Year of Small Towns and Downtowns in Southwest Alabama
Congratulations to the 29 towns in
rural southwest Alabama for being selected and recognized in the Alabama
Department of Tourism's Year of Small Towns and Downtowns. Each one of these
towns had to submit a summary of the things that make their town special and
agree to host a festival that will continue as an annual event.
"This many towns hosting an annual festival will give tourists a reason to visit our area at various times throughout the year," according to Linda Vice, Director of Southwest Alabama Office of Tourism and Film . "Tourism is ongoing economic development. Each town, in the process of defining what makes them special and what festival the community will support, has found something interesting that tourists will want to see."
Each town that is part of this 2010 Year of Small Towns and Downtowns will receive a historic marker that gives some highlights of the town's history. It will serve as a permanent recognition of the town's initiative in being part of this program. Many segments of the community and a variety of organizations came together to make this happen. This is an example of grassroots efforts that have come together for the betterment of their communities. According to Vice "Tourists are interested in authentic experiences that give them a taste of what an area is really like. The festivals held as part of this effort will give tourists just that. Tourists just might like the area so much we can keep them coming back".
"Southwest Alabama Office of Tourism and Film wants to give a special thanks to their Tourism Partners in the 11 counties of Rural Southwest Alabama for encouraging their communities to participate in the Year of Small Towns and Downtown and for providing an ongoing calendar of events in each county. Tourists visit our website alabamasfrontporches.com and plan their visits to the area. Not only does the casual traveler check the website, but business travelers coming to the area, people coming to visit relatives along with the families of the hunters, fishermen and campers who spend many weekends here", says Vice. "Rural Southwest Alabama as Kathryn Tucker Windham says in our promotional video is 'a place where magic still happens and legends never die'".
"This many towns hosting an annual festival will give tourists a reason to visit our area at various times throughout the year," according to Linda Vice, Director of Southwest Alabama Office of Tourism and Film . "Tourism is ongoing economic development. Each town, in the process of defining what makes them special and what festival the community will support, has found something interesting that tourists will want to see."
Each town that is part of this 2010 Year of Small Towns and Downtowns will receive a historic marker that gives some highlights of the town's history. It will serve as a permanent recognition of the town's initiative in being part of this program. Many segments of the community and a variety of organizations came together to make this happen. This is an example of grassroots efforts that have come together for the betterment of their communities. According to Vice "Tourists are interested in authentic experiences that give them a taste of what an area is really like. The festivals held as part of this effort will give tourists just that. Tourists just might like the area so much we can keep them coming back".
"Southwest Alabama Office of Tourism and Film wants to give a special thanks to their Tourism Partners in the 11 counties of Rural Southwest Alabama for encouraging their communities to participate in the Year of Small Towns and Downtown and for providing an ongoing calendar of events in each county. Tourists visit our website alabamasfrontporches.com and plan their visits to the area. Not only does the casual traveler check the website, but business travelers coming to the area, people coming to visit relatives along with the families of the hunters, fishermen and campers who spend many weekends here", says Vice. "Rural Southwest Alabama as Kathryn Tucker Windham says in our promotional video is 'a place where magic still happens and legends never die'".
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