Tourists in Alabama spent $1 billion more in 2023 than in
the previous record year, reaching a new record spending high of $23.5
billion, Gov. Kay Ivey announced today.

More than 28.8 million guests, up 200,000 from the previous year,
enjoyed trips to the state, the governor said. That record spending by
tourists helped create an estimated 245,500 jobs, she said. Every
$140,279 of expenditures in the travel industry creates one new direct
job, the governor said. It was the fourth time in the past five years
that tourist spending increased in Alabama.

The state’s travel industry expenditures represent 8.

3 percent of
Alabama’s overall production in 2023, with the industry being
responsible for generating total impact earnings exceeding $7.7 billion,
including $4.3 billion in direct earnings. The figures are from a study
conducted for the Alabama Tourism Department to estimate the economic
impact of the state’s travel and tourism industry.