacation Guides available

One-of-a-kind culinary science center rising on Auburn University campus

Tourism officials hope the worst is behind them

Tuscaloosa tourism agency director’s contract extended

Alabama chef launched her food truck festival on Juneteenth

Flint Creek Canoe Trail opens

Lost airline luggage sold online for the first time by 50-year-old company

PBS show taped at 16th Street Baptist Church broadcast again

Alabama Tourism Partner Pointer

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Free Alabama Vacation Guides available
Does your attraction, hotel or tourism organization need more copies of the 2020 Alabama Vacation Guide?

Since it will be delivered through UPS, you must list a street address rather than a P.O. address. Please include your phone number and email address in case there are questions.

The Alabama Vacation Guide can be mailed individually or in cases that hold 27 each. Organizations involved with tourism can order up to four cases initially and reorder more if needed.

One-of-a-kind culinary science center rising on Auburn University campus
From the article by Jerry Underwood on AlabamaNewsCenter.com

Construction is moving forward on a groundbreaking building on Auburn University’s campus that will become home to a learning environment that blends a luxury boutique hotel, restaurant and food hall.

Situated at the corner of East Thach Avenue and South College Street in downtown Auburn, the Tony & Libba Rane Culinary Science Center is a 142,000-square-foot complex that will provide hands-on, immersive experiences for students in a facility like no other.

According to Birmingham-based HPM, the construction manager for the project, work began on the structure in April. Auburn alumnus Jimmy Rane, a businessman who is on the university’s board of trustees, helped kick-start the project with a $12 million gift. The world-class facility is named in honor of his parents.

Auburn expects the center to become a draw for students currently in top culinary programs in high schools in Alabama and across the nation. The project was announced in 2019.

“Our students will have unparalleled opportunities to learn best practices in the hospitality and culinary sciences within a luxury setting from the best in the industry,” said June Henton, dean of the College of Human Sciences.

“The entire complex will provide guests with an immersion in hospitality that is second to none.”

Five Diamond goal
In an update on the project, HPM said Auburn is seeking to achieve a rare AAA Five Diamond certification for the hotel component, which is given to less than 0.5% of the 27,000 hotels evaluated annually. HPM previously was owner’s representative during the construction of a $35 million Five Diamond-certified hotel in Houston.

“Our previous history in providing project management leadership on other high-profile hospitality and higher education initiatives made this an ideal fit for HPM,” company president Mike Lanier said.

“We are honored to partner with Auburn University on building this one-of-a-kind facility, which serves as a forerunner that will inspire a new breed of food and beverage, as well as hospitality-focused, learning centers at college campuses across America,” he said.

For the complete article please see https://alabamanewscenter.com/2020/06/22/one-of-a-kind-culinary-science-center-rising-on-auburn-university-campus/

Tourism officials hope the worst is behind them
From the article by Lora Scripps on ENewsCourier.com

The novel coronavirus has left its mark on tourism in the state. However, state tourism officials believe the worst effects could be behind them.

Last week, state officials said Alabama was seeing a 66% decrease from the same time last year when it comes to total tourism dollars spent.

Mississippi was the only state faring better than Alabama with a 63% decrease, according to officials. Hawaii ranked worst in the nation at 96%, and Florida saw an 81% decrease.

Officials said hotel occupancy across the state was at 29% in April, adding it was at 68% occupancy in the same month in 2019. Room rates were also slightly down statewide as the average daily rate was down 30% and revenue per available room had a drop of about 70% from the same time a year ago, officials said.

Reported statewide revenue had also dropped 70%, officials said.

Tourism officials did note they believe the worst is behind them, as weekly trends in hotel occupancy had been climbing since April 11 when occupancy at hotels across the state was at an average of 25%.

The first week in June, officials said hotel occupancy was at a COVID-19 period high at 47% compared to 69% the same week a year ago.

Officials said overall hotel revenue had seen a 43% decline compared to the same time last year.

Athens-Limestone County
Athens-Limestone Tourism President Teresa Todd said local tourism numbers are starting to go up a little in the city. Though she doesn’t have exact numbers for hotel occupancy, she said the city averages 65% annual occupancy and over 70% during peak seasons such as October and spring break.

“We’re being proactive on a lot of things,” Todd said. “We are working closely with our hotels and other organizations such as Athens Parks and Recreation.”

For example, she said tourism is currently working with Parks and Rec to bring ball tournaments to our SportsPlex, which will help hotels with room nights, restaurants, shopping and gas tax.

“It’s a win-win,” she said.

Todd said local tourism officials are also working to keep some tourism events in place such as the annual Red, White & Boom fireworks show and Singing on The Square as long as everyone practices social distancing and sanitizing. However, other annual events have already been canceled or postponed for 2020.

For now, Todd said tourism is working to get things back to normal, or a new normal.

“Right now, it’s the little things we can do to promote all of Limestone County,” she said.

When asked what residents could do to help, Todd said they can help with the look of the community by helping to keep it clean and beautiful.

“We are doing a pretty good job,” she said, adding Alabama Tourism Director Lee Sentell was in Limestone County recently to get a photograph of the Judge James Horton statue on The Square. Todd said Sentell told her about how clean and beautiful it was downtown.

“I beamed with pride,” she said. “It’s about everyone doing their part and picking up after themselves and leaving everything better than it was. It gives a great impression to those who come in for a visit.”

For the complete article please see https://www.enewscourier.com/news /local_news/traveling-through-a-pandemic-tourism-officials-hope-the-worst-is-behind-them/article_a2f2039c-b21d-11ea-a6d9-3fd719042e8a.html

Tuscaloosa tourism agency director’s contract extended
From the article by Jason Morton on TuscaloosaNews.com

The leader of Tuscaloosa’s visitor and recreational recruitment team is sticking around a little longer.

Don Staley, president & CEO of Tuscaloosa Tourism & Sports Commission, has been given a three-year contract extension.

“We are very fortunate to have Don Staley continue as CEO of the Tourism & Sports Commission during this unprecedented time,” said Bill Lloyd, the Tuscaloosa Tourism & Sports Commission’s chairman of the board of directors. “Don’s acceptance of the three-year contract extension shows his commitment to Tuscaloosa.

“This community could not hope for better leadership through the challenges ahead.”

Staley, who had served as executive director of sports for the commission from 2010-14, returned to Tuscaloosa in 2017 to take over as president and CEO.

“I’m thrilled to be home,” said Staley, of returning to the city where he built his career, in 2017.

That contract provided Staley with an annual salary of $120,000 with stipends for business-related phone expenditures, travel and the use of a vehicle for TTS-related purposes

No financial details on the extended contract were available as of press time.

Staley left Tuscaloosa when was hired in 2014 as executive director of the Foley Sports Tourism Complex.

There, he helped guide the branding and implementation of the $32 million venue into a national sporting event destination, increasing tourism and revenue for the area.

These efforts led to his being named the Sports Tourism Executive of the Year by the National Association of Sports Commissions in April 2015.

“Don Staley is one of the best in the industry,” said Rick Hatcher, executive director of the Treasure Coast Sports Commission, the former chairman of the National Association of Sports Commissions and a board member of the Florida Sports Hall of Fame.

In the three years since his return to Tuscaloosa as president and CEO of the Tuscaloosa Tourism and Sports Commission, Staley and his team have recruited and brought numerous events to Tuscaloosa along with supporting events like Tuscaloosa’s Bicentennial celebration.

Additional projects spearheaded or supported by the commission during this time include the Druid City Music Festival, the Tuscaloosa Civil Rights Trail, the Tuscaloosa Virtual Music Experience and the continued increase of tourism to the area.

“I was thrilled, both personally and professionally, to hear about the extension of Don’s contract,” said Jim Page, president and CEO of the West Alabama Chamber of Commerce. “He has been a trusted partner to the chamber and has brought such positive energy to this community.

“I know Don’s talents are highly sought after by other great communities, so having him continue to lead our local tourism industry is such a huge blessing,”

Before departing for Foley, Staley served as the first head soccer coach for the University of Alabama before moving on to play a significant role in the 2007 formation of the Tuscaloosa Sports Foundation, which eventually joined with the Tuscaloosa Convention and Visitors Bureau to form the current Tuscaloosa Tourism & Sports Commission.

One of the foundation’s biggest successes was the 2009 luring of the Alabama High School Athletic Association’s Super Six High School Football Championships, which had been hosted at Birmingham’s Legion Field since 1971.

Working with the AHSAA and the city of Auburn, the championship has alternated sites, between Auburn University and the University of Alabama each year since, serving as a major revenue producer for both cities, boosting lodging, dining and shopping as it brings in thousands of high school football fans and visitors.

“I truly believe TTS is poised for continued success guided by our engaged board of directors, our professional staff and outstanding community partners and I look forward to continuing those collaborations moving forward,” Staley said.

For the complete article please see https://www.tuscaloosanews.com/news/20200622/ tuscaloosa-tourism-agency-directorrsquos-contract-extended

Alabama chef launched her food truck festival on Juneteenth
From the article by Shauna Stuart on AL.com

Whitney Generette, popularly known as Chef Simone, spent a lot of time this past spring thinking about how to expand Simone’s Kitchen ATL, the full service catering company that she operates in both Alabama and Georgia.

She’d invested in a food truck, but the COVID-19 outbreak forced her to put plans for the new venture on hold. But during her time at home, the (figurative) wheels kept turning. Simone had long had been thinking about organizing an event with food trucks. So, she merged the ideas. The result: she’d combine the grand opening of her own food truck with the launch of a bi-weekly food truck festival. And the first edition would be a Juneteenth celebration. For the first event on June 19, every vendor— down to the venue and the food trucks— would be black owned.

Simone’s first installment of Food Truck Fridays kicked off last Friday at the Club M Event Center & Compound on Birmingham’s west side.

Earlier this year, Simone spearheaded her first festival in Birmingham— the Black Excellence Food and Culture Festival. She held the event— a day of entertainment and networking with samples of dishes from more than 15 black-owned restaurants and food trucks— on Feb 29, to commemorate the last day of Black History Month.

So when Simone was planning her next event, she knew she wanted to find a way to celebrate black culture and history. Juneteeth, the annual celebration of the day on June 19, 1865 when Union soldiers, led by Major Gen. Gordon Granger, landed in Galveston, Texas with the news that the Civil War had ended and slaves were free, was the next event on the calendar.

“I try to plan things that are community based, things that promote unity, around significant dates. And Juneteenth is a significant date for African-American unity,” said Simone.

Before moving back home to Birmingham, Simone lived in Atlanta for six years. (And for those who don’t already know, she says the “ATL” in Simone’s Kitchen ATL stands for “A Taste of Love, not the abbreviation for “Atlanta”). Now that Simone is back in her hometown, she wanted to continue the momentum of Atlanta’s vibrant food scene in Birmingham.

“In Atlanta there’s a food festival just about every other weekend, if not every weekend. So, once I moved home, I definitely wanted to keep that same culture going that I enjoyed in Atlanta,” said Simone. “And I realized that Birmingham just didn’t have a lot of those events. So instead of just traveling back (to Atlanta), I said ‘I have the platform to be able to bring something positive to Birmingham that centers around young people just like myself.’ ”

When the young chef spoke to AL.com, she was still keeping mum about most of the details of her food truck’s new menu, but she did describe the concept as a mashup of “Creole Cajun favorites” and “Southern Alabama flair.” The rundown, said Simone, will be full of her favorites.

“So, one of my number ones is called the seafood-stuffed grilled cheese, and that has shrimp and grilled crab meat in it. It’s pretty amazing.”

While the Simone’s Kitchen ATL truck launched in West Birmingham, it won’t stay parked.

“Wherever there are mouths to feed, we are headed there,” she said cheerily.

There were several food trucks at the launch, including NOLA Ice, K&J’s Elegant Pastries, Encore Rouge and Travis Chicago Style.

For now, Chef Simone’s series of Food Truck Fridays will be every other Friday.

For the complete article please see https://www.al.com/life/2020/06/heres-why-this-alabama-chef-is-launching-her-food-truck-festival-on-juneteenth.html

Flint Creek Canoe Trail opens
Flint Creek Canoe Trail to opened Friday.

Recreational developers met Friday on the banks of Flint Creek to open a 20-mile canoe trail in Morgan County.

The Flint Creek Canoe Trail begins just Northeast of Hartselle, continues through Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge and ends at Point Mallard, a popular recreation destination. The development is dotted with access points and campsites to make it easy for paddlers to plan day trips or long-distance paddles through remote portions of the Wheeler National Wildlife Refuge and other sections of Flint Creek.

The project was initiated by Sen. Arthur Orr, R-Decatur, who called on the Alabama Scenic River Trail to develop the Flint Creek Canoe Trail. Orr said previously that he was motivated to initiate the development because of the intrinsic and economic impacts the canoe trail will have on surrounding communities.

“It’s a great introduction to our little-known but wonderful natural world here,” Orr said at the outset of the project. “People will come and spend money and time and take away stories of what they experience and discover.”

The Flint Creek Canoe Trail adds to the existing 6,000-plus miles of waterways that comprise Alabama Scenic River Trail, a state-wide network of river trails that have received national recognition. River trail development along other sections of the Alabama Scenic River Trail has preceded the addition of small-boat rental shops called outfitters, adding a measurable economic impact in some of Alabama’s smallest communities.

The Flint Creek Canoe Trail was completed in partnership with the Wheeler Wildlife Refuge, the Alabama Mountains, Rivers & Valley’s Resource Conservation & Development Council, the Morgan County Rescue Squad and Ace Lawn Care and Landscaping, which assisted in the clearing of vegetation from the waterway.

For more information on The Flint Creek Canoe Trail or The Alabama Scenic River Trail go to alabamascenicrivertrail.com

Lost airline luggage sold online for the first time by 50-year-old company
From the article by Ann W. Schmidt on FoxNews.com

People’s lost and unclaimed airline luggage are being sold online.

Unclaimed Baggage was founded in 1970 when Doyle Owens, an Alabama native, decided to buy unclaimed luggage from Trailways Bus Line in Washington, D.C., according to the company website.

By 1978, Owens made his first partnership with an airline and eventually he had contracts with all U.S. airlines, the website said.

According to the company’s “About” page, airlines “reunite over 99.5% of bags with their owners right away.”

“If a bag is truly lost, airlines pay out a claim to the passenger,” the website said. “It’s only after an extensive three-month search that an unclaimed bag is deemed truly orphaned, a fate realized by less than 0.03% of all checked luggage! That’s where we come in.”

From there, Unclaimed Baggage buys those unclaimed bags and resells about a third of the items they find. The company said it processes 7,000 items every day.

Unclaimed Baggage also donates, recycles and disposes items.

The company used to only operate out of brick-and-mortar location in Scottsboro, Ala., but the company recently moved online, according to a report from Business Insider.

“Our customers have long requested an online version of our in-store shopping experience,” Bryan Owens, Unclaimed Baggage’s CEO, told Business Insider. “We’re glad that as part of our 50th anniversary, shoppers are now able to experience the thrill of the hunt online.”

For the complete article please see https://www.foxnews.com/lifestyle/lost-airline-luggage-sold-online-unclaimed-baggage?

Alabama Tourism Partner Pointer

To improve engagement, we strongly encourage you to include a corresponding link from your website to ours. This could be as simple as a Sweet Home Alabama logo anchored in the footer of your site linking to Alabama.Travel and greatly improves SEO for both you and us!

Download the SHA logo in the color that works best for your website by visiting https://tourism.alabama.gov/media/resource-center/

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.

For more information contact Dwayne O’Riley at: dwayne.oriley@tourism.alabama.gov

Tourism Tuesday June 16, 2020

Hotel occupancies rising, travel rebounding in metro

Group tours looking to March 2021 before fully returning

Intermark Group hosts webinar series on marketing during a crisis

Interior Secretary Bernhardt visits Alabama

Free Alabama Vacation Guides available

USA Today calls on people to educate themselves about the history of civil rights

Helen, a new concept from chef Rob McDaniel, slated to open in downtown Birmingham

The long road to freedom

What Alabama taught me about inequality

Rural destinations position themselves as ideal post-pandemic vacations

About the backroads of Alabama

Rediscovering Alabama: Why this state should be on your bucket list

Alabama Association of Resource Conservation and Development Councils opens 2021 grants

Alabama Tourism Partner Pointer

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Hotel occupancies rising, travel rebounding in metro
From the article by Caroline Odom on BizJournals.com

In the aftermath of Covid-19 devastating the travel industry, Hotel Indigo Birmingham experienced a 100% increase in business.

“But when you’re starting from five rooms, 100% is only 10 rooms,” said Jay Patel, owner of the 63-room hotel.

The decrease in travel resulting from the Covid-19 pandemic reduced Patel’s normal occupancy of 90% to between 5% and 10%. Most hotels need about 55% to break even, Patel said.

By cutting costs and covering employees’ salaries with a loan from the Paycheck Protection Program, Patel kept doors open through the shutdown and retained most of his employees. Though his hotel is not yet experiencing positive cash flows, occupancy numbers increased to 25%, Patel said.

Until March 11, Birmingham was experiencing its fifth year of record tourism, said John Oros, president and chief executive officer of the Greater Birmingham Convention & Visitors Bureau.

“While the rest of our country is headed for a recession, nationally, the travel and tourism industry is in a depression,” Oros said. Of the 33,000 full-time employees associated with Birmingham’s travel industry, almost half have been laid off or furloughed, Oros said.

“In downturns past, there were always segments of the economy and nation that were traveling,” Oros said. This downturn differs from post-9/11 and the Great Recession because very few people are traveling.

Now, national hotel occupancy is beginning to increase with four consecutive weeks of increased demand, Oros said. Birmingham’s hotels rose to 36% occupancy in mid-May, he said, an improvement over the weeks before.

But the industry continues to experience “catastrophic lows,” Oros said. Before Covid-19, Birmingham’s occupancy numbers reached 77% to 80%, Patel said.

PCH Hotels and Resort, the top hospitality employer in the state of Alabama, usually sells out all rooms in its network of Alabama hotels on Memorial Day weekend, said Tony Davis, president of the hospitality group. PCH manages several luxury hotels and resorts along the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, including the Renaissance Birmingham Ross Bridge Golf Resort & Spa.

This year, occupancy numbers hovered between 50% and 60% on the holiday weekend, Davis said.

“Nowhere near what we had traditionally been, but moving in the right direction,” Davis said. “What we’re seeing is the industry is really poised to start the rebuilding process.”

The rebuilding process includes increased cleanliness, enforcing social distancing guidelines and modifying services.

“The hotel industry is being very diligent because they understand the need and the desire for potential visitors to feel safe and to feel that the hotels have their health in mind,” Oros said.

PCH’s brand partners like Marriott released cleaning standards that PCH is implementing and building upon, Davis said. All amenities, restaurants and spas at PCH hotels are available to guests now, but they are offered at limited capacity and modified in compliance with Gov. Kay Ivey’s orders.

PCH’s new safety guidelines include cleaning public areas every two hours, employee use of personal protective equipment and providing housekeeping services only upon request, according to a May 18 news release.

The Hotel Indigo implemented similar measures, including placing tape markers on the floors to guide social distancing, limiting the number of people allowed on elevators, removing barstools from bars and reducing the number of tables in restaurants.

“I went and fabricated acrylic face guards,” Patel said. “When you check in, you can no longer breathe on the front desk agent. There’s a physical, clear plastic barrier.”

The hospitality industry is significantly impacted by the inability to gather in large groups. Some PCH hotels frequently host meetings of large groups and weddings — events that are made difficult by social distancing. PCH hotels canceled wedding bookings through May and June, and a few in July are pending.

“That’s where we’re really going to be struggling for an amount of time until social distancing wanes a little bit and people can still have their meetings and events,” Davis said. For now, hotels will rely on visitors who are willing to travel by car.

Many of the new guidelines challenge traditional hospitality practices, but the model will adapt.

“As the hospitality industry, we want to be hospitable. It’s like your home. You want to create that sense of love and energy, but this virus has destroyed that,” Patel said. “It’s better to not show that contact.”

