Skip to main content
  • Visitors
  • Meetings
  • Sports
Media
  • Home
    All Home
  • Media Assets
    All Media Assets
  • In The News
    All In The News
  • Press Releases
    All Press Releases
  • Media Assistance
    All Media Assistance
Media
  • Home
    All Home
  • Media Assets
    All Media Assets
  • In The News
    All In The News
  • Press Releases
    All Press Releases
  • Media Assistance
    All Media Assistance
Visitors
  • All Places to Stay
    • Beach Houses
    • Bed & Breakfasts
    • Condos
    • Hotels
    • Pet-Friendly Vacation Rentals
    • Resorts
    • RV Parks & Camping
    Friends on the beaches in Alabama
    Should You Stay in Gulf Shores or Orange Beach?
    Tent camping in Gulf Shores, AL
    The Ultimate Guide to Campgrounds in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach
    Children at Waterville USA in Gulf Shores
    How to Plan a Budget-Friendly Beach Vacation
  • All Things to Do
    • Beaches
    • Attractions
      • Arts & Culture
      • Coastal Crafters
      • History & Museums
      • Indoor Activities
      • Popular Attractions
      • All Attractions
    • Amusements & Entertainment
      • Mini Golf
      • All Amusements & Entertainment
    • Fishing
      • Fishing Seasons
      • All Fishing
    • Outdoor Activities
      • Back Bay Blueway
      • Biking
      • Birding
      • Gulf State Park
      • Hiking
      • Motorcycle Runs
      • Nature & Parks
      • Shelling
      • Tours
      • Trails
      • All Outdoor Activities
    • Water Activities
      • Boating
      • Diving
      • Equipment Rentals & Outfitters
      • Jet Skiing
      • Kayaking
      • Marinas
      • Paddleboarding
      • Parasailing
      • Sailing
      • Snorkeling
      • Dolphin Cruises
      • Cruises
      • All Water Activities
    • Shopping
    • Golf
    • Nightlife & Bars
    • Signature Experiences
    Gulf State Park Beach
    10 Fun Family Activities in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach
    Bike Share Program Gulf State Park
    Ten Cheap & Free Things To Do in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach
    Dad and kids hunting crabs on Alabama's beaches
    Take The Kids On A Catch & Release Crabbing Adventure On Alabama's Gulf Coast
  • All Events
    • Annual Events & Festivals
    • Community Events
    • Concerts
    • Events Calendar
    • Holiday Events
    • Live Music
    Gulf Place Gulf Shores Christmas Lights
    Holiday Events
    Blue Angels
    Blue Angels
    Live Music
    Live Local Music
  • All Restaurants
    • Fan Favorites
    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
    • Dessert
    • Food Trails
    • Recipes
    • Seafood
    Perch at The Lodge
    The Best Restaurants for Fine Dining on Alabama Beaches
    Pouring a cup of coffee
    The Four Best Coffee Shops in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach
    Cobalt the Restaurant Orange beach
    4 Beach Restaurants Perfect for Date-Night
  • All Planning Tools
    • Order a Vacation Guide
      • Order a Printed Guide & Brochures
      • View e-Guide
      • All Guides
    • eNewsletter Sign Up
      • Couples Newsletter
      • Destination Newsletter
      • Fishing Newsletter
      • Golf Newsletter
      • All eNewsletter Sign Up
    • Maps
    • Getting Here
    • Weather
    • Welcome Centers
    • Couples Getaway
    • Family Vacations
    • Beach Safety
    Gulf Shores, Alabama
    Nine Things to Know Before Your Gulf Shores and Orange Beach Vacation
    Beach house kitchen
    5 Things I Learned From My Alabama Beach Vacation
    Dog Pond Lake Shelby
    Easy Options for a Pet-Friendly Beach Vacation
  • All Blogs
    • 10 Family Activities
    • 14 Public Beaches
    • 21 Rainy Day Activities
    • 5 Things I Learned From My Vacation
    • 8 Things to Know Before Your Vacation
    Couple biking on the Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry Trail in Gulf Shores, AL
    Bike-Sharing at Gulf State Park: Share the Trails, Share the Wheels
    Teen friends on Sail Wild Hearts in Orange Beach, AL
    Six Teen-Approved Things to Do in Gulf Shores and Orange Beach
    Waterville USA
    5 Thrilling Amusement Parks Gulf Shores Orange Beach
  • Deals
    All Deals
Meetings
  • Home
    All Home
    • Plan Your Conference
    • How Can We Help
    • Why Our Beach
    • Services
    • FAQs
    • Getting Here
    • Restaurants
    • Things to Do
    • Calendar of Events
    All Plan Your Conference
    • All Meeting Spaces
    • Unique Meeting Spaces
    • Accommodations
    All Meeting Spaces
  • Reunions & Weddings
    All Reunions & Weddings
    • Meeting Planner Toolkit
    All Toolkit
    • Connect With Us
    • Submit RFP
    • Subscribe Today
    All Contact Us
  • Stories
    All Stories
Sports
    • All Events
    • Book>Direct
    • Perfect Game World Series
    • Gulf Shores High School
    • Beach Races
    • Orange Beach High School
    All Events & Special Rates
    • All Restaurant Sponsors
    • On-the-Go Dining
    All Restaurants
    • All Attraction Sponsors
    All Attractions
  • Business Sponsors
    All Business Sponsors
  • Facilities
    All Facilities
    • Facility Info
    • Leisure Events
    • Our Services
    • Planner Toolkit
    • Contact Us
    • Newsletter
    All Bring Your Event
  • Sponsors
    All Sponsors
  • Stories
    All Stories

Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism unveils 2020 economic impact report and 2021 Outlook at annual summit

Local and state tourism officials are optimistic for the travel industry’s recovery in 2021

May 4, 2021

GULF SHORES AND ORANGE BEACH, ALA. – Earlier this month Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism (GSOBT) held its annual Tourism Summit virtually to provide valuable updates to travel industry partners on Alabama’s Gulf Coast. This year’s event had a distinct theme – though 2020 was a year of great change and impact, tourism on Alabama’s Gulf Coast remains strong and officials are optimistic for the upcoming peak season.

Attendees were greeted by Chief Executive Officer Herb Malone who introduced his successor, Beth Gendler, who was recently named Chief Operations Officer and will become CEO when Malone retires later this year. Gendler shared data from the 2020 Economic Impact Report released annually by the Alabama Tourism Department. In 2020, Alabama’s Gulf Coast welcomed 6 million visitors who spent $6 billion in the destination up from $5.2 billion in 2019. Tourism revenue supported 50,787 tourism related jobs and $2 billion in wages and salaries.

"The last year has been undoubtedly difficult for tourism, and our destination is no different, including the impact from Hurricane Sally," Gendler said. "Even with a global pandemic and a natural disaster, these encouraging numbers point to a bright 2021 along Alabama's beaches."

Going into summer of 2021, vacation rental companies are reporting inventory still down by 22% after Hurricane Sally, while GSOBT expects occupancy to be the same or higher than the summer of 2020. According to data collected by the CVB, vacation rental bookings are pacing ahead of 2019 and 2020 for the month of June with July bookings closely behind.

These insights led GSOBT to develop Worth the Wait, an in-market campaign to provide summer guests with tips and tricks to enjoy their vacation by avoiding long wait times and heavy crowds. The campaign will thank guests for their patience and understanding as many partners continue to be short-staffed and work diligently to ensure continued safety and a positive experience for everyone. Resources related to this campaign will be available for Industry Partners to download in the coming weeks.

Speaking to GSOBT Industry Partners, Gendler said: “We implore you to keep your business’ information up-to-date in the MyGSOBT portal. It is a great resource to ensure we have accurate information to make referrals and better serve our guests.”

A significant change occurred in March 2021 when the Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Sports Commission officially rebranded as Gulf Shores | Orange Beach Sports & Events. Vice President of Sales, Sports & Events Michelle Russ said the change allows for a budget and grant program specifically for supporting new and existing leisure events in the area. On the meetings and sports side, Russ said leads have been increasing each month this year. In March 2021, 9,198 room nights could be attributed to meetings and sports guests. Several large meetings are on the books this fall, including the Alabama Governor’s Conference and the Alabama Council of Association Executives annual meeting.

According to Grey Brennan, deputy director of the Alabama Department of Tourism, 2020 saw tourism expenditures fall by 20% in Alabama, while Baldwin County only saw a 6.2% decrease, helping the state overall. Brennan cited U.S. Travel Association data that shows tourism declined by an average of 42% in all states, with Alabama only dropping by 28%.

As of April 2021, Alabama Tourism has spent 7.3 million in CARES ACT funding on advertising a safe return to travel in the state. As Baldwin County accounts for 26% of all tourism employment in the state, it received the heavy emphasis in the state’s advertising. The “Take it All In Responsibly” campaign, which ran in the last three months of 2020, was one of the largest campaigns ever completed by the state tourism department.

“We want people to see themselves on the coast,” Brennan said. “Enjoying themselves and doing what they love doing.”

For more information about tourism on Alabama’s Gulf Coast, visit GulfShores.com.

Faith Henley (211 Posts)

You May Also Like

Gulf State Park Beach

10 Fun Family Activities in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach

Gulf Shores, Alabama

Nine Things to Know Before Your Gulf Shores and Orange Beach Vacation

Beach house kitchen

5 Things I Learned From My Alabama Beach Vacation

The Factory in Gulf Shores AL

21 Rainy Day Activities Gulf Shores and Orange Beach

Order a Vacation Guide Subscribe to our Enewsletter
Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism Logo
  • Facebook
  • Youtube
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Trip Ideas
  • Press
  • Partners
  • Responsible Tourism
  • 1-800-745-SAND
  • [email protected]
  • Privacy Policy
  • Linking Policy
  • Employment Opportunities
Copyright 2022 Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism. All rights reserved.
  • Subscribe to Enews
  • Vacation Guide
  • Chat With Us