Alabama Tourism Among States Least Affected By Coronavirus

BIRMINGHAM, AL — Among the industries most affected by the coronavirus pandemic across the country is the tourism business, which has been hit hard while Americans are asked to stay at home to prevent the spread of the virus. However, a recent study shows Alabama as one of the states whose tourism industry has only been mildly affected, compared to the rest of the country.

The personal finance website WalletHub conducted a study of the states most affected by the coronavirus in regard to tourism, and Alabama ranked 5th among those least affected.

To identify the states where tourism is most affected by COVID-19, WalletHub compared the 50 states and the District of Columbia across 10 key metrics. The data set ranges from share of businesses in travel and tourism-related industries to travel spending per travel employee and presence of stay-at-home orders.

Don't miss the latest coronavirus updates from health and government officials in Alabama. Sign up for Patch news alerts and newsletters.

COVID-19 Impact on Tourism in Alabama (1=Most Affected, 25=Avg.):

• 50th – Share of Travel & Tourism Industry Generated GDP
• 28th – Share of Businesses in Travel & Tourism-Related Industries
• 36th – Share of Employment in Travel & Tourism-Related Industries
• 15th – Default Probability on Loans of Businesses in Travel & Tourism Industry
• 49th – Travel & Tourism Consumer Spending per Capita
• 29th – Travel Spending Per Travel Employee
• 47th – Share of Consumer Expenditures on Travel

Gov. Kay Ivey ordered all nonessential business closed March 28, which included Alabama's entertainment venues and museums. Beaches were closed March 19.

As of Tuesday morning, more than 2,700 cases of the cironavirus had been confirmed by the Alabama Department of Public Health. The ADPH has also reported more than 100 deaths.

View the full WalletHub report here.

SEE ALSO:

Reported Coronavirus Death Total In Alabama Passes 100

Coronavirus And Cybercrime — Hackers Use Coronavirus As Phishing Bait

UAB To Host New Clinical Trial For Coronavirus Treatment