Patel predicts that these changes may be permanent, especially while there is not a vaccine to put people at ease.

“When 9/11 happened, people’s behaviors changed,” Patel said. “They came back, but I don’t think people’s behaviors are going to change anytime soon, and that’s going to have a huge impact on the hotel industry from both a business and a leisure perspective.”

Although the hotel experience will feel differently, hotels remain committed to the guest experience and want potential visitors to know that, Davis said. Hotels are ready to invite guests back.

“It’s cleanliness first and service second to some degree,” Davis said. “We’re trying to make sure all of that is done together so you can have a safe experience but still with great service as well.”

For the complete article please see https://www.bizjournals.com/birmingham/news /2020/06/15/covid-19-hotels-are-ready-to-invite-guests-back.html

Group tours looking to March 2021 before fully returning
From the article by Lydia Nusbaum on (WSFA-12 News) WSFA.com

Group travel has plummeted in Alabama and it’s leaving some hotels and surrounding businesses strapped for cash.

Alabama cities usually see large business or sporting groups traveling through and stopping at hotels and attractions.

“Our group occupancy is practically nothing now,” said Renaissance Montgomery Hotel and Spa Director of Sales and Marketing Perry Grice.

The hotel usually hosts hundreds of people. Grice said that has dropped to about a group size of 15 or 20 over the last several weeks. He said they have some larger conventions scheduled for late July and August.

The Montgomery Chamber’s Convention and Visitor Bureau estimates that Montgomery’s occupancy rate is between 40 to 45 percent.

“It does have a trickle down effect,” said Alabama Restaurant and Hospitality President Mindy Hanan.

Now that groups are not filling up hotels, it means people are not visiting surrounding businesses which rely heavily on that foot traffic. Hanan said this also impacts supply chains.

And these restaurants are all competing for the small customer base.

Dreamland BBQ Managing Partner Bob Parker said his restaurant will survive through the pandemic, but he said it probably would not be the case for others in town.

“I mean, unfortunately, we’re all not going to make it. I’m not trying to paint a dire picture that it’s never going to come back,” he said. “But unfortunately, when you lose that much business, it’s hard for all of us to make it plus.”

The Alabama Department of Tourism Assistant Director Grey Brennan said group travel may not fully come back until March of next year.

However, he said there is room for optimism as recent civil protests have sparked interest in Alabama civil rights sites.

But there is a desire to bring groups back to the state quickly. Hanan said they will be in discussions with the coronavirus task force to come up with a plan on how to safely bring group tourists back.

“I think that’s what we need to discuss next is what are the standards? What can we deem safe? Is it people sitting three feet apart with everybody wearing a mask? Is it six feet apart?” she said.

In the meantime, businesses are doing everything they can to stay afloat.

Grice said they are working with each group to figure out what spacing and accommodations need to be met during the pandemic. He said they have already taken serious precautions.

“Every 20 minutes hand washing,” he said. “We’re not doing buffets anymore.”

For Parker, they are relying on the federal government’s PPP loan to help businesses through the pandemic.

“We’re spending it wisely,” he said. “It’s a 10-month survival, if we can make it through March we’ll be fine. But, you know, that’s a long way away.”

For the complete article please see https://www.wsfa.com/2020/06/10/outlook-group-tours-looking-march-before-fully-returning-tourism-department-says/

Intermark Group hosts webinar series on marketing during a crisis
Throughout the duration of the COVID-19 pandemic, Intermark Group, the Alabama Tourism Department’s marketing communications agency of record since fall 2015, has closely monitored the changes in consumer behavior, attitudes and beliefs as a result of COVID-19. The agency has hosted a webinar series to help marketers and communicators better understand how to effectively communicate and engage with their target audience throughout the current crisis. In addition to the webinar series, Intermark Group has also listed a variety of resources on its Youtube channel.

Throughout its research, the agency has determined that one of the most important actions brands should take during this crisis is to stay present and to keep their messaging in front of their target audiences. Research suggests that brands that cut their spending entirely will take up to five years on average for their sales to return to normal. This is partly due to the fact that consumers are willing to change their behavior and change brands during this time, but it is also a result of people evaluating how well brands are responding to the crisis. While responding to the crisis, it is imperative that brands maintain positive consumer sentiment along with having a strong public relations strategy in place.

By keeping their messaging in front of their audience, brands are involving themselves in the “Mirror Exposure Effect,” which states that the more frequently a person is exposed to something, the more willing they are to like that specific thing.

During this crisis, eccentricity creates value. Brands can stand out from their competitors by creating content that sets themselves apart. When consumers see a company that is distinct and unique, they associate that with more people being aware of the business and its products and services. The knowledge that a larger amount of people are aware of the company psychologically increases the value of that brand. However, eccentric content does not necessarily mean a large price tag has to be attached to it. Intermark Group’s Chief Creative Officer, Keith Otter, provides many tips on how to produce good content during a time when brands may have limited resources.

An effective way to produce content on limited resources is to repurpose the current creative pieces that brands already have access to. The Alabama Tourism Department showcased how to successfully do this in its “When the Time is Right” campaign that utilized footage the department had access to and repurposed it in a way that is relevant to the current climate.

Brands are also encouraged to make the most out of the situation: use tools the company has access to at home whether that includes cell phone cameras, editing equipment on computers and yes… even Zoom or other video conferencing tools. The good news is that during this time, consumers are not looking for high production values. They are watching to see if brands are making an effort, staying out in the marketplace and forming a connection with their consumers. For brands that do not have access to pre-existing creative or do not have the technology to create new production, they should consider using stock imagery or user-generated content that they can find on social media.

If brands are interested in learning more about how to improve their messaging into the summer and fall, they can join Intermark Group’s next webinar on July 8 at 10 a.m. CST to learn about the psychological changes that have developed as the crisis is evolving from pandemic to protest. Dive deeper into discussing which brands led the way, which brands struggled, and how marketers can use these insights to balance branding and sales to grow in a shrinking market. Register here.

Interior Secretary Bernhardt visits Alabama
United States Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt is coming to Alabama today for a tour of the Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge on the southern tip of Baldwin County.

He will be accompanied by U.S. Representative Bradley Byrne (R-Fairhope), whose southwest Alabama district includes the refuge.

The Department of the Interior says the trip is “part of an ongoing effort to increase access to public lands managed by the Department.”

Secretary Bernhardt will inspect the refuge for its public accessibility and pitch in on a coastal restoration effort.

Bernhardt, originally from Colorado, has worked at the Department of the Interior (DOI) since 2001, serving in a variety of positions including deputy secretary for the first two years of the Trump administration.

He ascended to head of the Department in January 2019 after his predecessor, Ryan Zinke, was asked to resign amid an ethics scandal involving the use of taxpayer money for personal comforts.

Bernhardt has expanded the number of wildlife refuges eligible for hunting and fishing, two activities he himself enjoys.

Bon Secour National Wildlife Refuge was designated by Congress in 1980 and is a protected habitat for rare tropical songbirds, the endangered Alabama beach mouse and three types of endangered sea turtles.

“Bon Secour” is French for “safe harbor,” and the location is “some of Alabama’s last remaining undisturbed coastal barrier habitat.”

Free Alabama Vacation Guides available
Does your attraction, hotel or tourism organization need more copies of the 2020 Alabama Vacation Guide?

The more-than-200-page guide, which focuses on sites and attractions throughout the state, is free. Just send an email, to rick.harmon@tourism.alabama.gov that includes your name or your organizations name, address and how many copies you are requesting.

Since it will be delivered through UPS, you must list a street address rather than a P.O. address. Please include your phone number and email address in case there are questions.

The Alabama Vacation Guide can be mailed individually or in cases that hold 27 each. Organizations involved with tourism can order up to four cases initially and reorder more if needed.

“It also includes almost everything else you’d like to do in the state such as top restaurants, hotels, golf courses and attractions, and has some of the most gorgeous photography of Alabama that you will see this year.”

USA Today calls on people to educate themselves about the history of civil rights
USA Today on their Travel section of their website this week continues to list a story from June 12 of Civil Rights Museums and landmarks to visit, siting the protests following the death of George Floyd are an opportunity for Americans to educate themselves about the history of civil rights.

Montgomery’s National Memorial for Peace and Justice is one of five highlighted in a slide show presentation from USA Today. Then click for more information links to June 9 and a similar story that includes the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, repeats the National Memorial for Peace and Justice in Montgomery and adds the Rosa Parks Museum in Montgomery. In all, Alabama received 3 of the 15 listing in that USA Today list.

USA Today writes the following about Alabama’s sites:

National Memorial for Peace and Justice
The National Memorial for Peace and Justice, in Montgomery, Alabama, is the nation’s only memorial to the victims of racial terror lynchings from the end of Reconstruction to the beginning of the civil rights era. This memorial, which opened in 2018, acknowledges the more than 4,000 African American men, women and children who were tortured and killed by white mobs from 1877 to 1950. The Legacy Museum, also in Montgomery, shows the history of the enslavement of African Americans in a city that was the center of Alabama’s slave trade and later a center for the civil rights movement. Both sites remain closed due to the coronavirus.

Rosa Parks Museum
The Rosa Parks Museum at Troy University in Alabama houses several items related to her famous protest of segregation in public transportation in Montgomery. They include her arrest records and fingerprints, a 1950s-era city bus and a restored 1955 station wagon used to transport protesters, dubbed a “rolling church.” Though Parks lived in Detroit in her final years, the civil rights icon is best remembered for the day in 1955 when she refused to give up her bus seat for a white man, leading to the Montgomery Bus Boycott, which lasted for 381 days. In the coming years, similar demonstrations throughout the South led to the end of segregation in public spaces. The museum is open, and visitors are required to wear face coverings and practice social distancing.

Birmingham Civil Rights Institute
The institute, in downtown Birmingham, Alabama, is in the heart of one of the most violent civil rights battlegrounds. Just across the street, on Sunday, Sept. 15, 1963, a bomb planted by white supremacists exploded under the steps of the 16th Street Baptist Church, killing four black girls. Martin Luther King Jr. sent a telegram to Alabama’s segregationist Gov. George Wallace, which said, “The blood of our little children is on your hands.” King himself was jailed in Birmingham for leading civil rights demonstrations, and the notorious Sheriff Bull Connor turned firehoses and dogs on peaceful protesters. The institute remains closed due to the coronavirus.

To see the first list, click https://www.usatoday.com/web-stories/educate-yourself-travel-visit-civil-rights-museums-landmarks/

To see the second list, click https://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/2020/06/09/visiting-civil-rights-museums-and-landmarks-racism-protests/5319034002/

Helen, a new concept from chef Rob McDaniel, slated to open in downtown Birmingham
From the article by Shauna Stuart on AL.com

Helen, a contemporary Southern grill led by husband and wife team chef Rob McDaniel and Emily McDaniel, is coming to downtown Birmingham.

Slated to open this summer, Helen is a take on classic dining that will pay homage to Rob McDaniel’s memories of cooking over the hardwood coals and smoke of his grandmother’s indoor grill.

The restaurant is located in a two-story 1920s-era shotgun-style building at 2013 Second Avenue North in the historic Berry Project buildings.

Rob McDaniel will be the executive chef and Emily McDaniel will direct hospitality. Helen’s design concept will balance “timeless elegance with a convivial, welcoming atmosphere,” according to an announcement. The McDaniels have partnered with friends and local iron workers, wood workers, and designers to create the restaurant space, including contractors Prier Construction and architects Hendon & Huckestein. Hatcher Schuster Interiors will design the interior and Madwind Studios on Lake Martin will be the specialty contractor for custom metal, wood and glass work.

Driven by seasonality and product from local purveyors, Helen’s menu will feature prime meats and seafood cooked in an open kitchen, served alongside vegetables and non-traditional sides.

Previously the open executive chef at SpringHouse restaurant on Lake Martin in Alexander City, McDaniel is a five-time James Beard Foundation semifinalist for Best Chef: South (2013-2017), and was honored as Auburn University’s 2012 Outstanding Hotel and Restaurant Management Program Alumnus. During his tenure at SpringHouse, McDaniel cooked daily over an open fire, evolving his culinary style with a passion for Southern foods and foraging. In 2014, Southern Living named SpringHouse to its list of “100 Best Restaurants in the South.”

Prior to Springhouse, McDaniel worked under chefs Johnny Earles at Criolla’s in Florida’s Grayton Beach, as well as Chris Hastings at Hot & Hot Fish Club and Drew Robinson at Jim ‘N Nick’s BBQ in Birmingham.

For the complete article please see https://www.al.com/life/2020/06/helen-a-new-concept-from-chef-rob-mcdaniel-slated-to-open-in-downtown-birmingham.html

The long road to freedom
From the article by Paul Robert on ReadersDigest.ca

Editor’s note: Readers Digest’ Paul Robert has written an article about the U.S. Civil Rights Trail. Alabama has several sites mentioned. Here are excerpts from the article.

A road trip along the Civil Rights Trail in the American South has given me a new level of understanding about prejudice, race relations and a nation’s forgotten history.

Walking down the concrete slope of the “national lynching memorial,” a series of rusted iron columns rise up from the ground around me. Each is marked with a name, a place, and a date. As I proceed, hundreds of them rise higher until they’re suspended from the ceiling—like the haunting “strange fruit” Billie Holiday sang of in the late 1930s (“Black bodies swinging in the Southern breeze, Strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees”). On the grass around this morbid passageway I see more rusted columns, lined up like coffins awaiting burial. This disturbing artwork commemorates the estimated 4,400 victims of lynchings, blacks killed by white mobs between 1870 and 1950. The visitors around me, white and black, are uncomfortably silent.

Officially known as the National Memorial for Peace and Justice, it was founded by the Equal Justice Initiative in Montgomery, Alabama, and opened in 2018. It is one of the main sites on the U. S. Civil Rights Trail, a national network of historic civil rights markers, monuments, and museums located mostly in the Southern states. It’s June 2019 and I’ve travelled from Holland to visit a few—and to learn. This is the first day of my road trip through Alabama, Tennessee, and Mississippi, where I’ll also be meeting with veterans of the 1960s protests and campaigns.

Before my trip, I had been surprised to hear about this network of sites. After all, the South is best known to most outsiders for conservative social policies and accusations of suppressing minorities’ voting rights. I had travelled through the region before and enjoyed the hospitality, but when I met locals I had shied away from subjects like religion and politics. And now the region was promoting its new Civil Rights Trail to visitors. I thought it was a good reason to return, albeit armed with healthy skepticism. But that skepticism was the first thing I lost.

It’s no coincidence that a national lynching memorial would be placed in Montgomery: the Alabama capital has played a central role in the darkest history of the United States. In the 19th century it was a major hub for the American trade in humans. It was also the first capital of the Confederate states when they broke away from the Union in 1861, starting the American Civil War. And in the 1950s and ’60s it was a center of resistance against systematic racial segregation.

Around Montgomery’s centre, traces of the past are everywhere. I pass the residence of the first Confederate president, Jefferson Davis; the Baptist church on Dexter Avenue where Martin Luther King, Jr., preached; and the place where Rosa Parks was arrested in 1955 because she refused to get up for a white passenger.

Also in the city’s centre is The Legacy Museum, founded by the Equal Justice Initiative, the not-for-profit organization behind the lynching memorial; it fights mass incarceration, which overwhelmingly affects people of colour and which the organization directly links to the legacy of slavery. The Legacy Museum is in a former “warehouse” for slaves. Its display opens with life-sized black-and-white holograms of enslaved people; they start to talk when you pass the 19th century holding cells the holograms are projected into. Their stories are based on true ones recorded in the early 20th century by former slaves. In one corner a woman’s hologram quietly sings a spiritual song, and from another cell come children’s voices crying, “Mama, mama….” It is chilling. The museum’s next section covers the transatlantic slave trade, executed by men from England, Spain, France, Portugal and, yes, my native Holland, between the 17th and 19th centuries. It is a dark period that we Europeans so often regard as American history rather than our own.

Near the exit are large photos from the civil rights movement of the 1960s. A photo of white teenagers angrily shouting at a black student entering their school suddenly makes me realize that the discomfort I’ve felt since I visited the lynching memorial is turning to shame. This is not a scene from distant history. This is my generation, which makes me, a white person, representative of the guilty party. This is the first time I’ve ever been acutely aware of my race.

If these places are impacting me, I wonder how they must affect African Americans. So I ask an elderly lady standing near me. “It makes me want to cry,” she says with a sad smile as her eyes tear up. She tells me that she grew up here in the 1960s and remembers the abuse. She’s lived in the U.S. North for the past 40 years and is back for the first time, on vacation. She’s happy to see that institutions like this exist now and that the South is moving forward. Then, before she walks away, she says: “Thank you for asking.” Those words are strangely comforting, and I forget to ask her name.

The next morning, I meet Dianne Harris in Selma, Alabama, 80 kilometres west of Montgomery. Harris was 15 in March 1965 when hundreds of black citizens crossed the local Edmund Pettus Bridge intending to march to Montgomery to demand the right to vote. They were blocked at the other side of that bridge by the sheriff, his deputies, and a posse of white farmers and off-duty state troopers on horseback. In a violent crackdown on the marchers, 17 were hospitalized. Photos of “Bloody Sunday” appeared in newspapers and magazines around the world.

Harris, who sought shelter in a church with her brother, now works as a tour guide in Selma, and she includes a stop at the Selma Interpretive Center located near the bridge. She tells me it worries her that the younger generation of African American kids know so little about what their grandparents went through. It was partly the fault of the school boards that once kept it out of the curriculum, she says, though Alabama’s civil rights education has notably improved since Harris’s days as a teacher. “But it’s also our own fault. We didn’t teach them, either. We wanted to forget about those days.” It’s the reason, she says, why she is telling the story now, to kids on her educational outreach projects, to her tour guide audiences, and to all who wish to hear.

For the complete article please see https://www.readersdigest.ca/culture/the-long-road-to-freedom/

What Alabama taught me about inequality
From the article by Laura Gelder on SellingTravel.co.uk

Until I visited Alabama in 2012 I’m ashamed to say that I knew very little about the American civil rights movement and I landed in Alabama with a copy of To Kill a Mockingbird and not much else to inform me on racial inequality in the South.

I was on a fam trip with seven travel agents and we arrived in the town of Selma on a hot and sultry Sunday afternoon, just in time for dinner and iced tea in Sturdivant Hall – a columned plantation house whose beautiful and comfortable rooms made me feel distinctly uncomfortable.

The next day we met our tour guide Joanne in a grease-scented diner and I knew she wasn’t going to pull any punches as I tucked into a plate of cheesy grits and she told me: “Girl, you gonna get fat.”

Joanne told us how she grew up in a segregated Selma and became involved in the civil rights movement at a young age. By the time she was 11 she had been arrested 13 times and she was one of the youngest people to participate in Bloody Sunday.

This historic day in 1965 was when hundreds of black citizens started a march from Selma to the state capital Montgomery to protest against their constitutional right to vote being denied through intimidation. As Joanne and her fellow protesters went to cross the Edmund Pettus Bridge they were met by white policemen and when they refused to turn their peaceful parade around they were brutally beaten with sticks, charged with horses and tear gassed.

The pictures of this state-sponsored brutality appeared all around the world, causing outrage and prompting President Johnson to pass the Voting Rights Act which prohibited racial discrimination during elections.

Selma affected me the most because it was Joanne’s personal story – the story of a child who wasn’t allowed in the ice cream parlour because of the colour of her skin – but we visited many other places that taught us about racism and resilience.

In Montgomery we went to a museum dedicated to Rosa Parks, the ordinary woman whose refusal to give up her bus seat for a white person prompted the town’s black residents, who made up three quarters of the buses’ customers, to simply boycott them. Eventually the economic effect of that action lead to a new law allowing black citizens to sit where they wanted to on the bus.

At Birmingham’s Civil Rights Institute we saw a dark side to the 1950s America we’d seen in movies like Grease and Back to the Future – where black Americans were forbidden to enter the milkshake bars, play sport alongside white Americans or even use the same washrooms as them.

