By Garry Mitchell, Associated Press
Gulf Shores, AL – Alabama Gulf coast tourism officials are bracing for the effects of the financial meltdown on next year's vacation season, but were grateful this year's summer lodging revenue held close to the 2007 record.
They also don't expect to see a significant drop-off in "snowbird" arrivals this January.
About half of the visitors to Alabama beach resorts this summer came from the Southeast more than a third of them from Alabama and, despite high fuel prices on the drive down, they spent about the same on lodging as last summer.
Tourism officials said numbers released last week show the taxable lodging revenue for summer 2008 topped $130.2 million only about $633,729 less than the summer of 2007, which was a record-breaking year as the area bounced back from earlier hurricanes.
But visitors apparently didn't spend as much in stores. Taxable retail sales reached $211.2 million down 3.7 percent from the previous comparable period in 2007, representing Orange Beach and Gulf Shores combined for the summer.
Orange Beach officials last week said the city's budget had a $3 million shortfall with retail sales of building materials and home-furnishings hard-hit that has forced them to cut 23 full-time jobs.
Gulf Coast Convention and Visitors Bureau president and CEO Herb Malone said considering the cost of fuel that went above $4 a gallon and the dire economic situation, it's remarkable that the coast had a summer season comparable to 2007.
He said people apparently cut costs by buying less. But he said the retail spending figure is not totally tourist-related because it includes building supplies and other items that vacationers would not buy.
Malone said the area has gained 3,805 lodging units since 2000 and he expects the coast will appeal next year to cost-cutting vacationers who stop at the Alabama coast rather than drive deeper into Florida.
The coast also taps the "heritage market" of repeat visitors who, on average, spend about a week fishing, shopping, enjoying the white sandy beaches and related activities.