Alabama tourism has introduced a new system to make touring the state a more user-friendly experience.
The Alabama Tourism Department is rolling out its new All-in-one Attraction Tickets. The all-in-one tickets seek to make touring an easier task for those who wish to visit various attractions across the state.
The system collaborates with local businesses to provide do-all tickets that work at different locations rather than purchasing tickets for each attraction. Once you buy a ticket package, you may go to any of the listed attractions in the package. Ticket passports are sent via text or email after purchasing a package.
The benefit of the all-in-one ticket system comes from the ability to purchase whole travel packages while saving money by having a freer schedule. The system allows tourists and tour operators to plan trips and itineraries without having to purchase individual tickets.
The locations currently accepting tickets are in the Birmingham, Huntsville, Montgomery, Selma, Florence, Muscle Shoals, and Tuskegee areas. The packages range from one- to five-day, allowing tourists to visit multiple cities and attractions and make the experience as short or long as desired.
“The message to consumers is that they can spend less and do more in Alabama with the ‘All-in-One Ticket,’” Grey Brennan, deputy director of the Alabama Tourism Department, said in a statement. “Basically, you pay one rate, and you can take in as many attractions as you want that are participating on that ticket package."
The available attractions include museums, zoos, historic sites, planetariums, vineyards, state parks, etc. A list of cooperating locations can be found on the Alabama Tourism website.
While Alabama saw a decrease in tourism money in 2020, the result was disproportionately low compared to other states. According to Travel Economics, tourism dollars spent in Alabama dropped 20% compared to the previous year, versus a nationwide average drop of 42%.
Before the pandemic, tourist spending in Alabama had grown 85% in the decade after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, setting records during each of the succeeding nine years.
While numbers are still being calculated for 2021, preliminary numbers appear to rival pre-pandemic 2019.
According to Kay Maghan, Public Relations Manager with Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism, by August of 2021, Alabama’s tourism-related tax income had already surpassed the entire year of 2019.
"Summer is our busiest season, and this [past] summer saw vacation rental occupancy levels above 90% for most of June and July,” Maghan said.
There are 39 total locations participating in the new ticket system, with new attractions continuing to be added. Areas on the Gulf Coast are targeted to add more participating locations.
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