In the next block was the 16th Street Baptist Church, which housed a black-only congregation and was a centre for the city’s civil rights campaigners in the 60s. We watched a joyful service where ladies in elegant dresses with coiffed hair and spotless white gloves danced, sung and clapped along with a gospel choir. They stood just above the basement where Addie Mae Collins, Cynthia Wesley, Carole Robertson (all 14 years old) and Carol Denise McNair (11) were murdered by a bomb planted by the Ku Klux Klan in 1963. It was a bomb so fierce that it decapitated one victim, created a five foot crater in the church, blew a passing motorist out of his car and damaged windows two blocks away.

We learnt that the city was nicknamed ‘Bombingham’ for the sheer amount of explosions it saw during a terror campaign which was waged on the black community for daring to move into so-called white neighbourhoods or challenge segregation.

We read Martin Luther King’s letter from Birmingham Jail, where he was locked up for leading a peaceful protest march without a permit. In it he calls Birmingham ‘the most thoroughly segregated city in the United States’ with an ‘ugly record of police brutality.’

I read his letter again before I wrote this and it’s tragic how relevant it still is today. In it he addresses those who deplore the demonstrations, saying: “I am sorry that your statement didn’t express a similar concern for the conditions that brought the demonstrations into being.”

King’s letter is addressed to religious leaders who had called his demonstrations ‘unwise and untimely’ and he talks of his “grave disappointment in the white moderate who is more devoted to order than to justice” and explains how it’s easy for those who have never experienced inequality to ask those who have to be calm and wait for action.

I wonder what he would think of today’s America and each time I see the photo of the policeman who knelt on George Floyd’s neck for nearly nine minutes, his face so blank and unconcerned, I’m reminded of that moment in Selma when I realised that racism was not consigned to history.

We were on the tour bus and Joanne was at the front with her microphone, pointing out a historic building, when we noticed a lone white man standing on the street corner and waving at us slowly but not smiling. Someone piped up: “I think that guy knows you, Joanne.”

She told us quite casually that he was a racist and he was always there, always complaining about her tours blocking up the streets and always trying to stop her telling her story. And then she told us to all to just wave right back, before getting on with telling her story.

For the complete article please see https://sellingtravel.co.uk/blog-reader/what-alabama-taught-me-about-inequality

Rural destinations position themselves as ideal post-pandemic vacations
From the article by Sarah Cavill on DigitalMediaSolutions.com

As the economy ramps back up over the summer, one industry that will take some time to find its footing is travel. Many companies have canceled all non-essential travel, conferences are on hold and many people are still reluctant to travel for leisure. In response, several rural areas around the country have started considering how they can use marketing to offer vacation options where travelers feel safe from contracting the coronavirus and can spread out and enjoy themselves.

“Travelers will have a strong desire to get out to and explore the great outdoors, including less-populated destinations,” said Diane Shober, Executive Director for the Wyoming Office of Tourism. Several states have begun launching travel campaigns that emphasize their natural beauty and wide-open spaces, and the new normal in travel could also mean more eco-friendly options and less conferences based in cities.

Several States Create Destination Marketing Campaigns Touting Their Rural Destinations
“Back to normal seems like a daunting uphill climb,” reads a new magazine ad for West Virginia. “In West Virginia, that feeling of freedom instantly returns in wide-open spaces. Safe. Uncrowded.” Similarly, in a video for Travel Wyoming, a voiceover says, “We’ve all been feeling a little empty. And alone. It’s going to be a while before things get back to normal. But maybe a little more emptiness is what we need.” By emphasizing both the beauty of their locations and the fact that vacationers will still be able to adequately social distance because of the open space, West Virginia and Wyoming are offering travelers the best of both worlds.

Wisconsin similarly shows images from afar of tranquil lakes and woods, asking viewers to imagine future happy memories, indicating that it’s not quite time to get out there yet.

Conversely, some travel marketing insiders believe that directly referring to safety or isolation may turn off travelers who would prefer to get on with it and not focus on the negative. A new travel campaign out of Alabama includes commercials of natural vacation spots around the state like Little River Canyon, but the campaign does not allude to the pandemic in any way, except in some social media posts. “The message looks ahead, not back,” said Lee Sentell, Director of the Alabama Tourism Department.

Marketing A New Kind Of International Travel That Is Slower And More Eco-friendly
Post-pandemic travel in Europe could look very different, especially in cities where tourism has boomed in the recent past to the point that some cities may welcome the slower pace. “Of course, it’s completely devastating – but it’s also provided a much-needed chance for introspection,” said Sam Bruce of Much Better Adventures, who is a co-founder of campaigning group Tourism Declares a Climate Emergency. “Things needed to change. It’s an opportunity for everyone from tourist boards to tour operators to reset and to look at how things can be better – for the planet, for local communities and for travellers.”

For example, Venice, a city literally sinking under the weight of its visitors and the effects of climate change, is hoping to encourage fewer visitors and longer stays. Some tourism officials and tour operators in Europe are also encouraging travel in more rural areas, and promoting “slower travel” like train or cycling trips and traveling off-season. Marketing travel to more remote European regions will have to be done cautiously, with Sam Bruce noting “We will look to spread tourism to areas that would genuinely benefit. But it has to be done in the right way. We risk a flood to remote places that aren’t prepared and could be taken advantage of.”

Conferences May Consider Moves To Less Populous Areas In The Future
According to The Wall Street Journal, “From March 1 through April 25, spending on leisure and business travel in the U.S. was $119 billion below its level last year.” By mid-March, conference cancellation costs were in the billions, and many businesses have planned to opt out of conferences and business travel for the rest of the year. Conferences may stay virtual, which has been a mixed bag for attendees and planners, or conferences may transition to a combination of virtual and in-person events, at locations deemed appropriate for social distancing.

“Every organization hosting events will be thinking about their physical experience, as well as their digital and virtual experience” said David Moricca, CEO of video broadcasting tool Socialive. Many of these mixed solutions may include hotels that are in less-populated areas. USA Today reported, “Marriott also sees this as an opportunity for hotels with large, outdoor spaces or in mountainous areas to see an increase in event activity.”

Differentiation Is The Ticket When It Comes To Travel Marketing In The New Normal
There are a lot of open spaces, lakes and mountains in America. Convincing wary travelers, just emerging from quarantines, that one specific open space is the best vacation spot will be the objective of travel marketers around the country. As with all the changes in consumer habits emerging in the “new normal,” brands will need to differentiate themselves to stand out for consumers, particularly in crowded marketplaces.

For the complete article please see https://insights.digitalmediasolutions.com /articles/rural-travel-covid19

About the backroads of Alabama
From the article by Hans Avontuur in AD Magazine’s April 25, 2020 issue

It’s been raining in rural Alabama for hours. I’m wet, i’m cold and feel fatigue because of many miles steering on slippery roads. On the corner of an intersection is a typical American eatery: Fincher’s Real Delite. I park the bike, take off my rain gear and enter a world where rarely unknown visitors come.

It’s a diner I love to discover. No big American chain like Denny’s, Wendy’s or McDonald’s, but also no family business that has become a cliché only to please tourists. Fincher’s Real Delite is a meeting point of locals, loved for his catfish. Fried, cooked, deep fried. One, two or three pieces on your plate.

I barely ordered when my neighbor tells me his name is Frank and that he’s lucky he’s still alive. My halfliter iced tea arrives and Frank starts his story unsolicited. “As a child, I dreamed of riding a motorcycle. Even before I had my driving licence, there was already a Yamaha 200 cc dirtbike in the barn.”

It’s quiet in the almost empty diner. The rain clatters onto the roof. Frank clears his throat and moves on. “Man, I was so happy when I got my driving licence. I took a ride the same day, but it ended up on an old lady’s hood. And when I finally got back to driving, I went down and my bike caught fire. I quit – at once. Twice through the eye of the needle was enough.”

That’s how it often goes when I’m on the bike. Once in an old English pub, I was greeted in a hostile way by unemployed dockworkers, but I went out the door as a best friend. I wasn’t allowed to pay for my lunch. A coffee stop in New Zealand led to a barn containing the petrol tank of Bob Dylan’s Harley-Davidson (according to the owner). And parked in a Frisian hamlet I got my bike parked at the request of the café owner right next to the counter.

On a motorcycle trip, it is rarely about the sights. And not even always because of the winding roads. It is the adventure, the desire for space and freedom. Alabama serves me in all of this. According to the directions Little River Canyon, the U.S. Space & Rocket Center and Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum are highlights, but I enjoy driving the backroads even more, the small roads connecting the highlights.

A little above Scottsboro I was sent along cotton fields, meadows and marshland where the trees with their roots are in the water. The former Highway 65 used to be an important connecting road, now it’s a swinging asphalt ribbon through rural Alabama. Decaying gas stations and eateries tell the story of better times.

I follow the Valley of the Paint Rock River. At wooden houses with peeling facades, I see flags of the Southern American states – the rebel flag – and flags with the inscription “I support Trump.”

Riding my bike, I rarely feel like a snooper. People raise their hands as I pass, ask me about the Beemer – the nickname a BMW has in America – and, like Frank at Fincher’s, tell me their life story.

The engine ensures a level playing field. I’m not a prosperous tourist, I’m a motorcyclist passing through.

Moon travel
There’s Huntsville with the U.S. Space & Rocket Center. This is where the Apollo rockets were built for the first lunar voyages. In the museum, former employees like to talk about the pioneering days. Then I cross the Tennessee River and empty land takes me to Muscle Shoals, known thanks to two music studios that caused a furore in the 1960s and 1970s. The Rolling Stones, Cher and Bob Dylan recorded records for the special sound that was described as funky R&B. With the sounds of “Brown Sugar” in my head I drive at dusk to the town of Florence. The sky above the Tennessee River turns between bright orange and pimple purple. I park in front of the motel, throw my stuff in the room and go into town for a glass of beer, a burger and a homegrown sweet potato.

Bitter cold
There’s ice on the saddle of my bike. The night has been bitterly cold. I drive thickly wrapped up through forests and over fields. I love the early morning and a travel plan without a tight schedule. It leaves possibility for what the day brings. Like a stop in the Warrior Mountain Trading Post, a shop, restaurant and gas station from abyere times.

Back on the bike I’m going to sink further South. The gently sloping landscape full of fields and meadows doesn’t have the overwhelming beauty of American toppers like the Grand Canyon, Yellowstone or Monument Valley. But I feel free and happy on the backroads of Alabama, the America of ordinary people.

Stomping
Freedom. The motorcyclist likes to take the word in the mouth. The wind on your body, riding bochtoes, the stamping of the cylinders, the sound, the fraternization with other bikers. If you’re only on the road with your bike, you’ll be detached from the daily responsibilities. Your worries are primary: a bed, something to eat and enough gasoline in the tank.

Stop. Brake. On the side of the road is a log cabin with a historic marker, a sign that indicates a historic site. The building is a prison from the American Civil War: four wooden walls with a few holes in the ground that served as toilets. The complicated history shrinks to human proportions. I’m trying to imagine what the prisoners went through on a few square meters. Fear, hunger, pain, despair.

Civil rights
On the horizon appears the Birmingham skyline, with about 230,000 inhabitants the largest city of Alabama. I go to my motel and then wander through the compact center with its straight streets. There are monumental old buildings from the last century such as the Alabama Theatre, the City Federal and the Tutwiler Hotel. The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute is commemorating the struggle of the African-American community for equal rights in Alabama.

The modern era has not been preceded by the city, but fortunately it is not yet dominated by hotel and restaurant chains. I see plenty of small, independent shops like the new Revelator coffee bar and Don’s Hair Care Center from the 80s. Hairdresser Terry cuts a regular customer: “I’ve been coming here since I was a kid, started in that little chair there.”

After burgers from Sanders, a good night’s sleep and a visit to the Barber Vintage Motorsports Museum, I leave Birmingham. It’s been raining. The road is rolled out like a gleaming mirror in front of me through fields, small villages and Cheaha State Park with untouched nature, wild running water and beautiful vistas.

Although due to the weather conditions I can’t sharply cut any bend and my visor needs to be constantly cleaned, I truly enjoy the ride. On my own. Others like to ride together, because shared smart is half smart and shared fun is double fun, but I want to find myself uncompromisingly undergo the journey, the engine and the encounters. Intensely enjoying a beautiful route, intensely forgoing when it’s wrong.

Wandering, on my last night I ended up in the Peerless Saloon in the town of Anniston. A classic American pub from 1899 with a long bar, wood panelling, pool billiards and rock music. I’m going to get undoubtly again talking to someone who’s also riding motorcycles. It will not be about work or family, but about a parallel universe: engines. No ‘what are you doing in everyday’s life?’ but ‘what are you driving?’

I order a glass of beer. A couple plays pool billiards, four friends sit by the window and at the bar an older couple watches smackdown wrestling on television. Tomorrow I throw the luggage on my bike in the early morning and I push the start button back in.

When the cylinders start pounding, I’ll drive down the motel parking lot. On the way to nowhere in particular.

Alabama Association of Resource Conservation and Development Councils opens 2021 grants
AARCDC will be accepting grant applications until July 31, 2020. The minimum request amount is $3,000. They are looking forward to another year of impactful projects for our state.

Statewide Grants
A. Projects that cover all nine member council regions
B. Projects that cover more than three council regions
C. Projects that cover only three council regions

Coronavirus Relief / Health and First Responder Projects
A. Fiscal Year 2020 grantees that were unable to complete their projects due to the
Coronavirus.
B. Projects that support the impact the Coronavirus pandemic has had across the
state.
a. These will be looked at on a case by cases basis and no definitive outlines have
been made as we do not fully understand the extent of help that is needed
across the state.

Education
A. K-12 educational projects that address natural resources & conservation will have
first priority. B. K-12 educational projects that address technology and/ or job
training will have second priority.

Human Resources / Community / Quality of Life Improvements
A. Human Resources/ Community / Quality of Life Improvements projects that impact
public parks and recreation will have first priority.
B. Human Resources/ Community / Quality of Life Improvements projects that impact
public facilities and infrastructure will have second priority.

Natural Resources Conservation & Development
A. Natural Resources Conservation & Development projects that relate to
wildlife education, habitat, conservation or promotion will have first priority.
B. Natural Resources Conservation & Development projects that relate to land use and
conservation will have second priority.
Click here to apply or phone (334) 240-3863 for more information

Alabama Tourism Partner Pointer

With the Fourth of July holiday right around the corner, will your business operations look different? Be sure to update your locations and events so travelers are informed of any changes that affect travel planning.

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.

For more information contact Dwayne O’Riley at: dwayne.oriley@tourism.alabama.gov

Tourism Tuesday June 9, 2020

Alabama Tourism Department Natural Wonders await adventure

OWA and Wind Creek casinos reopen

2020 Alabama tourism conference and welcome center event cancelled

Tuscaloosa Tourism and Sports bringing events back to city

Inaugural Alabama Bass Trail 100 Series sells out in less than two days

Drives to cruise this Summer

Explore Alabama’s Outdoor Adventures

Alabama Tourism Partner Pointer

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Alabama Tourism Department Natural Wonders await adventure
From the article in the June issue of The Retirement Systems of Alabama’s Advisor Newsletter

The Alabama Tourism Department has resumed its popular “year of” campaigns after taking a break during the Alabama Bicentennial celebration. Director Lee Sentell credits retired archives director Dr. Ed Bridges with suggesting The Alabama Year of Natural Wonders.

People seeking fresh air can choose from among “20 natural wonders in 2020” that range from hiking sinkholes at the Walls of Jericho just south of the Tennessee line to photographing migrating birds along the Gulf Coast Birding Trail. Many adventures are free.

Water rushing over millions of years carved Little River Canyon east of Fort Payne. Explore rare plants in the Dismals Canyon near Phil Campbell and the Sipsey Wilderness in Northwest Alabama. Walk under the Natural Bridge in Winston County and hike and boat through Bankhead National Forest near Double Springs. Watch in awe as the Black River plunges off Noccalula Falls in Gadsden.

Go underground and explore DeSoto Caverns at Childersburg, Rickwood Caverns in Warrior, and Cathedral Caverns near Woodville. Afterwards, climb the state’s tallest peak at Mount Cheaha in the Talladega National Forest, and hike the nearby Pinhoti Trail.

Paddle the pristine Cahaba River near West Blocton to see rare Cahaba Lilies bloom. Hike through the Red Mountain Park near the heart of Birmingham. Paddle the Tombigbee River near Demopolis to see the mile-long White Cliffs of Epes. Scramble over the Wetumpka Impact Crater that formed 8 million years ago when a meteor as large as Bryant-Denny Stadium struck the earth at a high speed.

White quartz crystal washed down from the Appalachian Mountains over millions of years to form the sugar-white sand beaches of the Gulf Coast. Nearby, five rivers form the Mobile-Tensaw Delta, often called “America’s Amazon,” home to the nation’s greatest diversity of species.

Director Sentell thanks the members of the Retirement Systems of Alabama, through investments in some 150 Gray Media television stations, for spreading the message of the state’s great destinations. This media helped the state last year, for the first time, reach one billion dollars that tourists paid in state and local taxes.

To learn more, visit www.alabamanaturalwonders.com or request the 2020 Alabama Vacation Guide on the website www.alabama.travel.

OWA and Wind Creek casinos reopen
Alabama’s world-class OWA amusement park and three Wind Creek casinos, all owned by the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, have reopened as of Monday after being closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The Park at OWA reopened on Friday, while the Wind Creek resort-style gaming properties in Atmore, Wetumpka and Montgomery reopened Monday.

All four properties have implemented comprehensive heightened health and safety measures in reopening.

2020 Alabama tourism conference and welcome center event cancelled

To fellow tourism industry members in Alabama:

Because of the ongoing uncertainty as to when health officials will deem it safe for groups and individuals to gather in significant numbers, leaders in the Alabama tourism industry have decided to cancel two important events: the 2020 annual Governor’s Conference, which had been scheduled for the Gulf State Park Lodge, and the Welcome Center retreat.

These decisions were not made easily. We considered postponing or canceling. In the end, the health and safety of our friends and associates in the industry were the most important factors leading to this decision. We are unanimous in agreeing that our industry was strong going into this pandemic. By the same measure, we are confident that the desire for travelers to return to our various hometowns, parks and other destinations will return just as strong.

The Alabama tourism industry was thriving and growing by high single digit percentages each year for the decade that began with the Gulf oil spill. Those who predicted that it would take years for the coast to recover were proven wrong with a banner year the following season. What we are facing now is a much more dire situation, but we believe our product is strong and the demand will return at a high level.

Don’t worry, we will return to the Gulf State Lodge in 2021! And Sweet Home Alabama will emerge on the other side of this challenge stronger than ever.

With high expectations for the year ahead,
Lee Sentell

Tuscaloosa Tourism and Sports bringing events back to city
From the article on (WVUA) Wvua23.com

Sporting events are not just fun and games when it comes to Tuscaloosa’s economy.

To combat the economic woes of the coronavirus pandemic, the Tuscaloosa Tourism and Sports Commission is planning to coordinate several events. The goal is to provide entertainment for local residents, while also giving businesses a much needed boost.

Tuscaloosa Tourism and Sports Commission Director of Sports Stan Adams said guests are sorely needed in the city’s hotels.

“We’re going to be filling up the hotels, and I know that everyone, especially the hotels, have been on us,” Adams said. “We’re trying to do the best we can.”

Fifteen events are planned between June and October, including softball, golf, baseball and bowling.

New guidelines from Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey open the door for sporting events. TTSC officials have agreed to follow strict precautions to protect the health of athletes and spectators.

“Our biggest thing is making sure we’re safe and we’re following all guidelines possible,” Adams said. “We’re just trying to get a restart on Tuscaloosa and just get everything back to some normalcy.”

The first local event in the TTSC lineup is the RISE Golf Tournament of Champions happening June 18 and June 19.

