Latest Tuscaloosa Tourism Data Points To Improving Fortunes

TUSCALOOSA, AL — Visit Tuscaloosa officials say the latest tourism data collected for October underscores drastic year-over-year improvement, which seems to signal a strong bounce back for the local tourism economy following the sharp economic downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

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The most recent Smith Travel Research (STR) Study conducted by the agency showed a 5.9% year-over-year increase in hotel occupancy for the month of October, with hotel occupancy in Tuscaloosa reaching 59.7% — mostly thanks to two Alabama football games played at Bryant-Denny Stadium that month.

However, Visit Tuscaloosa Vice President of Marketing Jimmy Hart insisted to Tuscaloosa Patch that many people assume that Alabama football is the only attraction for Tuscaloosa during the falls months — a notion he quickly worked to dispel.

"While there's no doubt that's a massive draw, the data also shows retail, outdoor recreation and non-NCAA sports were significant attractions for visitors," he said.

Regardless of the reasons for hotel rooms filling up at a faster rate, the latest STR Report shows the revenue per available room increased from $84.20 in October 2021 to $106.84 this year.

"The fact that demand for hotel rooms is up 8.8% over the previous year should lead to a great deal of optimism within our hospitality industry," Hart said. "When visitors stay overnight, they spend more money and contribute more to our economy across all sectors."

Indeed, this signaled an undeniable economic boon for hotels, especially with the addition of The Alamite — a 112-room upscale boutique hotel in downtown Tuscaloosa that opened in September.

When looking at revenue, the data reports October 2022 hotel revenue came in at $13.7 million, which marks a 30.4% increase from the previous year.

"It's probably clear to most that there's good news in these numbers if you're a business owner," Hart said. "It's also great news for everyone that lives or uses public services, as these numbers reflect critical tax revenue at the local, county and state levels without additional tax obligations for residents."

What's more, when considering year to date totals, it's worth noting that hotel revenue is up by more than 20%.

Hart then went on to discuss the resiliency of Tuscaloosa's experience economy, as tourism officials work to promote other aspects of the community that could then translate into more visitors and tangible economic impact.

Among these initiatives has been the work of TTS and Tuscaloosa County Park & Recreation Authority (PARA) to promote sports tournaments that bring in full families for multi-day stays.

Involvement with Dixie Youth Baseball is a prime example, with tourism and elected officials alike praising the economic impact had by the Dixie Youth Baseball State Tournament hosted at Bowers Park over the last summer that saw the facility host more than a dozen tournaments.

Still, an even bigger financial impact is expected in August 2023 when Bowers Park hosts its first Dixie Youth Baseball World Series Tournament event.

Separate from team sports, however, tourism officials have been deliberate in their push to promote water sports, such as competitive fishing. As Patch previously reported, Visit Tuscaloosa and the City of Northport is currently hosting the inaugural Hooked on Northport Black Warrior River Bass Classic online fishing tournament, which will last through Dec. 15.

"Our experience economy has proven to be resilient, and Tuscaloosa continues to be a year-round destination for travelers of different types," Hart said. "The economic benefit is meaningful and measurable, as this report shows. Compounding benefits such as the visibility of our community and the opportunities created for residents are added value beyond what's measured here."

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