FLORENCE– The Florence-Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) has received the results of the 2021 Alabama Tourism Economic Impact Report issued by the Alabama Tourism Department.
Lauderdale County had a record-breaking year at $280,510,216.00 in travel-related expenditures. This is a 46.8% rate of growth over 2020, and a 13% increase, or $31,701,900.00 over 2018 which was the highest prior year on record. Lauderdale County employs 3,368 full-time, part-time and seasonal employees, with over 4,800 in the tourism workforce for the two-county (Shoals) area.
Yesterday, Governor Kay Ivey announced the results from Evergreen, AL stating that 2021 was a record year for the State of Alabama and stating the “best was yet to come”. The Governor’s Conference, scheduled for August 27-30, 2022, will share more analytics of the year’s results and highlights of the 2022-23 campaigns.
Travel-related expenditures are comprised of several categories including lodging facilities, eating and drinking establishments, general retail, entertainment, public transportation and auto transportation.
Rob Carnegie, CEO, with the Florence-Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau said, “We are very pleased with the outcome of the report, which strongly indicates that travelers are motivated to visit The Shoals. We value and appreciate the dedication of our industry partners that work hard every day to serve our visitors.”
Additionally, the report breaks down employment figures, lodging tax, travel-related earnings and expenditures by region. It’s estimated that 28.2 million people visited Alabama in 2021, spending $19.6 billion. Over $1.1 billion in state and local tax revenues were generated by travel and tourism activities. Without those taxes, each Alabama household would pay an additional $631 in additional taxes each year.
Carnegie said the Convention & Visitors Bureau saw 8 record setting months in 2021 which bolstered overall revenues. “I am grateful for a team that works extremely hard, day in and day out, to attract visitors to our area. Whether it’s through sport, groups, leisure travel or visitor services, these individuals exceed my expectations every day. Additionally, I am incredibly grateful to our board of directors who passionately support the mission and vision of our organization. Their keen insight of our industry keeps us moving forward year over year.”
Carnegie said that it is nice to see travel beginning to return to levels where it needs to be. “Our 2021 Epsilon campaign certainly demonstrated strong results across the entire Shoals area, which was an early indicator that visitors were back. We believe that showcasing all the attractions and experiences in The Shoals gives the visitor a broader experience and extends their stay.”
The first four months of 2022 have hit record revenue levels putting the bureau on track for a strong year ahead.
For more information on the Florence-Lauderdale CVB, contact us at (256) 740-4141 or (256) 263-6225.
Media Release/Rob Carnegie
President & CEO/Florence-Lauderdale Tourism