For the complete article please see https://wvua23.com/tuscaloosa-tourism-and-sports-bringing-events-back-to-city/

Inaugural Alabama Bass Trail 100 Series sells out in less than two days
From the article by Keith Worrall on outdoorsfirst.com

Tournament officials announce registration is closed for the inaugural 2021 Alabama Bass Trail (ABT) 100 Series, with all 100 of the available boat entries selling out in 39 hours. The 2021 ABT 100 series gets underway Jan. 9.

Registration for the 2021 ABT 100 Series opened to the public June 1, 2020, and reached its limit within 39 hours. “The Alabama Bass Trail 100 was created to continue efforts to grow the economic impacts of tourism in smaller lakeside communities. We are thrilled to have anglers, including 10 professional anglers, from 12 states competing in these events while showcasing our lakes to the world. I can’t thank the anglers, sponsors and host cities enough for believing in the Alabama Bass Trail 100,” said Kay Donaldson, program director for the Alabama Bass Trail.

According to Donaldson, teams will be traveling from Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, Tennessee, Florida, North Carolina, Ohio, Minnesota, Missouri, Indiana, Illinois and Texas to compete in the 2021 ABT 100 series. The Alabama Bass Trail and its tournaments create an estimated economic impact of over $3 million dollars for the state of Alabama annually.

The ABT 100 Series is open to professional and amateur anglers and features three tournaments. Tournament dates and locations for 2021 Alabama Bass Trail 100 Series:

Jan. 9, 2021 Lay Lake / hosted by Shelby County Commission

June 5, 2021 Lake Eufaula / hosted by Eufaula-Barbour Chamber of Commerce

Nov. 20, 2021 Lake Guntersville / hosted by Marshall County Convention and Visitors Bureau

Each tournament features a $25,000 guaranteed first place prize and pays 20 places plus a $1,000 big fish totaling $100,000.

For more information go to: https://www.outdoorsfirst.com/bass/article/inaugural-alabama-bass-trail-100-series-sells-out-in-less-than-two-days/

Drives to cruise this Summer
From the article by Kirsten Poletis on Narcity.com

Editors note: Narcity listed six Southern scenic drives as ideal for long summer road trips. Alabama has two locations mentioned in the article. Here are the excerpts from that article.

Magnolia Springs
Address: Oak Street, Magnolia Springs

Why You Need To Go: This picturesque tunnel of oak trees makes for the perfect evening stroll, bike riding path, or relaxing summer drive.

11-Mile Scenic Drive
Address: Little River Canyon Center, 472 Alabama Hwy 35, Fort Payne

Why You Need To Go: This scenic drive is 11 miles of uninterrupted Alabamian beauty, with plenty of lookout spots along the way to stop and admire the views. Waterfalls galore to stop and explore on this one.

For the complete article please see https://www.narcity.com/travel/us/scenic-southern-drives-through-the-south-us-for-the-ultimate-summer-road-trip

Explore Alabama’s Outdoor Adventures
From the article by Jaimie Mans on MobileBayMag.com

It’s summertime in Mobile, and you know what that means … time to travel! Although our lives have been turned upside down due to COVID-19, that doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy all that Alabama has to offer.

Aside from their awe-inspiring beauty, the following outdoor wonders also allow for proper social distancing, while still getting out the stir crazies that have built up over the past few months. Who knows, you might just discover the place of your dreams — right here between the state lines.

If You Want to Stay Close to Home…

Five Rivers: Alabama’s Delta Resource Center
Right here in Spanish Fort resides Alabama’s Delta Resource Center. A brand-new facility, this resource center is a fantastic place to start your outdoor adventure. Home to an exhibit hall, boat tours, theater, hiking trails, picnic areas and canoe and kayak rentals, the Delta Resource Center has it all! To top it off, admission is free 7 days a week from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Gulf Coast Beaches
What’s more relaxing than a day at the beach? Luckily for Mobilians, we don’t have to travel far to experience the luxury that is Alabama beach culture. Ride on down to Gulf Shores, Dauphin Island or Orange Beach for a great family-friendly getaway.

Alabama Coastal Birding Trail
Want a prime place to bird-watch? Hit the trails in Baldwin and Mobile counties, home to over 400 different bird species.

Alabama Scenic River Trail
Stretching 631 miles, the Alabama Scenic River Trail is an adventure in-and-of itself. Beginning in Georgia, this trail will take you through creeks and rivers, woods and cliffs and even bayous in the Delta. If embarked on, the journey ends right in Mobile’s neighborhood at Fort Morgan.

For those canoe and kayak lovers, this trail is the perfect place to get your paddle wet. With many campsites along the water, the Alabama Scenic River Trail passes through six dams, nine lakes, seven rivers and two creeks. If you’re looking for a more relaxed way to get around, the trail is great for motorboating as well.

As for our hikers, the Alabama Scenic River Trail Association provides five trail guide booklets, each highlighting routes through specific parts of the trail, also providing insight into campgrounds and marinas.

If You’re Ready to Travel…

White Cliffs of Epes
Ever seen white limestone? Part of the Selma Chalk formations, these cliffs are made entirely of alabaster limestone, resulting in an ethereal walk along the water in Sumter County.

Wetumpka Crater
Located 12 miles northeast of Montgomery, come see where earth and space collided. This comet-created-crater exhibits the most physical impact Alabama has!

Pinhoti Trail
Embark on the longest trail in Alabama. A whopping 337 miles, the Pinhoti Trail winds through the great outdoors of Alabama and Georgia.

DeSoto Caverns
Looking for some family fun? The DeSoto Caverns Family Fun Park is the place to be. Just 36 miles southeast of Birmingham, these caverns offer a break from the heat (just 60 degrees!), educational information on the Native Americans — and many others — that lived in the caves, moonshine production history for the adults and much more.

The fun doesn’t stop in the caverns! Outside, there are other attractions, such as a three-quarter-acre maze called the Lost Trail Maze, gift shops, campgrounds, picnic areas, waterfalls, butterfly gardens, gem panning, wacky water golf and even paddle boats.

Mount Cheaha
Looking for a great hike and an even greater view? Mount Cheaha, located in Cleburne County, is the highest natural point in Alabama, standing at 2,497 feet above sea level.

Cahaba River
Calling all water dwellers! Perfect for kayaking and canoeing, the Cahaba River will no doubt lead to an eventful day.

Cahaba Lilies
Along the Tallapoosa River, Hatchet Creek and the Cahaba River lie flowers unique to Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina.

Red Mountain Park
Adorned by Vulcan, this park’s red soil is what makes up Alabama’s largest city.

Rickwood Caverns
Searching for an underground adventure? Take a look at Rickwood Caverns in Blount County, where you’ll explore prehistoric fossils and other fossil fun finds.

Natural Bridge
Ever want to walk on a natural bridge? Visit the “longest natural bridge east of the Rocky Mountains” in the William Bankhead National Forest, located in Winston County.

Dismals Canyon
Based in Franklin County, this gorge is home to some of the most interesting insects around — bioluminescent bugs! Covering the canyon walls, these insects emit glowing blue-green light to attract food and mates. Night tours are offered to get the best look at them.

Along with cool critters, Dismals Canyon is home to two waterfalls, Rainbow and Secret Falls, both perfect for a romantic getaway. The canyon supplies traditional campgrounds, as well as cabins for a more comfortable fit.

For the history buff, this canyon was the final stopping place for Native Americans prior to being marched on the Trail of Tears.

Noccalula Falls
This Gadsden waterfall is rich in Cherokee history. Take a visit to learn of the Cherokee maiden who ended her life to be with the man she loved.

Cathedral Caverns State Park
Want to have fun in the dark? Head on over to Bats Cave at Cathedral Caverns State Park in Marshall County. You’ll be sure to have a spooky evening with some nighttime critters.

Little River Canyon
Have you ever seen a river on the top of a mountain? Little River Canyon in northeastern Alabama has one of the nation’s longest!

Sipsey Wilderness Area
Located in the Bankhead National Forest, Sipsey Wilderness Area is a breathtaking adventure. Known as “The Land of a Thousand Waterfalls,” Sipsey is an area for everyone. It offers hiking, swimming, fishing, boating and horseback riding — just to name a few.

Only founded in 1975, Sipsey is now the biggest and most visited wilderness area in all of Alabama. The most drawing factor? The waterfalls. Because of the build-up of limestone and sandstone in the area, Sipsey Wilderness Area has a plethora of natural waterfalls, each one more beautiful than the previous.

Home to dozens of trails, Sipsey Wilderness Area is a great place to take a break from the busy life of the city and immerse yourself in nature.

Walls of Jericho Trail
If you’re looking for an adventure, this is the trail to take. A 6.6-mile hike near the Alabama-Tennessee border, this trail leads to an unforgettable end.

For the complete article please see https://mobilebaymag.com/explore-alabamas-outdoor-adventures/

Alabama Tourism Partner Pointer

Be sure your location listings are up to date as of Wednesday, June 10 to be exported from Partners and included in the 2021 Alabama Vacation Guide. Events for 2021 calendar year will need to be added to Partners by July 31.

Update your listings today. http://partners.alabama.travel/users/signin

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.

For more information contact Dwayne O’Riley at: dwayne.oriley@tourism.alabama.gov

Tourism Tuesday June 2, 2020

Returning, and awakening, to the beauty of rural Alabama

Apple’s Tim Cook promotes donations to Montgomery’s EJI

Florence and Muscle Shoals highlighted as part of Natchez Trace Parkway

Wetumpka’s Jasmine Hill Gardens closes after more than 90 years in River Region

From Dauphin Island with love’: How this beach town made one family’s vacation unforgettable

Herb Malone is longtime champion of Alabama’s beaches

The highest point in Alabama will give you magical mountain views up in the clouds

Shoals attractions, museums reopening

Alabama Tourism Partner Pointer

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Returning, and awakening, to the beauty of rural Alabama
From the article by Scott Baker on NYTimes.com

In March, decades after I’d moved away, I returned to my hometown in Alabama to wait out the coronavirus pandemic.

Growing up here, I couldn’t wait to leave. In those days, Alexander City — in east central Alabama — was a mill town dominated by Russell Corporation, the maker of athletic apparel. Everyone I knew worked at the mill or was tied to it in one way or another.

Things moved slowly then; there was little to do. I spent much of my childhood wandering the county — hiking in the woods and canoeing down rivers and creeks. On weekends, Dad and I roamed aimlessly in his old pickup truck, seeing where the old dirt roads might lead us. When I’d ask if he knew where we were going, he’d say: “We’ll end up somewhere.”

Life in Alabama didn’t feel especially rewarding to me then. Instead I preferred dreaming of escape. Determined to see and experience the world, I spent hours dragging my fingertips over a globe that sat in my family’s den. I never imagined I’d return for any length of time.

And yet here I am, home again unexpectedly, just like so many others.

Far-flung destinations and photo assignments are off the calendar for now, but my urge to explore hasn’t abated. So instead of trekking through Patagonia or photographing the ruins at Angkor Archaeological Park in Cambodia, I am once again riding the back roads of my childhood, photographing familiar farms and taking boat rides on Lake Martin.

For many years, I was hesitant to tell people where I was from. I was worried it might conjure preconceptions of racial prejudice or ultraconservatism. I was worried they might think of my hometown as provincial.

During these last few months, though, that pre-emptive defensiveness has washed away — and I can’t help but see the beauty of this place. Unlike in the ’70s, most of the roads are now paved, and many of the barns that stood straight during my childhood are now leaning with age. But the farms are as bucolic as ever, and the lake is still teeming with boats. I’ve even grown to appreciate the area’s slow, peaceful pace.

Tallapoosa County, which encompasses my hometown and much of Lake Martin, is sparsely populated; I can explore for hours without the risk of social interaction. Many of the farms in the area — featuring fertile land with rolling hills and wildflowers — are old homesteads, owned by single families for several generations.

My work as a photographer has taken me all over the world — to more than 25 countries and most of the American states. Traveling has given me many things: an appreciation for disparate people and cultures, a greater capacity for tolerance and love. But perhaps its greatest gift is the way it’s encouraged me to seek new perspectives, even when glancing at my own backyard.

All over America, people are re-evaluating big-city life. Things that seemed inconceivable three months ago — like returning to live in one’s quiet hometown — are now distinct possibilities. Present circumstances have given rise to a new set of internal negotiations and assessments.

In a way, my newfound fulfillment here is hard to account for. Maybe I have less to prove. Maybe the looming threat of Covid-19 has made me more appreciative. Maybe these images are an atonement for the many years I’ve spent not fully acknowledging my birthplace. Or maybe I’m finally aware that my early years in Alabama are not — and never were — a liability.

For the complete article and photographs please see https://www.nytimes.com/ 2020/05/28/travel/coronavirus-alabama-overlooked-beauty.html?searchResultPosition=1

Apple’s Tim Cook promotes donations to Montgomery’s EJI
From the article by Annie Palmer and Josh Lipton on CNBC.com

Apple CEO Tim Cook sent a memo to employees Sunday addressing the killing of George Floyd.

Protests have erupted in cities across the country after the killing of Floyd, an unarmed black man, at the hands of Minneapolis police. On Friday, Derek Chauvin, a former Minneapolis police officer who was filmed kneeling on Floyd’s neck before he died, was taken into custody and charged with murder and manslaughter.

Widespread anger over Floyd’s killing sparked protests, clashes with police and looting in several cities.

In the memo, Cook condemned the killing and called for the creation of a “better, more just world for everyone.”

“We can have no society worth celebrating unless we can guarantee freedom from fear for every person who gives this country their love, labor and life,” Cook said.

Cook also acknowledged that racial injustice exists in the U.S., including in “our criminal justice system” and “in the disproportionate toll of disease on Black and Brown communities,” as well as from economic inequality and disparities in educational opportunities.

The memo comes after Apple closed some of its U.S. stores as protests turned violent over the weekend.

Here’s the full memo:

Team,

Right now, there is a pain deeply etched in the soul of our nation and in the hearts of millions. To stand together, we must stand up for one another, and recognize the fear, hurt, and outrage rightly provoked by the senseless killing of George Floyd and a much longer history of racism.

That painful past is still present today — not only in the form of violence, but in the everyday experience of deeply rooted discrimination. We see it in our criminal justice system, in the disproportionate toll of disease on Black and Brown communities, in the inequalities in neighborhood services and the educations our children receive. While our laws have changed, the reality is that their protections are still not universally applied.

We’ve seen progress since the America I grew up in, but it is similarly true that communities of color continue to endure discrimination and trauma.

I have heard from so many of you that you feel afraid — afraid in your communities, afraid in your daily lives, and, most cruelly of all, afraid in your own skin. We can have no society worth celebrating unless we can guarantee freedom from fear for every person who gives this country their love, labor and life.

At Apple, our mission has and always will be to create technology that empowers people to change the world for the better. We’ve always drawn strength from our diversity, welcomed people from every walk of life to our stores around the world, and strived to build an Apple that is inclusive of everyone.

But together, we must do more. Today, Apple is making donations to a number of groups, including the Equal Justice Initiative, a non-profit committed to challenging racial injustice, ending mass incarceration, and protecting the human rights of the most vulnerable people in American society. For the month of June, and in honor of the Juneteenth holiday, we’ll also be matching two-for-one all employee donations via Benevity.

To create change, we have to reexamine our own views and actions in light of a pain that is deeply felt but too often ignored. Issues of human dignity will not abide standing on the sidelines. To our colleagues in the Black community — we see you. You matter, your lives matter, and you are valued here at Apple.

For all of our colleagues hurting right now, please know that you are not alone, and that we have resources to support you. It’s more important than ever to talk to one another, and to find healing in our common humanity. We also have free resources that can help, including our Employee Assistance Program and mental health resources you can learn about on the People site.

This is a moment when many people may want nothing more than a return to normalcy, or to a status quo that is only comfortable if we avert our gaze from injustice. As difficult as it may be to admit, that desire is itself a sign of privilege. George Floyd’s death is shocking and tragic proof that we must aim far higher than a “normal” future, and build one that lives up to the highest ideals of equality and justice.

In the words of Martin Luther King, “Every society has its protectors of status quo and its fraternities of the indifferent who are notorious for sleeping through revolutions. Today, our very survival depends on our ability to stay awake, to adjust to new ideas, to remain vigilant and to face the challenge of change.”

With every breath we take, we must commit to being that change, and to creating a better, more just world for everyone.

Tim

For the complete article please see https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2020/05/31/apple-ceo-tim-cook-email-to-employees-about-george-floyd.html

Florence and Muscle Shoals highlighted as part of Natchez Trace Parkway
From the article by Caroline Eubanks on LonelyPlanet.com

Editors note: Lonely Planet list both cities as stops along the Natchez Trace Parkway worth slowing down for. Here are the excerpts from that article.

Trail of Tears at Te-lah-nay’s Wall – Florence, Alabama
It’s impossible to talk about the Natchez Trace Parkway without mentioning the Native American history and the tragic Trail of Tears. As a child, Florence resident Tom Hendrix heard stories about his Yuchi tribe ancestors being forcibly removed from their homes and walking from Alabama to reservations in Oklahoma. Legend has it that his great-great-grandmother, Te-lah-nay, found her way back to the area by following the sounds of the “singing river,” known today as the Tennessee River.

To honor his ancestor, Hendrix spent more than 30 years building a wall out of the local limestone rocks. The stones vary in shape and size, and the wall takes on different heights to represent the ups and downs of Te-lah-nay’s journey. Over the years, visitors came to see Te-lah-nay’s Wall, often bringing their own rocks and messages. Hendrix passed away in 2017, but the wall remains as a tribute to the suffering of the Yuchi and other tribes who were removed from their ancestral homes.

Muscle Shoals Sound Studio – Muscle Shoals, Alabama
The South has many ties to music history, but not everyone knows about North Alabama’s biggest claim to fame. The towns known as greater Muscle Shoals, including Sheffield, Florence and Tuscumbia, were home to recording studios that created records for the world’s most iconic musicians.

FAME Studios and Muscle Shoals Sound Studio – both located in Muscle Shoals today – worked with artists of all races in the segregated 1960s, backing their vocals with distinctive rhythm sections that developed the legendary “Muscle Shoals Sound”. Artists like The Rolling Stones, Cher, Wilson Pickett, Etta James, Paul Simon and Aretha Franklin recorded hits here. There’s been renewed interest in these studios thanks to renovations by the Beats by Dr. Dre Foundation and the documentary Muscle Shoals, and both offer tours. The beat goes on with modern artists, like Alicia Keys and the Black Keys, who continue to flock to the area to record.

For the complete article please see https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/best-detours-natchez-trace-parkway

Wetumpka’s Jasmine Hill Gardens closes after more than 90 years in River Region
From the article by Safiya Charles on MontgomeryAdverstiser.com

More than 90 years after its founding, the picturesque gardens of Jasmine Hill is closing.

In a short Facebook post published May 23, Jasmine Hill Gardens and Outdoor Museum said the Wetumpka nonprofit would not resume operation after previously announcing it would temporarily shut amid the coronavirus pandemic on March 19.

“While it is hard to know what the future holds, we must share that Jasmine Hill will not reopen,” the statement read. “We give thanks to our visitors and supporters, and send our warmest wishes that you will continue to be nurtured by art and nature.”

By Tuesday morning, the post had been shared more than 430 times and received more than 175 comments from supporters who responded with a mix of sadness and nostalgia at news that the 22-acre property would be no more; recalling memories of weddings and weekends spent with the grandkids on the Hill.

“You will be missed more than you know,” one Facebook user wrote. “I speak for many when I say Jasmine Hill Gardens has been a cherished part of our lives. … At least a 50-year memory for me. Thank you for sharing … that bit of Heaven with us all.”

In October, the group launched a new year of programming and events aimed at reinvigorating interest in the public gardens, which offered entry fee and membership-based admission.

While Jasmine Hill replied in a comment attached to the announcement’s post that “there were many factors involved in making this difficult decision,” it’s unclear whether the burden of the public health crisis, or a combination of preceding factors, were too heavy to keep the nonprofit afloat.

