Alabama’s Gulf Coast continues to grow as a vacation destination for families across the Southeast, with new tourism data showing record spending and steady visitation along the state’s white-sand beaches.

New figures shared during the annual Tourism Summit hosted by Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism show visitor spending on lodging rentals across Alabama’s Beaches — including Gulf Shores, Orange Beach and Fort Morgan — reached a record $923 million in 2025, surpassing the $871 million reported in 2024 and more than doubling totals from a decade ago.

Retail activity also remained strong, with $1.42 billion in retail sales reported in 2025, slightly higher than the $1.41 billion recorded the previous year.

Tourism leaders say the numbers reflect the growing appeal of Alabama’s 32 miles of white-sand beaches as a year-round destination for families.

“Data from the past three years shows that while summer is still king, spring and fall visitation are holding steady across both vacation rentals and hotels, with minimal variances, year-over-year,” said Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism President and CEO Beth Gendler.

Gendler said steady visitation throughout the year provides stability for local businesses and workers.

“This shows that our efforts to continuously tell the story of Alabama’s Beaches as a great year-round vacation destination are working. Having strong visitation in all seasons is vital to our local businesses because consistent occupancy levels throughout the year mean they can keep their staff employed all year, which means those workers can deliver consistent, friendly service to our guests no matter which season they visit us,” she said.

For decades, families across Alabama and the Southeast have driven to the state’s Gulf Coast for beach vacations. Upcoming air service is also expected to make the destination easier to reach, including new Allegiant Air flights connecting Huntsville and Gulf Shores beginning in May 2026.

Tourism officials say growing sports tourism is also helping drive visitors outside the traditional summer season.

During the summit, Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism Vice President of Sales, Sports & Events Michelle Russ provided an update on the proposed Herbert J. Malone Sportsplex, a planned athletic complex on 111.26 acres north of Coastal Gateway Boulevard near the Foley Beach Express.

Officials say additional sports facilities are needed due to the continued growth of youth and amateur sports tourism, increasing use of fields by local school and recreational programs and rising competition from other destinations expanding their own sports complexes.

Tourism leaders also announced new initiatives aimed at strengthening connections with both visitors and residents. These include a resident-focused stewardship program called “By Locals, For Locals” and a new online merchandise store called Shoreline Supply, which features branded Alabama’s Beaches apparel.

Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism officials say the destination’s continued growth reflects decades of marketing efforts targeting family beach travel, fishing, golf, meetings and conventions, sports tourism and expanding air travel markets.

Final economic impact figures for 2025 from the Alabama Tourism Department are expected later this spring.