Dynamic future

OPPORTUNITY

dynamic future

Gadsden and Etowah County, ideally-situated in northeast Alabama along the Coosa River and at the foot of Lookout Mountain, is full of outdoor fun. View majestic Noccalula Falls, ride the train, or play mini-golf at Noccalula Falls Park. Mountain bike the Black Creek Trails, fight spotted-bass on Neely Henry Lake, or go for a birdie at Twin Bridges Golf Course. Festivals like the Alabama Chocolate Festival in Rainbow City, Southside City Fest in Southside, Attalla Heritage Day in Attalla, and the First Friday celebrations in downtown Gadsden will keep you busy all year. Make sure to put the first Thursday through Sunday every August on your calendar so you won't miss the "World's Longest Yard Sale!" This historic sale begins at Noccalula Falls Park and travels up Scenic Lookout Mountain Parkway to Chattanooga and beyond for over 600 miles. Bargain-hunters and yard-sale junkies travel from across the U.S. to Gadsden for this funderful Sale each year!

Hugh A. Stump III

H u g h A . S t u m p III / / Executive Director, Greater Gadsden Area Tourism

ETO W A H COUNTY TOURI S M

A B OUT TOURI S M

Greater Gadsden Area Tourism ? The Etowah County Tourism Board (ECTB) was formed in 2009 to promote Etowah County and its communities for the purposes of tourism. The ECTB markets under the "Greater Gadsden Area Tourism" banner to benefit from the awareness appeal of the name of the county's largest city and economic center--Gadsden. Our mission statement is "To develop the economic prosperity of Etowah County through the promotion of tourism and by attracting and assisting visitors to our communities."

"In 2015, more than $797 million of state and local tax revenues were

Tourism Numbers Federal: 2015

> 928.1 billion domestic and international traveler expenditures in the U.S.

> Creating 8.0 million jobs > $141.5 billion in tax revenue from travel spending for federal, state and local governments State: 2015 > 12.6 billion dollars in tourists' expenditures, up 7.7% from 2014 > Has grown 86% in 13 years > Estimated 175,652 jobs in tourism related fields in Alabama > Every $107,310 of travel-related expenditures creates one direct job in Alabama. Etowah County: 2015

generated by trave l and tourism activities. Without those taxes, each household in Alabama would have had to pay $424 i n additional

> 146,853,956 million dollars in tourist expenditures in Etowah County (up 19.5%).

> 1,792 direct and indirect tourism jobs in Etowah County (up 13.4%).

taxes to maintain current service

> 44,283,662 million dollars in earnings in Etowah County (up 13.3%).

levels.

statewide TRAVEL EXPENDITURES BY CATEGORY - 2015

? LODGING FACILITIES

13%

? EATING AND DRINKING ESTABLISHMENTS

27%

? GENERAL RETAIL

10%

? ENTERTAINMENT

9%

? PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION

15%

? AUTO TRANSPORTATION

26%

ETOWAH COUNTY FACTS AND FIGURES: Hotels/B&B: ? 19 Hotels with 1,178 rooms

Campgrounds, cabins and rentals: 2 Campgrounds

*Tourism Expenditures in north alabama topped $2.4 Billion in 2015, up 6.1% from 2014.

How Tourism Dollars Support Etowah County's Economy

Family Vacationers

Business Travelers

Welcome Class of

Reunions & Family Gatherings

Travelers Coming to Gadsden

and Etowah County

Conventions & Meetings Attendees

Athletic Teams

Educational Groups

Huntsville, Birmingham, Atlanta Charter Motorcoach,

& Regional Airports

School & Church Buses

How Tourists Arrive

Recreational Vehicle

Personal & Business Vehicles

Attractions Museums

Theater

Festivals

How Tourists Spend

Their Dollars

Fuel

Retail Accommodations Restaurants

Shopping

LOCAL TAXES EMPLOYMENT INFRASTRUCTURE

Greater Gadsden Area

Tourism

QUALITY OF LIFE LEISURE ACTIVITIES FACILITIES & HERITAGE

Trails and Scenic Parkways: ? North Alabama Birding Trail ? North Alabama Hallelujah Trail ? Lookout Mountain Parkway ? Alabama Antique Trail ? North Alabama Wine Trail ? North Alabama Barbecue Trail