Jasmine Hill Foundation President Elmore DeMott said she was unable to share further details at this time, “we honestly do not have answers about the future,” but that “thoughtful” care would continue to be given to their impressive array of flowers, plants and trees.

Located 20 minutes outside of Montgomery, Jasmine Hill offered an easy respite to many looking for a quick and quiet place to duck out of the city. Built in the early 1930s, Benjamin and Mary Fitzpatrick made their home on the hill, erecting a settler’s cottage hemmed in each direction by flowers and trees, filled with replicas of Greek and Roman sculptures they commissioned — a hobby for the couple, who had a deep love of Greek history and culture.

In 1971, the property was acquired by Jim and Elmore Inscoe, parents of the foundation’s president. Demott’s father wished for the grounds to be shared with the public, and eventually opened it as a community garden.

For those who hold fond memories of time spent on the Hill, and others who enjoyed the peace and inspiration its nature provided, the garden’s demise is a grudging loss.

For the complete article please see https://www.montgomeryadvertiser.com/story/ news /2020/05/26/wetumpka-jasmine-hill-gardens-close-after-more-than-90-years-river-region/5259424002/

From Dauphin Island with love’: How this beach town made one family’s vacation unforgettable
From the article by Michelle Matthews on AL.com

On the day the Griffin family checked into Rainbows End, the house they’d rented for a week-long vacation on Dauphin Island, Kelly Griffin saw a rainbow over the Gulf of Mexico. It turned out to be a fortuitous sign.

Their trip had been planned for months. They had started dreaming of sunshine and warm sand around Christmastime, when there was six inches of snow on the ground at their home just south of the Kansas City, Missouri, metro area. The Griffins were familiar with the Alabama Gulf Coast from previous vacations in Orange Beach, but they’d never been to Dauphin Island.

When Kelly discovered Rainbows End, a four-bedroom, two-bath house that sits right at the water’s edge, she knew it would be perfect for her family. As opposed to their usual condo, where it’s “a trek to get to the shoreline,” she says, here the beach would be at their doorstep. “It seemed like heaven.”

Earlier this year, they made the reservation for mid-May. Then the coronavirus pandemic happened, but they didn’t cancel, deciding to “wait and see.” This trip was too important to them, so they continued to hold out hope.

You see, the Griffins weren’t anxiously awaiting the reopening of the beach because they were bored from weeks of sitting around in their house. Kelly’s husband, Rob, has terminal brain cancer, and this could be his last vacation with his family. They are making the most of the time he has left.

Fortunately for them, Gov. Kay Ivey re-opened the beaches just in time, the week before their vacation was scheduled to begin.

And, as the good-luck rainbow foretold, their trip to Dauphin Island was the best vacation they ever had. The day after they returned to Missouri, Kelly posted a moving thank-you on the “Dauphin Island, Alabama” public group on Facebook, eliciting responses from 3,000 people.

‘We were floored’
Rob and Kelly, along with their daughters, 16-year-old Paisley and 20-year-old Hayley, and Hayley’s friend Gracie, spent about 15 hours driving down from Missouri in their minivan.

The first nice thing that happened to them was meeting Linda Eyermann, who responded to Kelly’s post on the Dauphin Island Facebook page asking where she could rent a three-wheeled bicycle for Paisley, who has special needs. Linda immediately offered her own personal trike.

“She was so nonchalant,” says Kelly. “It was like she was just loaning a cup of sugar.”

Kelly was worried about how to get the bike, how to lock it up – but Linda reassured her that she and her husband, who own Anytime Island Repair, could deliver it, and assured her that there was no need to lock it.

“We were floored,” Kelly says. “She didn’t even know our story, but she was so loving and kind. It was definitely a gift.”

Kelly and Linda would soon become fast friends. When Linda brought the bike over, she and Kelly sat on the deck and talked. It turns out that the two moms have a lot in common. Four years ago, Linda had a brain tumor removed. Her husband had bought her a three-wheeled bike when she could no longer ride a two-wheeled one because of vertigo.

Also, Linda, who is originally from Picayune, Mississippi, lived in Missouri for 25 years before she and her family relocated to Dauphin Island eight years ago.

“We found it by accident, fell in love and knew we’d never leave,” Linda says.

When she found out about Rob’s terminal illness, Linda “was just crushed,” she says. “It took my breath away.”

The next night, there was a knock at the door of Rainbows End. Kelly opened the door to find a delivery of banana pudding from Dinner’s Ready, a local catering and takeout kitchen, with a note reading, “From Dauphin Island with love.”

Kelly knew it had to be from Linda, the only person she had met on the island. Though she’d hoped to remain anonymous, Linda had to admit she’d sent the dessert. The next night, there were cupcakes outside their door.

“We were so touched,” says Kelly. “This was such a vacation for us. We were cherishing every minute. To be loved on like that made the trip even better.”

‘Nobody was ready to leave’
When Paisley was born with a rare genetic syndrome, doctors “didn’t know if she would make it,” says Kelly. “We brought her home and said we’d take what God gave us. As long as she didn’t give up, we wouldn’t give up.”

Paisley has low muscle tone and needs a feeding tube (although she’s able to eat some foods without it). She’s also nonverbal, but her parents started teaching her sign language before her first birthday and she now has her own interpreter at school. She had to have skull reconstruction surgery at age 6 to relieve intracranial pressure.

None of that has stopped her from flourishing, her mom says. She’s active in Special Olympics, winning gold medals in all five of her events, including dance (her favorite), track, basketball, bowling and bocce ball.

While on vacation, Paisley rode the loaned trike in the bike lane on Bienville Avenue, the island’s main thoroughfare, with her dad walking alongside to steady her, just like they do at home. She especially enjoyed honking Linda’s parrot-shaped horn.

She also got to collect seashells that washed up under their rental house every morning. “That was another thing that was magical,” her mom says. “There were so many in one piece. She was so excited because she didn’t have to go very far. She was like a kid in a candy store.”

Another magical thing about Rainbows End was that it enabled Rob to be outside with everyone else, while staying protected from sun exposure in the shade beneath the house.

In December of 2018, Rob, who until then had been “completely healthy,” Kelly says, and worked out five days a week, was diagnosed with Stage 4 melanoma after his doctor discovered a large mass in his brain and another in his lung.

For 14 months, he underwent immunotherapy treatment until, just a couple of months ago, he and Kelly were devastated to learn it wasn’t working, and he switched to “last-resort treatment.”

“I really didn’t think we’d be able to take this vacation, but we were determined to spend a week together,” he says. “Fortunately, it all turned out the way it did. It was perfect timing.”

They rented kayaks and took them out through the waves to calmer waters. One day, they rode the Mobile Bay Ferry to Fort Morgan and drove down to Orange Beach, where they’ve had several fun vacations in the past. But they missed the laid-back slice of heaven they’d discovered on the island.

“It has such a different feel,” Rob says. “I don’t know how many times we mentioned the difference. There are so many little places we fell in love with. Nobody was ready to leave.”

For Hayley, a full-time student at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, the trip was a chance to unwind and “jump the waves like a little kid,” her mom says. “A lot of responsibility has fallen on her this past year.”

Hayley had been hospitalized for five days the week before their trip due to a mono-like virus – and that might have been the scariest thing Kelly has endured yet, she says, because she had to leave her daughter there alone due to the Covid-19 guidelines. She was still weak and taking medication when they left for vacation.

Dauphin Island offered “something for all of us,” says Kelly. “The whole trip was such a gift. We kept saying, ‘We’re going to take it day by day,’ because that’s how we’ve been living, one day at a time. It was so good for all of us.”

‘The icing on the cake’
On their way out of town, they stopped by Lighthouse Bakery. While they were standing in line, a woman came out from behind the counter and handed them a bag. “Someone gifted you a cinnamon roll,” she said.

“Do we look that pitiful?” Kelly remembers thinking. “It was just so sweet, the icing on the cake. It solidified that Dauphin Island is just the perfect little beach town.”

Such kindnesses, from Linda’s loaning them the trike to the sweet treats they enjoyed, are “great little reminders of things you can do that affect somebody else,” says Rob.

But Linda insists she’s the one who has benefited the most by meeting the Griffins. “Kelly kept telling me I was such a blessing,” she says. “But she was definitely the blessing to me. I’m hoping and praying they all get to come back.”

And while the family was conscientious of social distancing on their vacation, they made one exception. “I’m not gonna lie,” Linda says. “We all hugged.”

For the complete article please see https://www.al.com/life/2020/05/from-dauphin-island-with-love-how-this-beach-town-made-one-familys-vacation-unforgettable.html

Herb Malone is longtime champion of Alabama’s beaches
From the article by Lenore Vickrey on AlabamaNewsCenter.com

For more than 20 years, Herb Malone has been arguably the state’s most enthusiastic cheerleader for Alabama’s Gulf Coast. With good reason, as he’s been promoting the coastal area for much of his life.

A college football player who was a member of the Livingston University (now the University of West Alabama) 1971 NAIA national championship team, Malone was president/CEO of the Alabama Gulf Coast Area Chamber of Commerce from 1988 to 1993, working to recruit both businesses and guests to the area. He played a key role in the establishment of the Alabama Gulf Coast Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB), now known as Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism. He has led this organization as president/CEO since 1993, presiding over a nearly $5 billion local tourism industry.

His work was honored in 2000 when he was inducted into the Alabama Hospitality Hall of Fame. In 2001 he was named Alabama’s Tourism Promoter of the Year, and in 2005 he was honored as Alabama’s Tourism Executive of the Year. Malone led the coastal tourism industry through two major disasters – the recovery from Hurricane Ivan in 2004 and the April 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill, the largest marine oil spill in history that battered the economy of the Gulf Coast. Ten years later, Alabama Living talked to Malone about his life and career on the coast.

For the complete article please see https://www.alabamanewscenter.com/2020/05/31 /herb-malone-is-longtime-champion-of-alabamas-beaches/

The highest point in Alabama will give you magical mountain views up in the clouds

From the article by Kirsten Poletis on Narcity.com

Seasoned adventurers may tell you that the journey can be more rewarding than the destination you’re headed for. In the case of Cheaha State Park, that point is debatable. Lush forest trails will lead you to Alabama’s highest point, where you’ll witness mesmerizing mountain views. It’s a gorgeous journey from start to finish, and one you’ll definitely want to add to your summer bucket list.

This sights from up in the clouds atop Cheaha Mountain takes you 2,407 feet above sea level, where you can gaze across the park below. Stunning during any time of day, you’ll witness exceptional sunset and sunrise views here.

This mountaintop getaway covers a lot of land that’s just waiting for you to explore it. The surrounding Talladega National Forest is full of natural wonders too.

With verdant hiking trails like Chinnabee Silent Trail that takes you past several stunning waterfalls, there’s no end to the natural Alabama beauty here.

Besides having several great hiking spots for all skill levels, you can also camp in the Talladega National Forest, either pitching a tent at the primitive camping sites or unlocking your inner mountain man in the cabins.

If you need a bit of modern comfort to rest your tired soles after all that trekking, you can stop by the Cliffside Vista Restaurant for some eats, mountain views, and even a swim in their cliffside pool.

Cheaha State Park gets its name from the word “Chaha”, meaning “high place” in the Creek Nation language of Muskogee. Simple, sweet, and to the point!

Remember to practice good wilderness ethics by cleaning up your trash, respecting wildlife and other hikers, and planning ahead with water and a camera in hand to make the most of your adventure!

For the complete article please see https://www.narcity.com/travel/us/al/ birmingham/cheaha-state-park-alabama-hiking-leads-to-states-highest-point

Shoals attractions, museums reopening
From the article by Russ Corey on TimesDaily.com

Museums and attractions in the Shoals are set to reopen, but with new guidelines that in some cases will require masks and temperature scans before entering.

Directors said they plan to follow suggestions provided by the Centers for Disease Control and Gov. Kay Ivey.

Groups no larger than eight people will be allowed to tour the Alabama Music Hall of Fame in Tuscumbia after it reopens. Sanitizing stations have been placed in the museum so visitors can sanitize after touching exhibits, Director Sandra Burroughs said.

“When the governor had her press conference last Thursday, we were very surprised we were on the list of the openings,” Burroughs said. “We’re in a whole new pattern here and we’re learning as we go.”

The other major Tuscumbia attraction, Ivy Green, opened Saturday. Director Sue Pilkilton was thrilled to have 75 visitors and another 56 on Monday.

In Florence, Museums Superintendent Libby Jordan said the Frank Lloyd Wright Rosenbaum Home, the Indian Mound and Museum, the Kennedy-Douglass Center for the Arts and Pope’s Tavern Museum will all open today.

“We, of course, will be following all Alabama Department of Public Health Guidelines,” Jordan said.

She said groups will be limited in size to eight people, and face masks will be encouraged, but not required.

Larger crowds may enter the Kennedy-Douglass Center because it is housed in two buildings, she said.

At the Rosenbaum Home, Jordan said all tours will be self-guided with the aid of a tri-fold brochure. There will be one or two guides available to answer questions. Employees will be required to wear masks.

Groups of eight may rotate through the Indian Mound and Museum. Jordan said eight people can watch a video in the meeting room area while eight visit the museum.

Museum visitors are asked to observe social distancing protocols.

The Kennedy-Douglas Kids summer camp is still on, but has been moved to July. There will be five children per room, a teacher and no shared materials, Jordan said.

The Kennedy-Douglass Center is also adding a ceramics studio in the carriage house later this year.

Muscle Shoals Sound Studio in Sheffield and FAME Recording Studios in Muscle Shoals will both reopen Tuesday.

Rodney Hall, co-owner of FAME Studios, said they will also limit the number of visitors to the studio, and visitors will be asked to wear masks.

“If someone doesn’t have one, we’ll have one for them,” Hall said. “We’ll do multiple tours if we need to.”

Tours were halted in March, Hall said.

Musicians cancelled studio sessions after the pandemic struck, but recording restarted about two weeks ago, he said.

“It’s starting to pick back up a little bit,” Hall said.

Muscle Shoals Sound Studio will require visitors to wear masks with no exceptions, according to Executive Director Debbie Wilson. Only nine people will be able to tour the attraction at one time.

Reservations are required for tours.

“We’ve never been through anything like this,” Wilson said. “We’re looking at models other attractions are using to come back.”

While there haven’t been guests, Wilson said employees have been fulfilling online merchandise orders maybe three times a week.

For the complete article please see https://www.timesdaily.com/news/shoals-attractions-museums-reopening-tuesday/article_3af0c68b-4eea-52bc-91c3-27e53307e71c.html

Alabama Tourism Partner Pointer

Be sure your location listings are as up to date as possible as our team will be exporting a list on Wednesday, June 10 to be included in the 2021 Alabama Vacation Guide.

Update your listings today. http://partners.alabama.travel/users/signin

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.

For more information contact Dwayne O’Riley at: dwayne.oriley@tourism.alabama.gov

Tourism Tuesday May 26, 2020

Not every restaurant is concerned about safe distancing for customers

From bust to boom: Alabama beach rentals fill up, but will the good times last?

Native American history, world-class architecture and natural beauty also abound

Pandemic slams door on Montgomery’s tourism boom

A state park that rivals national parks

Alabama Tourism Partner Pointer

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Not every restaurant is concerned about safe distancing for customers
By Lee Sentell

For the past three months Alabamians have been hunkered down, secluded at home and away from our jobs, family and friends. Even the thought of a trip outside of our hometowns was ruled out for fear of catching the virus that has gripped the world. Gov. Kay Ivey has been a constant presence on television, encouraging us to leave home only when absolutely necessary, for example, to buy food, medicine and paper products. She closed restaurants, churches, retail stores, salons and any places where groups might congregate and those who were “positive” could infect the people they encounter.

Similar restrictions in other states kept people at home, causing tourist expenditures in Alabama in March to drop by an astonishing 76 percent versus the previous year. As bad as that sounds, 48 other states had deeper percentage drop-offs. Neighboring Mississippi was down 2 percent less than Alabama.

Over the last few weeks the governor slowly eased restrictions while expressing expectations that business owners would reduce capacity by half and require social distancing while staffs and guests wore face coverings.

A weekend road trip with a friend to northeast Alabama during the Memorial Day holiday demonstrated some highs and lows of individual businesses and attractions on following those guidelines. While masks and social distancing were either required or recommended at some businesses, diners at several restaurants partied with no regard to their potential risk at being exposed to or of spreading the dangerous virus.

Joe and I joined guests who arrived for the reopening of the Pinecrest Dining Room restaurant at Lake Guntersville State Park lodge on Friday night and were met with colorful footprints on the wooden floor spaced six feet apart. Signs urged social distancing. Wait staff wore masks and plastic gloves while distributing paper menus and during food service throughout the evening. About half of the several dozen guests who enjoyed delicious fried catfish and seafood in the early part of the evening wore cloth masks. The dining room was only partially filled and the servers seated guests at tables that were not next to other guests. Virtually every member of the lodge staff wore face coverings throughout the several days and nights of our trip. Score one for state parks!

That was in marked contrast to our experience at lunch the following day at a popular seafood franchise restaurant at the edge of Lake Guntersville. It was very busy with no thought of limiting the capacity to half of normal occupancy as recommended by the state health department. Fortunately, we were wearing masks and plastic gloves. We got a table on the sparsely occupied screened-in porch which benefitted from a breeze off the lake. Otherwise, we might have left. We did not see a single man, woman or child wearing a mask or even a sign that suggested wearing one. As the governor’s tourism director, I worried that such disregard of health cautions might lead to a further spreading of the virus. The attentive waitress who served us said none of their guests in the two weeks since the restaurant reopened seemed worried about it.

Brenda Cantrell, a friend who has worked with the Unclaimed Baggage Center in Scottsboro for a number of years, had told me that crowds returned in droves to Scottsboro since the unique terminal for lost luggage had reopened. The queue to enter was strictly regulated, she assured me. Since my traveling companion had never experienced touring the giant halls where the contents of mishandled luggage comes to be sold to curious shoppers, we headed to Scottsboro to check it out. The packed parking lots on West Willow Street alerted us we were near. Sure enough, the line of people spaced a good distance from one another outside the large building complex was apparently in compliance with health department guidelines. However, since there was no way of knowing how long we would be in line before actually entering, we decided to postpone that adventure until a less popular holiday week.

A drive around the historic courthouse square in search of lunch yielded an attractive coffee shop where the aroma was rich. I bought a colorful mask to add to my collection. Thankfully, the pleasant young cashier did wear a mask.

My friend commented that we passed two Mexican restaurants on the road into town and we retraced our route, bypassing the first one because of too many cars. We pulled off the road at the one farther from town where there were only a couple of cars parked out front. When the woman inside the door at El Campesino was wearing a colorful mask and I noticed a convenient bottle of hand sanitizer, I relaxed. The food at El Campesino was good at a fair price and service was friendly.

When we entered a downtown restaurant the next day for lunch, we saw a repeat among the customers from the seafood restaurant the day before. During the hour we were there, probably 40 to 50 men, woman and lots of children arrived for a meal. Not one mask in sight.

Since this is the period that the Alabama Tourism Department has crowned the Year of Natural Wonders, we decided to see if Cathedral Caverns was open for tours. Yes, said the voice over the phone at the state park, but they were sold out for the day. I later learned they reduced the number of participants per tour and required social distancing inside the cave. Score two for two for state parks.

En route back to Montgomery, we detoured to the Grand River outlet center east of Birmingham and stopped by several stores. Most women shoppers wore masks. Few men did. Most staff members did. At the Ralph Lauren store, an African American supervisor apologized that the dressing rooms were closed for sanitary reasons related to the pandemic. A customer wanting to try on a garment for size was out of luck. To approximate one’s waist size she demonstrated, wrapping it around her neck, saying there is usually a correlation. It was a trick blacks learned during the days of segregation when they could not try on clothes before buying them.

Meantime, despite Gov. Ivey’s best efforts, Alabama isn’t winning the fight to reduce the number of infections. To illustrate a story today about rising infections across the nation, CNN showed a “Sweet Home Alabama” highway sign. Unfortunately, based on what we saw, I’m not surprised.

