Media Contact:

Kay Maghan • Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism
[email protected] • AlabamasBeaches.com/Media
1-800-745-SAND • 251-974-4625 (direct) • 251-752-8448 (cell)

GULF SHORES AND ORANGE BEACH, AL 

With Spring Break kicking off the spring tourism season, Gulf Shores ans Orange Beach Tourism (GSOBT) officials announced key visitor data figures for 2025 at their annual Tourism Summit today.  

The numbers, shared by GSOBT’s President and CEO Beth Gendler, presented a picture of growth and highlighted how Alabama’s Beaches have become a year-round destination for visitors. 

Visitor spending on lodging rentals on Alabama’s Beaches (Gulf Shores, Orange Beach and Fort Morgan) reached a record $923 million in 2025, well above 2024’s mark of $871 million and more than double what the total lodging revenue was just 10 years ago. Retail sales once again were up over the previous year, with $1.42 billion reported, up slightly compared to $1.41 billion reported for 2024. In addition, nights available for the vacation rental segment increased again over both 2023 and 2024, showing the impact of increased inventory.  

Vacation rental and hotel occupancy data shared at the Tourism Summit showed how the area is no longer a summer-only vacation destination. 

“Data from the past three years shows that while summer is still king, spring and fall visitation are holding steady across both vacation rentals and hotels, with minimal variances, year-over-year,” added Gendler.  

She continued, “This shows that our efforts to continuously tell the story of Alabama’s Beaches as a great yearround vacation destination are working. Having strong visitation in all seasons is vital to our local businesses because consistent occupancy levels throughout the year mean they can keep their staff employed all year, which means those workers can deliver consistent, friendly service to our guests no matter which season they visit us.”  

Gendler stated that the final 2025 economic impact figures from the Alabama Tourism Department are expected later this spring. 

Focusing on future tourism development, GSOBT Vice President of Sales, Sports & Events Michelle Russ updated those in attendance on the planned Herbert J. Malone Sportsplex, named after Herb Malone, who helped create Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism more than 30 years ago.  

Russ explained that the site for the facility is 111.26 acres located on the north side of Coastal Gateway Blvd. (formerly County Road 8 East), adjacent to the Foley Beach Express. She said that zoning applications and documentation plans have been submitted for outdoor fields, open space, and a public-use walking path. 

While there is no set timetable for the construction of the new sportsplex, Russ emphasized the need for additional sports fields in the destination because of three key factors – the continued growth of the sports tourism industry, increased local school and recreational sports programs utilizing city fields, and increased competition as other destinations build or expand their facilities. 

Next up, GSOBT Vice President of Marketing Crystal Hinds took the audience down memory lane with reminders of what the tourism offering on Alabama’s Beaches looked like when Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism was created in 1993, then showcased how the organization’s strategic marketing and communications efforts have built multiple core customer pillars over the last 30+ years – beach/family, golfing, fishing, meetings and conventions, sports, and now nonstop flight markets. She also revealed the new “Coastal Code” marketing campaign that weaves creative ways for visitors to best enjoy the destination. 

Stepping out of the tourism industry focus, Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism unveiled two new initiatives: 

• A new resident-focused Destination Stewardship program called “By Locals, For Locals,” which includes a dedicated website – https://ForOurLocals.com – specially designed as a go-to resource for those who call Alabama’s Beaches home. The site, which officially launched today, includes information on community events, local resources, locals’ favorites, special locals’ discounts, job listings, and peak occupancy times to help residents navigate the destination’s busier seasons.
• A new online store called Shoreline Supply with branded Alabama’s Beaches merchandise, including tshirts for infants through adults, sweatshirts, and hats. The online shop site is www.AlabamasBeaches.com/Shop, and the tourism office will steadily add more inventory options.

Hinds explained the decision for the new merchandise line and online store, “From a destination marketing perspective, merchandising is more strategic than it looks on the surface. For us, it is not about selling T-shirts. It is about brand reinforcement, demand generation, advocacy, and economic impact. When someone wears an Alabama’s Beaches t-shirt, it becomes a walking billboard, it sparks conversation, reinforces memory recall, creates peer-to-peer recommendation, and triggers repeat visitation. Buying merchandise from a place you feel connected to deepens the emotional attachment; it signals belonging, and it turns visitors into ambassadors.” 

Other presenters for the morning focused on updating the audience on outdoor/environmental education and programs, including: 

• Gulf Coast Eco Center
• The Learning Campus and The Lodge at Gulf State Park
• Orange Beach Wildlife Center
• Wind & Water Learning Center 

The full Tourism Summit presentations, including lodging data charts, can be viewed on the Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism website.

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, and the unincorporated area of Fort Morgan. To learn more about Alabama’s 32 miles of white-sand beaches, visit AlabamasBeaches.com. This convention and visitors bureau is an accredited Destination Marketing Organization (DMO).