Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association The official site for North Alabama tourism professionals
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Tami Reist, President & CEO
Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association
PHONE: 256.350.3500 / 800.648.5381
EMAIL: tami@northalabama.org
State Economic Impact Report Reveals a 15.6% Increase in Tourism for the 16 Counties of North Alabama – Travelers Spent $4.3 Billion in 2022
Decatur, Ala. (June 6, 2023) – In 2022, travelers spent over $4.3 billion while visiting the 16 counties of the North Alabama region, representing a 15.6% increase over 2021, according to a report released today by the Alabama Tourism Department (ATD). The “2022 Alabama Tourism Economic Report” was conducted for the ATD using a model created by Dr. Keivan Deravi, an economist in the School of Business at Auburn University in Montgomery. Counties comprising the North Alabama region consist of Blount, Cherokee, Colbert, Cullman, DeKalb, Etowah, Franklin, Jackson, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Marion, Marshall, Morgan and Winston counties.
The purpose of the study is to estimate the economic impact of the travel and tourism industry in Alabama for 2022 and includes information on the number of jobs attributed to tourism, spending and revenue figures and the most visited counties. Dr. Deravi’s model analyzes tax revenues collected by the state to provide the annual travel economic impact study.
In 2022, travel-related total expenditures in the North Alabama region reached more than $4.3 billion, up from $3.7 billion in 2021. Travel-related earnings showed a 9% increase from $1.1 billion in 2021 to $1.2 billion in 2022, and 46,942 individuals were employed directly and indirectly in the North Alabama tourism industry, a 6.5% increase over 2021. Every $139,041 of expenditures in the travel industry creates one direct job in Alabama. Economists estimate that for every two direct jobs created, the Alabama economy indirectly creates one additional job.
| 2021 | 2022 | Growth | |
| Total Expenditures | 3,726,652,866 | 4,307,587,447 | 15.6% |
| Travel-Related Earnings | 1,154,259,482 | 1,258,500,183 | 9.0% |
| Travel-Related Employment | 44,071 | 46,942 | 6.5% |
“The North Alabama tourism and travel industry continues to rebound from the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association President and CEO Tami Reist. “The swift recovery is due greatly to our industry leaders in the region who realized how to shift and navigate a fluid situation and to the front-line workers who remained dedicated to providing a first-class experience for all our visitors. We continue to remain optimistic and believe we will see even more growth in 2023.”
Travelers to the state of Alabama in 2022 spent over $22.4 billion, representing an increase of 13.8% over 2021 spending. For every $1 in Alabama’s travel-related expenditures, the state retains a total of $0.33. In 2022, $1.3 billion of state and local tax revenues were generated by travel and tourism activities. Without those taxes, each household in Alabama would have had to pay $685 in additional taxes to maintain current service levels.
A copy of the complete report can be downloaded here. For additional data on tourism and travel in North Alabama, call Reist at 256-350-3500.
For information on things to see and do in North Alabama, visit www.northalabama.org.
About Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association (AMLA)
AMLA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the promotion and development of the travel industry within the 16 northernmost counties of the state. It is supported by 500-plus members consisting of chambers of commerce, Convention & Visitors Bureaus, attractions, campgrounds, festivals, communities, counties, golf courses, restaurants, tour operators, accommodations and vendors. Counties included within the AMLA region are Blount, Cherokee, Colbert, Cullman, DeKalb, Etowah, Franklin, Jackson, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Marion, Marshall, Morgan and Winston. Additional information on North Alabama destinations, accommodations and special events is available by calling 800.648.5381, by visiting www.NorthAlabama.org and by following us on social media @VisitNorthAL.
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