From bust to boom: Alabama beach rentals fill up, but will the good times last?
From the article by John Sharp on AL.com

Fourth of July travel to Alabama’s beaches are considered the high-water mark of tourism each year as families flock to the condos for vacations, fishing excursions, dolphin tours or simple relaxation somewhere along the state’s 32 miles of sugar-white sand beaches.

But in this COVID-19 world, Independence Day has come early. With strict “Stay at Home” orders lifted in Alabama – coupled with restrictions on short-term rental activity in nearby Florida – Alabama’s beaches are experiencing a record-breaking month heading into what is expected to be a record-breaking Memorial Day weekend.

“It’s nothing we’ve seen before,” said Brian Harris, broker/CEO with Harris Vacation Rentals.

Occupancy rates, which were well below 10% less than a month ago, are booming to above 90% for rental companies. Short-term leases, such as two-or three-day stays, are fueling the surge as cautious tourists step outside their home confinement and drive to the beaches for the soothing sounds of Gulf waters.

“We have been pleasantly surprised both at the number of visitors to our area and how quickly they have returned,” said Herb Malone, president and CEO with Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism.

‘Massive upswing’
The industry in Alabama has seen a wild swing from late April to Memorial Day weekend. Here are the statistics:

• According to Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism, the coastal area saw a jump from “less than 10% occupancy for vacation rentals” in late April to 32% by May 4. According to Harris, the area’s occupancy was at an astonishing low 3% in April.

• Occupancies have since risen to 74% for the weekend of May 15-17, which is “higher than we normally see for this third weekend in May when Hangout Music Festival happens,” said Kay Maghan, spokeswoman with Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism.

• Some rental agencies are reporting near full occupancy for this weekend. Harris is at around 90% occupancy for his rentals and Brett Robinson Rentals has eclipsed 96% for the weekend. Hunter Harrelson, who owns and operates Beachball Properties, a rental agency that manages approximately 109 properties on the coast, is at 100% occupancy. Liquid Life Rentals estimates it will host 1,700 families this May, up from 1,150 last year.

Further fueling the business boom in May has been the ban on short-term rentals in Florida, which was just recently lifted. Officials in Escambia County, Florida, and at Panama City Beach are not providing statistics on occupancy numbers yet for the month of May. But according to Harris, there is a noticeable difference between Escambia County – home to Pensacola Beach and Perdido Key – and Baldwin County in Alabama. While both counties dipped below 10% occupancy in April, they saw a resurgence with the opening of beaches on May 1. But the boom in Baldwin County was at around 68% earlier in the month, while Escambia County was at near 20%, Harris said.

“It’s a massive upswing for Alabama,” he said, projecting into June that Baldwin County was looking at higher occupancy numbers than Escambia County.

Lacee Rudd, a spokeswoman with Visit Panama City Beach, said the removal of the rental ban is paying off for the Florida Panhandle. “We have seen a spike in reservations, and I believe that our traditional holiday crowds will be in the destination this weekend. We’re hopeful this trend will continue through the summer.”

Kimberly Boyle, assistance professor of restaurant, hotel and meeting management at the University of Alabama, isn’t so sure the resurgence will continue. The coronavirus pandemic has led to more than 38 million jobless claims being filed in the U.S., and economists are predicting unemployment rates rivaling the peak unemployment periods of the Great Depression in the 1930s. With economic and public health uncertainty looming – officials are predicting a second wave of the virus to hit the U.S. later this year – vacations to beaches could be cut out of family budgets, Boyle said.

“Unfortunately, it looks to be a sluggish season in Alabama and for the hospitality industry due to limited incomes of families and the uncertainty of a second wave of the virus this fall,” she said. “When a recession hits, the hospitality industry is the first to be cut … because it’s a luxury, not a necessity.”

But Boyle, like officials with Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism, points to a fact about Alabama’s beaches that could be beneficial for the region: It’s a popular “drive to” destination with a variety of price points accommodating families with differing income levels.

“If one family is used to staying at a four-star hotel/condo yet wants to cut back on expenses, they can still go to the beach, they’ll just stay at a lower priced property,” said Boyle. “For example, when the recession hit in 2008, the fine dining and casual style restaurants got hit the hardest financially, yet the quick service (fast food) restaurants’ numbers exploded. We still ate out; we just shifted our choices.”

Drive-to destination
Malone, at Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism, said the out-of-state license plates he is already seeing around the region is indicative of the region’s easy access for drivers. The beaches are a popular go-to spot for travelers along Interstate 65 through Alabama, or along I-10. Statistics repeatedly show Alabama as a popular spot for travelers from Texas and Louisiana.

Of the nearly 6.9 million visitors who came to Baldwin County in 2019, almost all of them drove. According to Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism data, a whopping 92% of visitors drove to Orange Beach and Gulf Shores during the summers of 2018 and 2019. A meager 7% came by air, according the data, and three-quarters of them traveled through the Pensacola International Airport, presumably renting a car for the hour-long drive to the west.

“We are fortunate because we not only have beautiful beaches, but we are within a few hours to a two-day drive for a good portion of the United States,” said Malone.

The road-trippers will also be flocking the beaches this weekend to take advantage of the first weekend of the annual red snapper season. The season kicks off officially on Friday and has been described as the “Black Friday of the fishing industry” along Alabama’s Gulf Coast.

Brant Frazier, a charter boat captain who owns and operates Fins & Family Fishing in Gulf Shores, said he’s almost completely booked for the next two weeks and is forced to “decline guests every day.”

He said that the month has already been “insanely busy” with families arriving to coastal Alabama earlier in the summer then normal because of school closures during the pandemic. He said in a typical May, his company does 50 inshore and offshore trips. This year, he’ll double that number.

“We lost significantly in March and April and I didn’t think there was a possibility for us to completely recover from the revenue we lost,” said Frazier. “But (the month of May) is beyond what I had hoped. While there is trepidation on what things can be, people are breathing a sigh of relief.”

Frazier’s charter boats are practicing social distancing by limiting the number of people on most of his boats to six people. He said that is the typical size of a family that lives together and visits the beaches.

Staying socially distant
Rental agencies are encouraging visitors to remain cautious and to practice social distancing. The revised State Health Order from earlier this month required people to remain at a distance of 6 feet from people of a different household, and to limit any party size of no more than eight people at restaurants, bars, breweries and ice cream shops.

Studies have shown that coronavirus is less likely to spread outdoors than inside a building in which ventilation is limited. Health experts are expressing more assurances that the beach is a relatively safe place, but that a risk rises when large groups congregate at a bar, restaurant or inside a condo.

Baldwin County, itself, is not considered a COVID-19 problem spot. The county has had 269 confirmed cases of coronavirus since the pandemic began, and eight deaths related to the virus, according to state records. Only 2.8% of Baldwin County residents have received a COVID-19 test.

“It’s not beaches we are concerned about,” said Dr. Rachael Lee, assistant professor in the division of infectious diseases at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. “It’s everything else afterward — the cookout where you get close to everyone, the bars and hotels where everyone is crammed into one small space. That’s where we are concerned about transmission.”

Harris, whose firm manages 120 properties – a majority of which is single-family beach homes – said he’s worried about an inability for certain attractions to maintain safe social distancing as the flock of tourists return to the beaches. Condo towers, he said, could be attractions for large crowds.

Brett Robinson Rentals – which manages the Phoenix Condos in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach – has installed large signage that encourages visitors to restrict the number of people inside the elevators at one time. Elevators are restricted to no more than four people at one time, and for those four people to be part of the same traveling group, said Brett Robinson spokesman Robert Kennedy Jr. said. The messaging also encourages guests to wear face coverings in common areas, he said.

“We have found that folks, for the most park, are self-policing,” said Kennedy. “If you are seeing a bunch of folks getting into the elevator, folks are stepping out and waiting for another elevator. We have found that we do not have to intervene with security at this point.”

Beaches that drew large congregations in March, during Spring Break, remain closed. Alabama Point East in Orange Beach underneath the Perdido Pass Bridge remains closed, and there is no timetable for its reopening. Images of large congregations of youths underneath the bridge drew outrage online ahead of Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey’s March 20 order that closed the beaches for six weeks.

Orange Beach Mayor Tony Kennon said the May 15-17 weekend, “was one of the most peaceful weekends we’ve ever had” with people following guidelines. Authorities in Orange Beach and Gulf Shores have not issued a single ticket for violations of social distancing on the beaches even as thousands of people have required assistance from lifeguards and beach rangers. In Gulf Shores, lifeguards attended to 11,418 “preventative action” calls from May 1-20, involving actions taken by a lifeguard that “stopped a situation from becoming dangerous.”

“For the most part, people are staying away from others,” said Melvin Shepard, the head of Gulf Shores Beach Rescue. He said he’s more concerned about a large number of people attempting to swim in rough surf than he is with congregations on the beaches.

Help wanted
Rental agencies are looking to add more employees. At Brett Robinson Rentals, the company is looking to add “hundreds” of employees including housekeepers, according to Kennedy. The pay is around $25 an hour, he said.

The hospitality industry, which has been walloped during the coronavirus pandemic, has seen a dip of new unemployment insurance claims filed in the month of May. According to state records, 2,355 claims were filed in the week ending on May 16. For the week ending on March 28, there had been 17,632 claims filed by businesses in accommodations and food services.

Baldwin County has seen over 25,000 new unemployment claims since the week of March 14. But the 811 new claims filed on May 16 – representing the most recent data provided by the Alabama Department of Labor – is the lowest one-week total since the week ending on March 21. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey’s order to close the state’s beaches was effective on March 20.

Lee Lawson, president & CEO with the Baldwin County Economic Development Alliance, said the total amount of people who have filed unemployment claims represents approximately 25% of the county’s overall labor force. But he said that as the beaches have reopened, the overall unemployment situation in the county has improved.

“For the week of May 9, Baldwin County had 922 new claims, and we assume that more than 922 employees went back to work that week, which means we are most likely beyond peak unemployment for this event and should see a decline in May and June,” said Lawson.

For the complete article please see https://www.al.com/business/2020/05/from-bust-to-boom-alabama-beach-rentals-fill-up-but-will-the-good-times-last.html

Native American history, world-class architecture and natural beauty also abound
From the article by H. M. Cauley on (Atlanta Journal Constitution) AJC.com

Nestled in northwestern Alabama along the banks of the Tennessee River, the Shoals — also known as “the Quad” or “Quad-Cities” — encompasses the towns of Florence, Sheffield, Tuscumbia and Muscle Shoals. Home to about 200,000 people, the Shoals may be small in size, but it is a big travel destination, thanks to a bounty of attractions that celebrate the area’s history and famous natives.

The area’s biggest claim to fame is music. Opened in 1990, the 12,500-square-foot Alabama Music Hall of Fame in Tuscumbia showcases the state’s musical heritage. Among the notable inductees are Hank Williams, Nat “King” Cole, Sam Phillips, Dinah Washington, Emmylou Harris, Lionel Richie and The Blind Boys of Alabama. The hall’s recording studio is stocked with a selection of music and lyrics, and visitors can add their voices to make a take-home memory.

Florence-born W.C. Handy, dubbed “The Father of the Blues” for his contributions to the genre, has a prominent spot in the Hall of Fame. But the prolific composer also has his own museum in Florence. The W.C Handy Birthplace Museum & Library is located in the log cabin where he was born in 1873. Hand-written originals of many Handy works are on display, along with personal papers and artifacts.

The author of “Beale Street Blues” and “St Louis Blues” is celebrated annually during the last week of July when the W.C. Handy Music Festival kicks off with a New Orleans-style street parade and continues with live performances in more than 300 venues. At press time, plans to hold the festival this year in light of the COVID-19 pandemic were full steam ahead. Events taking place July 17-26 include songwriter showcases, a three-day bike ride, a car show, a Handy Hookah Block Party, dinner parties and performances by The Beat Daddys, The Midnighters, The Tennessee Valley Strummers, Thompson Trio and more.

Music also takes center stage at the Muscle Shoals Sound Studios in Sheffield. The small structure, built in 1946 as a coffin showroom, was reconfigured into a studio in 1969 by four highly sought-after studio musicians known as the Muscle Shoals Rhythm Section. They played on some of the biggest rhythm and blues hits of the ’60s and ’70s. A roster of musical royalty recorded here, including Percy Sledge, Wilson Pickett, Aretha Franklin, The Rolling Stones, Paul Simon, George Michael, Willie Nelson and Rod Stewart. After 10 years, the destination became so popular, owners relocated to a larger facility. It was in operation until 2005, when it became Cypress Moon Studios. Today it hosts tours and concerts open to the public.

The original Music Shoals Sound Studios has been restored and is now managed by the Muscle Shoals Music Foundation. Public tours are offered 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Saturday.

Music lovers will also want to stop at the FAME Recording Studio, home of FAME Publishing founded in 1959. The FAME music label artists included Clarence Carter (“Slip Away”) and Wilson Pickett (“Mustang Sally”).

Not all the famous folks from the Shoals are musicians. Tuscumbia was the birthplace of Helen Keller, an author, activist and lecturer born in 1880 who defied expectations as the first deaf and blind person to earn a bachelor of arts degree.

The Helen Keller Birthplace, called Ivy Green, is a museum located in her childhood home. It contains original family furnishings and many of Keller’s personal items, including her Braille typewriter, as well as gifts and awards presented to her during a lifetime of advocating for women and the disabled, including the Theodore Roosevelt Distinguished Service Medal (1936) and the Presidential Medal of Freedom (1964).

Traditionally the Helen Keller Festival is held every June in Spring Park in Tuscumbia. A highlight is a production at the Helen Keller Birthplace of the beloved play about Keller’s life, “The Miracle Worker.” Unfortunately, this year’s festival has been canceled due to COVID-19. Next year’s festival is scheduled for June 24-27, 2021.

Native American heritage also has deep roots in the Shoals. The Florence Indian Mound and Museum preserves grounds still considered sacred to many Southeastern indigenous tribes. Visitors can explore the 42-foot mound, which dates back to AD 100, and learn about ancient cultures at the museum.

The natural beauty of the Shoals shines through in three must-see locations. The 300-acre Shoal Creek Preserve north of Florence abounds with waterfalls, woods and trails for hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding. Visitors who call ahead to the private Cane Creek Canyon Nature Preserve in Tuscumbia will be welcomed by owners of the 700-acre property featuring a waterfall, 15 miles of trails and natural beauty as far as the eye can see. There’s also a 48-foot waterfall in the heart of Tuscumbia’s Spring Park, a popular spot for outdoor performances and picnics. On most evenings, a choreographed water and light show is staged at the foot of the falls. Kids (and grownups, too) can hop a ride on a small roller coaster, a carousel or a train that meanders through the grounds.

Architecture lovers will want to visit the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Rosenbaum House, constructed between 1939 and 1940 for owners Stanley and Mildred Rosenbaum. It became the city of Florence’s property in 1999. Today, the public can tour the architectural gem that features multilevel roofs, cantilevered eaves and an open interior that connects to the natural world beyond the glass, brick and cypress construction. Among the furnishings are several original pieces also designed by Wright.

With all the Shoals has to offer, it’s worth putting off the return drive to Atlanta to take it all in. Along with a number of national hotel chains, including an expansive Marriott Resort and Spa, the Shoals offers some quaint overnight options. The Stricklin Hotel in downtown Florence is one such boutique property with 24 rooms on the second and third stories of a 1940s-era building. The first floor is home to Big Bad Breakfast, where mornings kick off with Anson Mills steel-cut oatmeal and strips of the house-cured Tabasco and brown sugar bacon. The bottom floor is The Boiler Room, a pub equipped with a bowling alley and games of darts, shuffleboard, Skee-Ball and more. A short stroll away is the Historic Zodiac Playhouse, a renovated 1948 space affectionately known as “The Z” where community theater productions and events are staged.

Just remember: The Shoals are in the Central Time Zone, so you’ll gain an hour when you go there, and you’ll lose it when you return home.

For the complete article please see https://www.ajc.com/travel/the-shoals-rich-musical-heritage-but-that-not-all/1LvmGNSWoDYiv4H6eejX3L/

Pandemic slams door on Montgomery’s tourism boom
From the article by Mike Cason on AL.com

The coronavirus pandemic has emptied city streets and tourist attractions everywhere, and it might be hard to find a more glaring example than Montgomery.

Longtime Montgomery residents have known the capital city’s downtown as a sleepy place for most of their lives.

But two years ago, a gradual revival that had ambled along for about two decades shifted to overdrive, at least from a tourism perspective.

The Equal Justice Initiative, a Montgomery-based law firm that fights systemic bias against poor and minority defendants, opened the National Memorial for Peace and Justice, an unprecedented shrine to victims of lynching, and the Legacy Museum, which traces the history of slavery and its aftermath.

National media outlets like “60 Minutes” hailed the EJI projects as must-see attractions, and visitors poured in. From the openings in April 2018 until the pandemic struck, 750,000 people visited the memorial and museum, according to EJI. The Alabama Tourism Department named the projects the state’s Attraction of the Year in 2019.

COVID-19 closed the memorial and museum, along with other tourist attractions around the state, in mid-March. EJI said the pandemic will keep away an estimated 100,000 visitors expected this spring.

Lee Sentell, director of the Alabama Tourism Department since 2003, said the emergence of the memorial and museum as a tourism powerhouse was stunning. Their shutdown is just one part of a painful statewide reversal for an industry that set records last year.

“While the economy of the nation fell into a recession in March, the Alabama tourism industry fell into in a depression,” Sentell said in an email. “During that month our state’s travel and hospitality industry suffered a 76 percent drop in expenditures. Adult groups, leisure travel and business travel came to a sudden halt.”

Tourists spent a record $16.8 billion in Alabama in 2019, an almost 7% increase, Sentell said. About 200,000 people worked in the restaurants and lodging sectors of the industry at year’s end, according to the Tourism Department. About 62,000 of those workers filed for unemployment during the nine weeks ending in mid-May, Sentell said.

Gov. Kay Ivey and State Health Officer Dr. Scott Harris announced Thursday that museums and other tourist attractions could reopen under a revised health order. Most other categories of businesses and activities can also reopen with safeguards to reduce the spread of the virus, which has killed more than 500 people in Alabama.

But the waiting is not over for those who want to visit EJI.

“We do not plan to open until at least June 15 and will open based on public health data and make our decision based on whether infection rates go down or not,” EJI said in a statement.

When EJI does reopen, Sentell said the tour buses and crowds will be quick to return.

“EJI is one of those destinations that people are going to go back and tell their friends, ‘You have got to go see this,’” Sentell said. “The media coverage they have gotten is just stunning.”

For example, The Dallas Morning News called the memorial “the single greatest work of 21st century American architecture.”

The memorial and museum can’t reopen soon enough for downtown hotels and merchants who rely on the EJI visitors and other tourists for the rentals, food and beverage sales.

Bob Parker is an owner and manager of Dreamland BBQ, a block from the Legacy Museum. The restaurant is also near the distinctive Riverwalk Stadium, which brought minor league baseball back to Montgomery, and The Alley, a popular gathering place for drinking and dining.

Parker, 47, has operated the downtown restaurant for 11 years and witnessed the recent surge in tourism, now on hold because of COVID-19.

“Everything changed about five years ago with tourism being the real draw that we get, especially nights and weekends,” Parker said. “And then you add to that the Equal Justice Initiative’s facilities, it’s a game-changer. Nights and weekends are packed with visitors.”

Last year, tourism-related spending in Montgomery reached $1.03 billion, an all-time high, according to the Tourism Department.

Parker said beach-bound travelers and families involved in youth sports and high school sports are big parts of his customer base. The pandemic put all those activities on hold.

“That’s all kind of dried up,” Parker said. “I’d say that we’re doing probably about 20% of what we were doing pre-COVID. March of last year was our second busiest month ever. And the reason is that all the people are coming to see the Equal Justice exhibits.”

If not for the pandemic, crowds would be filing in to Riverwalk Stadium to watch the Montgomery Biscuits, a Class AA minor league team. Parker said the games are not a huge draw for his business but they help.

