Alabama Governor Kay Ivey on Monday announced that $10 million will be spent on a new advertising campaign to help the state’s tourism industry recover financially from the coronavirus pandemic.
The money comes from the $1.9 billion Alabama received as part of the federal government’s CARES Act, passed in March to help mitigate the effects of COVID-19 and the precautions it makes necessary.
Alabama Tourism Department Director Lee Sentell said the money “will allow the Alabama Tourism Department to generate a marketing campaign aimed at potential guests from outside the state.” Alabama’s normally robust tourism and travel industry has been severely impacted by the effects of the pandemic,” he added, noting his thanks for Ivey’s decision.
Sentell says his department “will work with tourism professionals in all 67 counties and feature their top assets to bring visitors back.”
A comment on Monday from Ivey appeared to indicate the campaign will, in part, communicate that it is safe to visit any attraction in Alabama that is open to visitors.
“I am pleased to award these well-deserved dollars to an industry that has been hurting so that people can feel confident that they can be safe when visiting Alabama destinations,” Ivey remarked.
Coronavirus-induced declines in tourism, and the resulting dearth of revenue from lodging taxes, has caused an especially big impact on the budgets of many cities across the state.
“COVID-19 has taken a hit on our society, but that does not change the fact that Alabama has so much to offer. We look forward to helping our tourism industry grow, come back stronger and welcome visitors for years to come,” concluded Ivey.
Henry Thornton is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News. You can contact him by email: [email protected] or on Twitter @HenryThornton95
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