Alabama’s Gulf Coast Continues to Lead State in Tourism
By Dale Hines
Blue RAM Media
May 4, 2025
GULF SHORES Ala. A new report released by the Alabama Tourism Department shows that the state had another strong year for tourism and dollars spent, especially along Alabama’s Gulf Coast.
The report shows a record number of people have visited Alabama in 2024, more than 28.9 million people and they spent $23.9 billion which also a record. The spending was up by almost $1 billion from 2023, the fourth time in five years that the state has seen that kind of billion-dollar growth.
Our beautiful coast once again saw a large increase in visitors and dollars spent and Baldwin County reportedly doubled the number of tourists compared with any other county in the state. It accounted for nearly 29 percent of Alabama’s tourism.
“Gulf Shores and Orange Beach, Alabama … provides a huge economic impact for tourism and for the entire county, as well as the state,” said Crystal Hinds, vice president of marketing for Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism. “So yeah, we’re excited to see those numbers basically flat year over year, which is good for us.”
Hinds said the visitor spending drives the economy far beyond the beaches.
“That’s new money that’s left behind by our visitors, and it helps everybody in the entire state,” she said.
Mobile County ranked third in number of tourists, meaning the state’s two coastal counties together accounted for a quarter of all Alabama tourists. Those counties’ direct and indirect tourism earnings topped $3.4 billion – roughly 40 percent of the state total – making it a major source of jobs.
Visit Mobile President and CEO David Clark said that while statewide tourism grew by about 120,000 visitors, Mobile County, alone, bought in 74,000 of those.
“We caught more than our fair share of market compared to the other cities in the state this year,” he said.
Clark said the county is enjoying a strong mix of business and leisure travelers.
2025 has already started with a strong Spring Break, the return of the NCAA Beach Volleyball Championship, and other events hosted in the area during the first quarter of the year.
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