“We like them being full, we like hearing the crowds,” Parker said.

Dreamland’s dining room has reopened but takeout still accounts for about 80% of sales, Parker said. He hopes to see dine-in bounce back to about 50%. He has a special events room he can use to expand the seating area for safe spacing when more customers come.

Parker said he adjusted Dreamland’s staffing and operations quickly enough to mitigate some of the financial fallout caused by the slowdown. Government assistance will help, he said. He encouraged workers to get on unemployment as quickly as possible. Parker said the business will survive, although he said it might not return to normal until about next March.

“I think the idea needs to be let’s get restaurants through this mess, because if we don’t, we’re going to lose our independent stores, and we’re going to be stuck with fast food and that’s it. Fast food and drive through.

“And you can see now where everybody is going. Fast food and drive-through are packed. You don’t want a world where that’s the only food option, is fast food and drive-through. That’s not a world I would like to operate in.”

Sara Young, 29, works at the Tower Tap Room in The Alley, and said she is glad to see the crowds start to trickle back in for craft beer, burgers, and salads. Young misses seeing all the tourists.

“It’s so crazy to not see the big buses and the people come in and out of there and like no one downtown,” Young said. “Usually it’s hustling and bustling down here and now it’s a ghost town. It’s just crazy to see.”

Victor Wyatt, general manager at the Tower Tap Room, said the business has kept in touch with regular customers through social media, updating them on when they could safely return. The serving area has been modified to hold 40 customers, down from the normal limit of 90.

“I definitely missed seeing my staff every day because we have fun when we come to work,” Wyatt said.

As the crowds return, Wyatt said he will make them feel welcomed.

“I stop and talk to guests for like 15 minutes at a time,” he said. “Because that’s what we are. That’s what we do. We talk to our guests and make sure they’re enjoying themselves.”

Sentell said Alabama’s pivotal place in the civil rights movement has fueled much of the growth in tourism in recent years, a trend he expects to resume.

Besides the National Memorial for Peace and Justice and the Legacy Museum, Montgomery offers more for visitors interested in that history, including the Rosa Parks Museum at Troy University, built on the site where Parks was arrested for refusing to move to the back of a city bus in 1955, and the Dexter Avenue King Memorial Baptist Church, where Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., was pastor from 1954 to 1960.

Sentell, who has worked for years to promote civil rights history as a tourist attraction, said he was initially concerned when he heard that EJI was building a memorial to victims of lynching. He knew it would be different than civil rights memorials that salute the people and events that helped to end Jim Crow laws and restore voting rights.

“I felt like it muddled the story of civil rights, which is where African Americans achieved a major victory,” Sentell said. “But now that it’s here and successful I think I was probably wrong because it tells a different side of the story. It highlights even more so than anything the challenges that African Americans went through. Having your life ended suddenly because you looked at a white woman, that’s a lot different from being denied the right to vote.”

Sentell said the reopening of Alabama’s beaches will benefit far more than just coastal communities because tourists from the Midwest drive down Interstate 65 – and through Montgomery – on their way to the Gulf.

“That way cities as diverse as Muscle Shoals and Monroeville and Opelika can share the same guests as the beach,” Sentell said.

For the complete article please see https://www.al.com/news/2020/05/pandemic-slams-door-on-montgomerys-tourism-boom.html

A state park that rivals national parks
From the article by Dave Parfitt on LonelyPlanet.com

Alabama was included in an article about 5 state parks around the U.S. worth visiting.
Here is the section on Gulf State Park.

Alabama – Gulf State Park
This region of the southeast is called the “Amazon of North America” due to its rich biodiversity, nine different ecosystems and more plant and animal species than anywhere in the United States.

Alabama invested $85 million in settlement funds from the 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill disaster to develop sustainable tourism facilities in Gulf State Park, including the Gulf Coast Center for Ecotourism & Sustainability. The world-class ecotourism and experiential learning facility was created in partnership with Jean-Michel Cousteau’s Ocean Futures Society.

In 2020, the center will launch the Gulf Coast Ambassadors of the Environment program to students in grades 4-12, housed at the Gulf State Park Learning Campus. Future Environmental Ambassador programs will include college students as well as adults.

For the complete article please see https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/best-us-state-parks

Alabama Tourism Partner Pointer

Check out the Staying Safe page on Alabama.Travel for to read and explore guidelines from the various safety initiatives our industry organizations have rolled out. We encourage you to indicate your location’s participation in these programs within the description of your listing and by adding the designated icon to your image gallery.

This helps visitors planning their trip know if you are a part of these safety initiatives. https://alabama.travel/my-trip/staying-safe

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.

For more information contact Dwayne O’Riley at: dwayne.oriley@tourism.alabama.gov

Tourism Tuesday May 19, 2020

Year of Natural Wonders, not viral tedium

Alabama lawmakers approve Ivey’s plan for $1.8 billion in CARES Act funds

Alabama luxury hotel group prepares for full reopening by emphasizing safety:
‘We take this seriously’

Alabama’s tourism economy benefits from Florida’s shutdown of vacation rentals

Carnival Fantasy projected to set sail out of Mobile on September 5th

Smithsonian promotes book about the Montgomery Bus Boycott

Tourism may take a hit but not set to lose momentum

Alabama’s Unclaimed Baggage Center is the home of lost suitcases with possessions sold for bargain prices

Alabama Tourism Partner Pointer

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Year of Natural Wonders, not viral tedium
From the article by Chris McFadyen on BusinessAlabama.com

The largely rural or so-called “empty states” have begun to advertise their open spaces as a safety advantage in the upended world of virus crisis.

Alabama is among the states with a tourism campaign pushing natural wonders, but there is no spin on a virus, says Lee Sentell, director of the Alabama Tourism Department.

“The message looks ahead, not back,” Sentell told the Wall Street Journal recently, in an article titled ‘Safe’ Becomes Rural Tourism Pitch to a Distancing Public.

The Alabama pitch is called “The Year of Natural Wonders,” a branding campaign planned well ahead of reports of a virus outbreak in China.

Sentell has overseen 12 such “Year of” campaigns, including food, small towns, the arts, barbecue, our places, music and a three-year crescendo of bicentennial drum beats.

A former newspaper reporter appointed to the tourism post by Gov. Bob Riley in 2003, Sentell says he saw the yearly campaign as a way to get local newspapers to cover the story by pitching to the editorial departments.

“We knew if we followed the sections of the newspapers — gardens, food, sports, outdoors — if we ran a campaign on a topic like that, they would automatically want to cover it,” Sentell explained to Business Alabama.

The yearly campaigns, says Sentell, have also been a way of spreading the tourism promotion dollars more fairly than by exclusively pitching the most visited attractions.

“We work very hard at focusing on small towns. Bob Riley and I grew up together in a small town, were in the nursery together in the First Baptist Church of Ashland. We had a dedicated interest in small towns.”

The “Year of” series also had the effect of peaking the interest of travelers who began anticipating the next year’s theme, Sentell says.

He says this year’s theme of natural wonders was suggested by the retired former head of the Alabama Department of Archives and history, Ed Bridges.

“We had a ‘soft launch’ of the campaign in the annual vacation guide in January, but, even then we were delaying a hard launch. And we certainly didn’t think the crisis was going to impact the world the way it has,” says Sentell. “I think our timing was perfect. Other states are scrambling to be relevant, and we have been in the marketplace since January.”

Avoidance of the virus subject was a natural, he adds.

“People have been watching so many TV commercials with a COVID message, from pizza to Lincolns, they are saturated with that. It makes no sense to spend the first third of a commercial telling people about something they already know.”

The 20 natural attractions highlighted in the campaign are Cheaha Mountain, Gulf Coast Beaches, Cathedral Caverns, The Mobile-Tensaw Delta, Dismals Canyon, Natural Bridge, Alabama Coastal Birding Trail, Cahaba Lilies, DeSoto Caverns, Pinhoti National Recreation Trail, Rickwood Caverns, Wetumpka Crater, Little River Canyon, Sipsey Wilderness, Red Mountain, Noccalula Falls, Walls of Jericho Trail, Bankhead National Forrest, Cahaba River and the White Cliffs of Alabama.

For the complete article please see https://businessalabama.com/year-of-natural-wonder-not-viral-tedium/

Alabama lawmakers approve Ivey’s plan for $1.8 billion in CARES Act funds
From the article by Mike Cason on AL.com

The Alabama Legislature today approved Gov. Kay Ivey’s plan for using $1.8 billion the federal government sent to the state for some of the enormous costs of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Senate voted 30-1 to approve Ivey’s amendment. That sent it to the House, which gave it final approval by a vote of 73-1.

The money comes from the CARES Act, passed by Congress and signed by President Trump.

The Republican governor’s plan prevailed despite some disagreement between her and GOP leaders in the Senate.

The plan does not list specific expenditures but directs the money into categories, such as reimbursements to state and local governments for coronavirus expenses, delivery of health care and related services to citizens, and support for citizens, businesses, non-profit and faith-based organizations directly affected by the pandemic.

The amendment says reallocation of funds between the categories would require unanimous consent of the House speaker, president pro tempore of the Senate, and the chairs of the Legislature’s four budget committees.

Ivey issued a statement commending lawmakers on approving the amendment, which she said would direct the money where it was intended.

“Our cities, counties and state, as well as places like our nursing homes, hospitals, schools and colleges have incurred many legitimate expenses because of COVID-19,” the governor said. “I thank the members of the Alabama Legislature for supporting this amendment and for ensuring this money helps the people of Alabama who have been harmed by this disease.

“While no one could have predicted COVID-19, it is easy to conclude this pandemic has touched every aspect of our daily lives. I assure the people of Alabama that we will be with them at every step moving forward. Together, we will recover, and we will get Alabama back on her feet.”

Ivey also announced that she had signed into law the education and General Fund budgets for next fiscal year, which starts Oct. 1. Lawmakers passed the budgets earlier this month, salvaging the final weeks of a legislative session that was interrupted for almost eight weeks because of the pandemic.

Today was the final day of the session.

Senate President Pro Tem Del Marsh, R-Anniston, said the Senate was left out of developing the spending plan in the CARES Act amendment approved today, but urged his colleagues to pass it and send it on to the House.

“We’ve got a lot of work to do to get some 450,000 people back to work,” Marsh said before the vote. “We’ve got businesses that may or may not make it. We’ve got a lot of obstacles in front of us and we’ve got to deal with that.”

Marsh later told reporters that senators didn’t get a chance to participate in meetings between the House and the governor’s office to develop the plan.

“The Senate was excluded from that process and that was unfortunate,” Marsh told reporters. “But we have to look at the big picture here. We’ve got to get these dollars to the people that need them in the state. We want to expedite that as quickly as possible. So, it’s time just to move on.”

Marsh and GOP leaders in the Senate have worked closely with Ivey the last three years. But he said the relationship is now “strained.”

Sen. Rodger Smitherman, D-Birmingham, said Senate Democrats were left out of the discussions but said he would be a “squeaky wheel” in making sure the money goes to where it can protect citizens from the spread of the virus.

Senate Minority Leader Bobby Singleton, D-Greensboro, said he would ask the governor for an executive order adding Democrats to the list of legislators with some input over allocation of the funds.

“I know that there’s no better voice at the table for me but me,” Singleton said. “And we will be the squeaky wheel that screams out in the public the loudest because it is our people in the African-American community that are dying disproportionately more than anyone else from this COVID disease. We want to make sure that money is spent in the places that it’s going to help, not just our people but all Alabamians.”

House Speaker Mac McCutcheon, R-Monrovia, was asked about Marsh’s statements that the Senate was excluded from talks between House leaders and the governor’s office on the amendment. McCutcheon said he and other House leaders reached out to the governor to keep discussions going on the COVID-19 money and because of concerns that the governor might veto the state budgets.

“The House was willing to step up and bring suggestions to the governor,” McCutcheon said. “We were not working against the Senate. We were not working in secret. We were just doing our job as a House body.”

Ivey announced the plan Thursday in a proposed amendment to a bill passed by the Legislature on the COVID-19 funding. That came after days of friction between the governor and some legislative leaders about use of the money.

Lawmakers had the option of accepting Ivey’s plan or passing the bill again without her amendment.

Without the Ivey amendment, the bill would have put $200 million of the $1.8 billion under the governor’s control. Legislative leaders said their intent was to return in a special session called by Ivey to allocate the rest of the money.

Federal guidelines say the money can be used for expenses caused by the pandemic. But officials have said there is some uncertainty over how that is interpreted.

Disagreement between the governor and legislative leaders surfaced May 7 when Ivey criticized what she called a “wish list” that included $200 million for a new State House, as well as 15 other proposals. Marsh said he helped develop the list at the governor’s request. The State House idea was dropped from consideration, a spokesman for Marsh said last week.

The CARES Act money goes back to the federal government if the state does not spend it this year.

Ivey’s plan that was approved today:

•Up to $300 million to reimburse state agencies for expenses directly related to the pandemic.

•
Up to $250 million to reimburse local governments for expenses directly related to the pandemic.

•
Up to $250 million to support delivery of health care and related services to citizens because of the pandemic.

•
Up to $300 million to support citizens, businesses, and nonprofit and faith-based organizations directly impacted by the pandemic.
•Up to $53 million for reimbursement of equipment and infrastructure necessary for remote work and public access to functions of state government directly impacted by the pandemic, including the Legislature.
•Up to $300 million for expenses related to technology and infrastructure for remote instruction and distance learning.
•Up to $200 million for reimbursement of costs necessary to address the pandemic by the Department of Corrections.
•Up to $10 million for reimbursement of costs necessary to ensure access to courts during the pandemic.
•$5 million to reimburse the General Fund for supplemental appropriations to the Alabama Department of Public health during the pandemic.
•Up to $118 million for any other lawful purpose approved by the federal government.

Today was the final day of a legislative session that was put on hold from March 12 until May 4 because of the pandemic. The State House was essentially closed to the public during the final days of the session because of COVID-19.

House members wore masks and some moved to the gallery normally used by spectators to allow for social distancing. Most of the 28 members of the House Democratic caucus chose not to attend because of the health risks and because of concerns that it was too soon to pass the budgets because of uncertainty over state revenues.

Sen. Vivian Davis Figures, D-Mobile, had not attended since the session resumed until today. She had written an open letter to Marsh explaining that she thought it was a mistake to meet in May because of the health risks and because it was too early to pass the budgets because of the uncertainty of revenues.

Figures said she came today partly because Ivey asked for her support on the amendment. Figures wore a cloth mask over an N-95 mask, goggles, and gloves. She said she was surprised to find many senators not wearing masks and talking face-to-face without observing six-foot social distancing.

“I was totally amazed,” Figures said. “And I felt that no wonder the people of Alabama are not taking this seriously. Because we as leaders, some of us in these leadership positions, are not leading by example.”

For the complete article please see https://www.al.com/news/2020/05/alabama-legislature-to-consider-iveys-plan-for-18-billion-in-cares-act-funds.html

Alabama luxury hotel group prepares for full reopening by emphasizing safety: ‘We take this seriously’
From the article by John Sharp on AL.com

Restaurants and spas that are a part of eight Marriott-brand hotels and conference centers owned by the Retirement Systems of Alabama and managed by PCH Hotels and Resorts will begin reopening next week following long closures during the coronavirus pandemic.

The hotel’s team, in an email to AL.com and other media outlets, is emphasizing safety as it begins reopening restaurants, spas and pools this week.

“I want to make sure that people know the health and safety is a big deal,” said Tony Davis, president with PCH Hotels & Resorts. “We’ve been working from the governor’s orders, the (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), and the Alabama Restaurant and Hospitality Association and with all of our brand partners to develop protocols we put into place. I want our guests to know … we take this seriously. We have looked at different partners in the industry to understand what we have … I want them to know it’s a safe experience.”

The hotels, located along Alabama’s Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, have been open since early April’s “Stay at Home” orders shuttered many businesses in Alabama. But the hotel services have been limited as occupancy rates, like those at hotels across the U.S., have dropped.

Hotels throughout the U.S. are just now safely reopening, and the American Hotel & Lodging Association (AHL) recently introduced Safe Stay guidelines developed under the guidance of an advisory council that included a host of major hotel operators. Marriott International is among the hotels that are included within the council.

PCH Hotels & Resorts are utilizing similar standards such as sanitizing public areas every two hours, thorough cleaning and disinfecting of rooms before guests arrive and limiting the number of people entering a room during someone’s stay.

“Once a room is clean and disinfected, and someone checks in, no one will enter that room until you check out or until you request it,” said Davis. “It’s a safeguard we’ve put into play. Refreshed towels and room service, we leave at the door. If there is a special request, we’ll handle that.”

Employees will also be using personal protective equipment such as face coverings when appropriate. Housekeepers will wear face coverings, Davis said. Guests to the hotel spas will be welcomed to wear their own PPE’s such as masks and gloves, but it won’t be required.

The spa protocols include the following: All spa providers’ temperatures will be taken before they begin their shift, all providers will be wearing a mask during your spa visit, gloves will be changed after each guest, and all tools used during the spa service will be thoroughly sanitized.

Initially, the spas will be offering nail and hair services. Massages, facials and other spa services will be added at a later date.

The following are the reopening timelines for the restaurants and spas that PCH Hotels & Resorts oversees (From South to North in Alabama):

Grand Hotel Golf Resort & Spa (Point Clear): Bayside Grill and Bucky’s Bar reopened Friday. Spa at the Grand reopens on Wednesday. Massage and facials will begin on Wednesday as well.

Renaissance Riverview Plaza Hotel (Mobile): Fathoms Lounge reopened Tuesday.

Battle House Renaissance Mobile Hotel & Spa (Mobile): Joe Cain Café reopened on Monday. Spa at Battle House reopened on Tuesday. Massages and facials will begin on May 27. Pool reopens Friday, May 22.

Renaissance Montgomery Hotel & Spa (Montgomery): House Restaurant reopened Friday. Spa at Montgomery reopens Friday, May 22 for massages. Hair, nails and facials will be added at a later date.

Marriott Prattville Hotel and Conference Center at Capitol Hill (Prattville): Oak Tavern reopened Friday.

Auburn/Opelika Marriott Resort & Spa at Grand National (Opelika): Splash Bar reopened on Thursday. Spa at Grand National reopens Thursday, May 21 for hair, nails massages and facials.

Renaissance Ross Bridge Golf Resort & Spa (Hoover): Clubhouse Restaurant reopened Tuesday. Spa at Ross Bridge reopened on Friday. Massages and facials begin Thursday, May 21.

Marriott Shoals Hotel & Spa (Florence): Swamper’s Bar and Grille reopened Monday. Spa at the Shoals reopened on Thursday for hair. Massages, facials and nails begin on Thursday, May 21.

All the swimming pools have since reopened, except for the Battle House pool which opens on Friday, May 22. The Robert Trent Jones golf courses and resort tennis courts are available, where applicable.

Davis said safety protocols at the hotel pools will be a “collaborative effort” involving guests and employees, who will monitor people to ensure they are at a safe, six-foot distance from others.

“It’s a challenge to police that,” said Davis. “But we’re going to try and we’ll continue to have activities on the pool decks with the purpose of keeping people safe.”

Dr. Ellen Eaton, an assistant professor at the University of Alabama at Birmingham’s Division of Infectious Diseases, said she’s not concerned about COVID-19 spreading by people swimming in a pool or spending time in a hot tub. She said the concern is with proximity to larger crowds that might congregate at pools, generally.

“Folks who are outside their immediate (family) circle and who are within 6 feet of each other for prolonged periods of time, those will be at the high risk encounters be it at a pool or a lounge or a pool bar or in the bathroom,” said Eaton. “It’s about the number of folks and the types of interactions they have.”

Davis said the rationale for the hotels starting up certain spa services (hair and nail) over others (like massages and facials) came down to a business decision of monitoring what interests guests. He said his company is trying to “balance the restrictions with business demand.”