Attractions with Estimated Annual Attendance ? Noccalula Falls Park ? Coosa River/Coosa Landing fishing tournaments ? First Fridays, average each FF ? Mary G. Hardin Center for the Cultural Arts ? Mountain Top Flea Market

325,000 25,000 7,500 85,000 150,000

S PECIAL EVENT S LODGING TAXE S

"i n 2 0 1 5 , ETO W A H COUNTY

ANNUAL STATE LODGING TAXES

ETOWAH COUNTY 2013 $613,550 state lodging taxes 2014 $615,232 state lodging taxes

LODGING TAXE S 2015 $735,025 state lodging taxes

COLLECTED

__________

INCREA S ED B Y Dollar Increase Over 2014: $119,793

19.5%

Rate of Increase Over 2014: 19.5%

ETOWAH COUNTY ANNUAL EVENTS

Month Event

Attendance Est. Overnight Est.

Apr.Alabama Chocolate Festival

10,000

10%

"ETO W A H COUNTY hosts more

Apr.Smoke on the Falls BBQ Festival Jul.Southside City Fest Jun.Wheels on the Hill Car Show

3,000 10,000 15,000

35% 10% 35%

than A half-

Jun.The Barbarian Challenge

1,300

25%

d o z e n a n n u a l Aug.World's Longest Yard Sale

45,000

40%

e v e n t s , wh i c h attract more than 100,000

Oct.Attalla Heritage Day Dec. Christmas at the Falls

10,000

10%

80,000

20%

total visitors.

B Y T H E NUM B ER S B Y T H E NUM B ER S

ETO W A H COUNTY T o u r i s t s p e n d i n g 2 0 1 3 - 2 0 1 5 - 3 y e a r g r o w t h

2013 $122,583,936.00

EVERY $104,692 OF EXPENDITURES IN

Figures provided by

2014 $122,919,932.00

THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY CREATES

the Alabama Tourism Department study

2015 $146,853,956.00

ONE DIRECT JOB IN ALABAMA. FOR

"Economic Impact, Alabama

EVERY TWO DIRECT JOBS CREATED, THE

Travel Industry 2015"

ALABAMA ECONOMY INDIRECTLY

CREATES ONE ADDITIONAL JOB.

ETO W A H COUNTY S TATE LODGING TAXE S COLLECTED 2 0 1 1 - 2 0 1 5

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

2011 33,869.14 40,508.33 46,793.10 63,284.12 69,630.12 63,408.17 63,879.25 54,750.18 46,592.48 54,302.25 44,350.93 40,019.08

2012 38,720.64 44,421.51 51,402.00 44,375.07 59,723.80 58,859.04 62,441.18 57,566.94 46,868.81 63,159.15 46,964.89 37,861.22

2013 37,685.62 44,965.86 59,289.88 50,358.82 63,003.81 57,150.57 59,995.72 50,860.73 43,353.97 54,723.34 49,874.67 42,287.18

2014 36,984.49 37,654.98 43,922.26 44,864.53 62,354.66 60,993.71 65,237.60 54,531.01 48,005.58 69,184.98 47,162.88 44,335.20

2015 44,717.64 47,907.94 58,709.23 56,192.27 67,807.88 74,005.82 73,158.39 64,579.14 59,882.03 81,535.52 57,383.29 49,145.95

TOTAL $621.387.15 $612,264.25 $613,550.17 $615,231.88 $735,025.00

Etowah County Tourism Board Lodging Tax Revenues

21.4% increase in Etowah County Tourism Board Lodging Tax Revenues since initial year in 2009

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