Tourism has multi-billion dollar impact in Alabama, state official tells chamber

When tourism is translated into dollars in Shelby County, the impact is about $326 million, said Alabama Department of Tourism Public Relations Director Brian Jones.

Jones was the guest speaker at the South Shelby Chamber of Commerce’s luncheon on Aug. 4, and he focused on the economic influence of tourism across the state. While the impact is in the hundred millions in Shelby County, that number jumps up into the billions when looked at statewide, Jones said.

“Last year, 2015, we had about 25 million people that visited the state of Alabama. You think about it, our state’s population is somewhere around 4.5 million to 5 million,” Jones said. “…What that meant in terms of economic impact, just in 2015 alone, was about $12.6 billion that came into the state because of the tourism and travel industry.”

In addition to bringing money into the economy, Jones said tourism also brought about 175,000 jobs to Alabama. These jobs are spread throughout the economy, from lodging to tourist attractions to restaurants, and tourism also brings people into communities to spend money in other ways, Jones said.

While residents also spend money in the community, they in turn require resources such as roads, schools and other amenities. Tourists, however, do not require those resources, he said.

“The great thing about tourists is they come in, they leave their money and then they leave,” Jones said. “So it works out great for them, they have a great time, and it works out great for the communities because they get all the benefits and the advantages from it.”

Another way tourism benefits the state, Jones said, is it doesn’t take from the general fund. Rather, 25 percent of lodging taxes go toward funding the department of tourism, and the remaining 75 percent goes into the general fund.

The tourism department’s focus is on bringing people who live outside the state into Alabama, Jones said.

“That’s who, as a state tourism department, we’re going after trying to get them to Alabama, and more importantly, get them here to spend the night, spend two nights, spend three nights and put their dollars in the Alabama economy,” he said.

This is done through a variety of campaigns and publications, which typically focus on a yearly theme. In the past, the Year of Alabama Food also included a publication called “100 dishes to eat in Alabama before you die,” as well as a mobile app. This year’s promotion is focused on Alabama makers, and encouraging people to visit everything from Alabama’s boutiques to space exploration work done in Huntsville.

“When you start counting up the amount and the variety of things this state makes, we make everything from old school brooms and quilts to the aerospace industry in Huntsville and the automobile manufacturing that’s across the state,” he said. “And it lets our own people know, but more importantly lets the region and the nation know what exists here in Alabama.”

Aside from attracting tourism dollars from visits, Jones said highlighting what the state has to offer also helps in recruiting industry. "That’s how people get a feel for the community," he said.

For more information about the tourism department, visit alabama.travel.