Eaton said that guests to spas should be willing to ask questions of staff over how they are sanitizing rooms and are maintaining safety. She also said that guests should avoid shared amenities, such as beverages or snacks like fruit, and to avoid bathrooms.

Davis said that his hotel company has been strategizing the reopening plan for “two to three weeks” knowing that once the latest State Heath Order went into effect, on Monday, that “there would be two to four days to ramp up.”

“During this process, we have developed a re-onboarding program that every associate has to go through,” said Davis. “They are required to take online training classes and ‘how-to’ (instruction). They have to go through that protocol before hitting the floor.”

Davis said he’s anticipating a “summer rebound” in visitors, especially to resort properties like The Grand Hotel.

He’s hoping to make up for a lack of group travelers with more transient visitors. Conferences have canceled for the next two months, leaving the hotel business with “a lot of unknowns.”

“We know in the near term in May and in June, we have far too many cancellations,” said Davis. “We feel transient (visitors) can fill in the gaps.”

For the complete article please see https://www.al.com/business/2020/05/alabama-luxury-hotel-group-prepares-for-full-reopening-by-emphasizing-safety-we-take-this-seriously.html

Alabama’s tourism economy benefits from Florida’s shutdown of vacation rentals
From the article by Amy Hinote on VRMintel.com

Alabama’s tourism economy is benefiting from Florida’s continued shutdown of vacation rentals as travelers who are unable to stay in vacation homes in the Florida Panhandle cross the state line for their beach vacations.

Last week, adjusted paid occupancy on the Alabama Gulf Coast increased 54 percent year over year, while Florida vacation rental businesses lost almost 80 percent of their bookings due to continued government restrictions on leisure travel in short-term rentals, according to data provided by Key Data.

“We are seeing short stays and last minute bookings,” Alabama-based Meyer Vacation Rentals president Michelle Hodges said during the recent Skift Forum on Short-term Rentals, “For us the (Alabama/Florida) state line is almost seamless, so it’s an interesting dynamic . . . we are picking up people who don’t want to give up their vacation and can’t get into their Florida property.”

Jason Sprenkle, cofounder of Florida-based 360 Blue Vacation Rentals and CEO at Key Data Dashboard said, “We were in this ‘we’re all in this together’ phase, and now we are in the ‘haves and have nots’ phase.”

“You see some states that are making a full recovery while others are left out, and the recovery is not being driven by demand; it’s being driven by government regulation,” Sprenkle continued. “For example, the demand in the (FL) panhandle has been at least as strong as the demand in Alabama, but they were able to experience the recovery, and in Florida, we were not.”

Here is a look at how reservation activity was affected from March 1 through May 15.

Vacation rental companies in Florida have been reaching out to Governor Ron DeSantis with pleas to reopen vacation rentals. DeSantis shut down short-term rentals in an executive order in March while keeping B&Bs, timeshares, motels, resorts, and hotels open. On Friday, the governor provided his reasoning for the first time, saying, “Some of them (vacation rental companies) are upset because we never shut down hotels in Florida. But part of the thing is I’ve got all these National Guard that I have to put up— I’ve got other people I’ve got to put up. So we needed to have an ability to have hotels–it’s a little bit different situation.”

Looking forward, Alabama’s early-mover advantage lasts through the latter half of June as the average booking window has decreased significantly due to COVID-19’s impact on traveler behavior.

Alabama’s vacation rentals are not the only beneficiary of DeSantis’ short-term rental shutdown. Florida’s hotels in the panhandle are also benefiting. As of May 16, only one Panama City Beach 2.5-star hotel showed availability for the weekend, and this non-beachfront budget hotel was priced at $359 per night.

Vacation rental professionals expected DeSantis to open vacation rentals on Friday. Instead the governor said counties could submit plans for reopening, saying, “What we are doing is telling counties, if you want short-term rentals, you request it to be authorized through the state and provide your safety plan. If you tell me you’re going to rent ’em out to people from NYC, I’m probably not going to approve that, okay? If you’re saying that you are going to rent it out to people in other parts of FL or something that would be manageable, or if there are ways in there that clearly you have an eye on safety, then I’m fine.”

Some counties have already submitted their plans to the state while others are expected to send theirs on Monday. All counties are hoping to be open in time to take bookings for Memorial Day Weekend which kicks off in less than a week.

Sprenkle added, “People are sitting outside waiting come in, but the destinations that unlock the doors first are reaping the benefits.”

For the complete article please see https://vrmintel.com/alabama-benefits-from-floridas-shutdown-of-vacation-rentals/

Carnival Fantasy projected to set sail out of Mobile on September 5th
From the article by Justin Moore on (WPMI) MyNBC15.com

Apparently, a lot of people are getting cabin fever and ready to sail out of Mobile once again. Andrea Miller with Sea It All Travel Agency said she has booked 300 cruises over the last three days.

Miller said the projected date for Carnival Fantasy to cruise out of Mobile again is Sept. 5. Carnival will sail other ships out of ports including Miami, Orlando and Galveston in early August.

“There are accommodations for lodging the night before, the night after, restaurants will be opened. Until the ports can provide that sort of accommodations for cruisers, there is kind of no point in sailing out of those particular ports,” Miller said.

The travel agent said people with canceled trips because of COVID-19 are re-booking and summer travelers are booking as well.

Carnival added these extra health standards to keep cruisers safe:

•More frequent sanitizing of tables, chairs, menus and other surfaces in restaurants and bars before use.
•More frequent open deck sanitation of sun loungers, outdoor furniture, mini-golf, sports equipment, handrails, etc.
•Additional sanitizing of frequently hand-touched surfaces in all public areas and lounges, all restaurants, lobbies, elevators, handrails, public phones, counters, public displays, medical centers, gangways, casino chips, games, slot machines, fitness machines, children’s toys, and security screening equipment, among others.
•Wherever possible, staff is serving guests at food stations, including the Lido buffet and ice cream machines. Where not possible due to layout restrictions or other locations such as condiment set-ups and salsa bars, dedicated personnel are posted to monitor these stations and service and ensure they are cleaned and sanitized in a timely manner. In any self-service areas that remain, serving utensils are replaced on a more frequent basis.
•Stateroom surfaces and fixtures are thoroughly cleaned up to twice daily with particular attention to bathrooms and surfaces frequently touched. All guest corridors including handrails and stateroom door handles are frequently sanitized. During instances that guests display flu-like symptoms, the stateroom will receive additional deep cleaning.
•Hand-washing sinks and/or hand sanitizing applications are available at the entrances to all dining rooms and the Lido buffet. A roster of guest communications detailing proper hand-washing techniques are visible throughout the ships and reiterated by staff and officers onboard.
•Additional hand sanitizers/dispensers have been placed in highly trafficked locations where there may not be hand-wash sinks available.
•The temperature in our washers and dryers has been increased for enhanced disinfection of laundered goods, including bedding, tablecloths, towels, napkins, etc.
•At night, a deep cleaning and disinfection process is conducted utilizing electro-static applications through specialized machines in highly-trafficked public areas (including all restaurants, the fitness center, spa, lido deck areas, promenade, casino, medical center, public restrooms, lounges, bars, lobbies, elevators, atrium, youth activity centers, arcade and all crew public areas).

“If you walk down a staircase and you touch a banister with your finger tip, some little guy in a uniform comes out of somewhere and he sanitizes that whole banister because you touched it,” Miller said.

For the complete article please see https://mynbc15.com/news/local/carnival-fantasy-projected-to-set-sail-out-of-mobile-on-september-5th

Smithsonian promotes book about the Montgomery Bus Boycott
In their weekly series spotlighting books that may have been lost in the news amid the COVID-19 crisis, the Smithsonian website has included a book about the Montgomery Bus Boycott in their list of 5 books promoted during the week of May 12.

In writing about “Daughter of the Boycott: Carrying On a Montgomery Family’s Civil Rights Legacy” by Karen Gray Houston, the website stated:

Fred and Thomas Gray played pivotal roles in the civil rights movement, aiding the organization of the Montgomery bus boycott and battling segregation in court, respectively. In “Daughter of the Boycott,” journalist Karen Gray Houston reflects on her relatives’ legacy, detailing how her father, Thomas—a founding member of the Montgomery Improvement Association—“drove his car to pick up black passengers to keep them off the buses [and] make the boycott a success,” while his younger brother, Fred, spearheaded legal cases that expanded voting rights and “desegregated transportation, schools, housing and public accommodations.”

In addition to discussing her father’s and uncle’s work, Houston draws on interviews with individuals including the daughter-in-law of the manager whose bus line was targeted by protesters and the son of Aurelia Browder Coleman, lead plaintiff in the Browder v. Gayle Supreme Court case that resulted in the desegregation of Montgomery’s buses. According to Kirkus’ review of “Daughter of the Boycott,” Houston’s “real coup” is a conversation with fellow Browder plaintiff Claudette Colvin, who refused to yield her seat to a white passenger nine months before Rosa Parks famously did the same.

To see the full story, go to https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/notorious-17th-century-pirate-many-lives-louvre-and-other-new-books-read-180974833/

Tourism may take a hit but not set to lose momentum
From the article by Amy Passaretti on AlexCityOutlook.com

Tourism had taken a hold on Tallapoosa County’s character and was well on its way to be a huge contributor to its economic and business success for 2020.

Data for tourism, including lodging, restaurants, retail, auto and transportation, has been escalating toward new heights for the past few years and reached record-breaking levels in 2019 statewide.

According to a press release by the Alabama Tourism Department, 28 million tourists spent a record of $16.8 billion while vacationing in Alabama last year, crediting the arrival of more than a million additional guests who spent a billion more dollars than the previous year.

This hopeful growth has come to a screeching halt due to restrictions from the coronavirus pandemic; however, local leaders aren’t as fearful of a devastating impact as some may think.

“Looking at the overall state, around our area it looks like we had growth across the board, except for a few close-by counties,” Tallapoosa County Tourism director Sandra Fuller said. “I think countywide people are focused on tourism and there is a lot of effort going into it.”

Alexander City Chamber of Commerce president and CEO Ed Collari said he’s heard a mixed bag of comments in terms of local businesses hurting and doing well.

“Overall, I think Alabama will be hurt significantly,” he said. “But (Lake Martin) seems to be the place people want to social distance, and I think that may help balance out what we’re going to lose in hotel stays, lodging and restaurants being closed.”

Collari emphasized the community rallying around local businesses as a factor to their survival during the pandemic.

“The community recognizes the importance to support our businesses and are going out of their way to do so,” Collari said. “Hotels might be hurt right now but hardware stores, grocery stores, their numbers are at the best I’ve seen.”

The swelling of the lake population occurred much earlier this season, which may offset some economic losses in other areas as well.

“We have seen traffic we don’t normally see until June,” Russell Lands On Lake Martin vice president Roger Holliday said. “A lot of people have seen the lake as an opportunity to get out of higher-density areas.”

Holliday said Russell Lands’ restaurants are actually doing quite well with curbside and takeout offerings as they slowly ease into opening dine-in options.

“Restaurants are getting creamed because they’re doing a lot of takeout,” Holliday said. “As they begin to open up under the new guidelines, it’s actually going to hurt in terms of revenue because you can’t do 50% capacity dining at the same rate they’ve been doing takeout.”

While Holliday would not categorize Russell Lands as tourism per se, second-home owners and guests have certainly added to the human traffic on the lake.

“In terms of tourism meaning getting out of town, we’ve obviously seen huge numbers this spring versus anything we’ve seen before,” Holliday said. “The fact that we are a drive-thru destination is an advantage for us.”

Fuller echoed this statement and said the tourism organizations she spoke to agree road travel will be the main source of transportation for a while and being in rural Alabama is a huge benefit of that.

“We don’t get a lot of people flying into this area,” Fuller said. “We’ll have an in-driving-distance market and that’s who we’ll target to attract.”

Tallapoosa County saw a 10.8% increase in travel-related earnings from 2018 to 2019 and a 7.5% increase in travel-related expenditures.

“The additional jobs and tax revenue tourism brings into our community, we can take those dollars and use them for infrastructure and many more things,” Fuller said. “With the loss we had on jobs over the years, we’ve done a great job at bringing that back up.”

The Alabama Tourism Department stated travel and hospitality industries employed more than 200,000 workers for the first-time last year and it is estimated 140,706 direct jobs led to the creation of 64,906 additional or indirect jobs statewide.

State economist Dr. Keivan Deravi developed the economic impact analysis model the tourism department used. That analysis said every $116,120 in travel industry spending creates one direct job in Alabama.

It’s no secret the main driver of revenue and population is Lake Martin and it seems to be the place people are flocking to social distance.

“This is not data driven but observation, the lake is running at peak Fourth of July holiday season in April and May,” Collari said.

According to the Alabama Tourism Department, the central region of Alabama captured 24% of the state’s tourists’ expenditures and boasted 56,455 workers whose earnings grew by nearly 10% to a total of $1.47 billion.

Fishing tournaments attract thousands to Lake Martin each year and while those anglers are in town, they spend money elsewhere.

“Last year, there were very few weekends with no tournaments,” Fuller said. “And now we have a local owner of OGS and as a recreation group they do a great job bringing some outside tournaments in. Unfortunately right now that’s not happening but it continues to be a conversation and a huge draw.”

Wind Creek State Park hosts a majority of these tournaments and also has numerous attractions — including horseback riding, zip lining, mini golf and more — that draw in visitors and campers.

“When I talked to (superintendent) Bruce (Adams) at Wind Creek, he said numbers have been up with activities and a lot of people are comfortable coming in their own RVs but still getting out,” Fuller said. “They’ve had pretty consistent high numbers for two to three weeks. There are low numbers in other areas but certainly not there.”

Russell Lands maintains a steady wedding business throughout the year as well and Holliday said while he’s unsure of the number of weddings canceled or postponed, there will be a new normal for wedding receptions for the time being.

“We didn’t stick anyone with a deposit of course,” Holliday said. “But the typical deal now seems to be brides planning a reception for their first anniversary and still getting married in a small service with some family.”

A lot of wedding plans are still up in the air as everyone navigates the unknown of the future.

Entertainment options have been altered as these organizations await Gov. Kay Ivey’s new guidelines May 22.

“We canceled RxR Fest (over Memorial Day weekend),” Holliday said. “We just wouldn’t have time to plan it if the governor gave the OK for entertainment venues. We’re using an abundance of caution and canceled Friday on the Green’s first weekends but haven’t yet canceled through June assuming there will be more guidance.”

The chamber postponed Jazz Fest to August for similar fear of social distancing issues but knew the tourism draw was too high to cancel it altogether.

According to tourism strategies organizations, May to June is when more people will start traveling and the next wave of opened businesses will likely include attractions and waterparks, summer team sports, small outdoor events and the leisure domestic fly market.

“If we did not have this pandemic, we are already hitting record highs the state as a whole, I believe we would have continued to grow,” Fuller said. “I’m still optimistic that numbers will still look good when all is said and done.”

For the complete article please see https://www.alexcityoutlook.com/news/tourism-may-take-a-hit-but-not-set-to-lose-momentum/article_28e0741a-9799-11ea-a698-1f03d850d8c3.html

Alabama’s Unclaimed Baggage Center is the home of lost suitcases with possessions sold for bargain prices
From the article by Jonathan Thompson on Britain’s TheSun.co.uk

Wonder what happened to that lost suitcase?

Chances are it was reclaimed by somebody else — in Alabama.

It is the fear that used to flit across everyone’s mind when they reached baggage claim before lockdown: What if my luggage hasn’t made it?

For thousands of holidaymakers every year, the answer to that last question was “Alabama”.

Because it’s there, in the tiny town of Scottsboro, that all the truly lost bags finally arrive.

Scottsboro (population 14,000) is an unlikely tourist hotspot but it is home to the Unclaimed Baggage Center — a megastore of misplaced possessions taken from tens of thousands of suitcases, rucksacks and duffel bags, all lost on commercial flights across the U.S.

Brenda Cantrell, the store’s brand ambassador, says: “Less than half a per cent of all lost luggage fails to make it back to its owners, but that’s still thousands of bags every year.

“And the vast majority of those make their way here. We have exclusive contracts with all the major U.S. carriers, making us the only store of this kind anywhere in the country.”

Legally, airlines have a duty to reunite luggage with their owners within 90 days, but if that fails, bags end up on a flatbed truck headed for Scottsboro, in the hilly countryside near the Tennessee border.

So frequent are these deliveries that the Unclaimed Baggage Center has around one million items on sale at any time, with 7,000 new items added to the shop floor every day.

The place itself — a colossal 40,000 square feet — feels more like a swanky department store than a musty charity shop, with items neatly separated into sections such as electronics, books, jewellery, watches — and even wedding clothes.

Some of the finds have been genuinely bizarre, such as a complete suit of armour, an Egyptian death mask and an entire suitcase filled with cheese.

Brenda says her personal favourite is a toss-up between a camera from the space shuttle (“we returned that to Nasa — they were very grateful”) and a live rattlesnake (“we released that sucker into the graveyard behind the store”).

During my visit, I’m shown a diamond bracelet worth £30,000.

Hauls of Cocaine
But the store’s current record for most expensive item is a £50,000 Rolex watch found a few years ago.

There are incredible bargains to be had here, too. One customer purchased a vase for a relatively steep £65 — only to discover it was actually worth £15,000.

Another bought a piece of art for £45, then later found out its true value of £20,000.

The Unclaimed Baggage Center has come a long way since it was founded by local entrepreneur Doyle Owens in 1970.

Not only is it a successful business, it is also one of the most popular tourist attractions in the Deep South, attracting more than a million visitors a year.

Even the in-house dry-cleaners has become the largest in the whole state, laundering 20,000 items a day.

Not everything makes the shelves, of course. There are strict quality guidelines — and roughly a third of everything is immediately binned, including all underwear.

Another third is donated to charity, with only the final third considered good enough to be processed, cleaned and sold — at anywhere from 20 to 80 per cent of its original price.

Electronics (the store has an enormous selection of laptops, mobile phones and tablets) are all completely wiped and reset before being put on sale.

There is, however, a dark underbelly to the world’s lost luggage.

Over the years, Unclaimed Baggage staff have discovered pretty much every drug under the sun, from sizeable stashes of crystal meth and heroin to monster hauls of cocaine.

“That’s when we get straight on the phone to the cops,” says Brenda. “We’ve got to know our local officers well over the years.

“Nobody tends to go back to claim a lost suitcase when they know it’s full of drugs.”

One of the most enjoyable things to do while visiting the store is the daily “Baggage Experience” at 2.30pm.

This involves a member of the public opening up a previously unprocessed suitcase, in front of all the other shoppers.

During my visit, I get to try it out for myself, and am immediately faced with a barrage of questions worthy of a White House press conference.

Bargain Hunt
“Did this suitcase belong to a man or a woman?” “Were they on their way to or from a trip?” “Were they travelling somewhere hot or cold?”

It is not hard to figure out that this particular suitcase belonged to a woman, probably headed for the beach with a young son.

According to Brenda, the clean, folded shirts and lack of sand in any creases mean they were almost certainly outbound.

She adds: “It’s rare to find a case so neatly packed. The majority of people aren’t folders or rollers — most are just stuffers”.

Before leaving, I have time for my own swift bargain hunt.

And I strike gold immediately with a brand-new Hugo Boss dinner jacket that fits like a glove, for just £40 — less than a tenth of what it should cost.

Eat your heart out, David Gandy.

There is, of course, a downside to all of this.

Brenda and her colleagues now have a genuine phobia of travelling with their own luggage.

“When I fly, I photograph everything inside my case, create a detailed list of contents, and add my address to every pocket, just in case,” reveals Brenda.

“Although, at least I know where it’ll end up if the airline loses it.”

For the complete article please see https://www.thesun.co.uk/travel/11585647/
alabama-unclaimed-baggage-lost-suitcases/

Alabama Tourism Partner Pointer

Download the SHA logo in the color that works best for your website by visiting https://tourism.alabama.gov/media/resource-center/

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.

For more information contact Dwayne O’Riley at: dwayne.oriley@tourism.alabama.gov

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