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(from Rob Grant) Dear Members of the CRT Council of Advisors:
 
The Recreational Trails Program is in very deep trouble.  The U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee has approved transportation reauthorization legislation known as MAP-21 that would effectively eliminate the RTP by stripping the program of its dedicated funding.  
 
But all hope is not lost.
 
CRT and its member organizations have been working to identify key Champions in the Senate with the aim of having an amendment to restore dedicated funding for the RTP added to the bill before it is considered by the full Senate.
 
Reaching this goal will not be possible without your help.
 
Now is the time for all organizations and individuals who support RTP to tell their Senators to protect dedicated funding for this absolutely essential program.
 
The key messages are simple:
·        Unless the bill is changed, MAP-21 will effectively eliminate the Recreational Trails Program; and
·       Please amend MAP-21 to include dedicated funding for RTP.

Other helpful messages include:

·       For the last two decades, RTP has received a portion of the gas taxes paid by users of off-highway motorized vehicles to fund trail building, maintenance and other trail-related projects.  More than 13,000 projects have been funded across the country for all kinds of trail uses.  This is a very successful program.
·       At its current level of annual funding - $85 million - RTP receives less than 42% of the Federal Highway Administration's conservative estimate of the federal gas taxes paid by America's nonhighway recreationists.  The Senate bill would reduce that percentage to zero and represents a substantial new tax on motorized recreation enthusiasts.
·       The return of gas taxes to trail users through the RTP is in keeping with the user-pay, user-benefit philosophy of the Highway Trust Fund.  Ending dedicated funding for RTP takes these gas taxes away from the people who pay them.  Ending dedicated funding for RTP is bad public policy and just plain wrong.
·        The RTP is the foundation of state trail programs.  If the RTP loses its dedicated funding, organized trail planning and development will simply vanish in many areas of the country.

Now is the time to act.  Write, email or call your two Senators.  Here's a link if you need it:  http://www.senate.gov/.   Make sure your entire grassroots organization is engaged as well.

We need to show the United States Senate just how many Americans are committed to the Recreational Trails Program.  If we don't act, the very backbone of trails in America may be forever lost.

Please be sure to send us a copy of your message.  Thank you for your help.
 
Marianne Fowler, Co-Chair, Coalition for Recreational Trails
Derrick Crandall, Co-Chair, Coalition for Recreational Trails
 
1225 New York Avenue, N.W., Suite 450
Washington, D.C.   20005
(202) 682-9530  Fax (202) 682-9529
cahern@funoutdoors.com

Imagine walking up to a trailhead... There's a sign with the expected trail map, a bear advisory posted last spring, and some rules tacked up behind Plexiglas.  But there can also be an instant link to a wealth of current information using the Smartphone in your pocket.  Welcome to the trailhead QR.
 
Quick Response (or QR) codes are a rapidly emerging media tool.  You've seen these square-shaped black-and-white codes in stores and magazines.  Are you ready to put QRs to work in your favorite outdoor space?  It can be simple.
 
You can use QR codes to quickly and easily put information on the trail.  The code is a picture that smartphones can translate into a web address.  Users just point a Smartphone's camera at the QR code, and in a moment (if there's cell phone coverage) the phone will access current trail information, tips, interpretive materials, a trail user census or questionnaire... or anything relevant to using that particular trail.  See how the North Carolina Arboretum is using QR codes, or this short video from Lake Metroparks in Ohio that explains how their new system works.
 
To create your own QR, you just need a web address and content of your choosing, and a free QR code generator app like this one.  All you have to do is follow the instructions on the generator app, and you just created a code that you can print for use at the trailhead, a visitor center, nearby lodging, or bike rental and sporting goods stores.  QR technology is license free, so you can easily adapt this free tool for use within your organization. It's easy to add QR codes as an image to your website, blog, or printed publications too.
 
There are a number of different ways to read QR codes. The easiest is to take a Smartphone and use a QR code reader app like the Google Goggles, which can scan any code and immediately launch the content in a web browser.
 
The possibilities are wide open.  A QR code at the trailhead can allow quick access to a digital trail map. At an interpretive sign, a QR code can enable visitors to learn about history or local wildlife, or post to Facebook that they are visiting the site.  You can start turning users into advocates by using QR codes to share your organization's membership invitation.  QR codes can be installed as easily as putting a small sticker on existing signposts, and the information they channel can be changed at any time just by keeping the associated web page up to date, without anyone needing to run out and re-post the trailheads!

Our annual photo contest is another way to publicize your designated National Recreation Trail. Please see details at: http://www.americantrails.org/nationalrecreationtrails/photocon.html

American Trails sponsors the annual contest for photographs of National Recreation Trails and provides awards in several categories. The DEADLINE for entries is December 31, 2011.

Photos must be in JPEG or TIFF format. Submit via our website at: http://atfiles.org/ftp/web/ATUpload.html or email to NRT@AmericanTrails.org. Check the online searchable database for a list of NRTs in your state and more information on individual trails.

Entries will be displayed on the NRT website. See the 2010 galleries at:
http://www.americantrails.org/photoGalleries/photocontest2010/index.html

ALABAMA'S NATIONAL RECREATION TRAILS AS OF JULY 2011
Alabama Scenic River Trail
Bartram Trail
Chattahoochee Valley Railroad (CVRR) Trail - North
Chattahoochee Valley Railroad (CVRR) Trail - South
Chewacla State Park Trail System
Chief Ladiga Trail (Jacksonville Section)
Chief Ladiga Trail (Piedmont Section)
Citronelle Walking Trail
City of Foley Antique Rose Trail
DeSoto State Park Trail System
Eastern Shore Trail
Florala-Lake Jackson Scenic Trail
George Ward Park Exercise
Hugh S. Branyon Backcountry Trail
Lake Guntersville State Park Trail System
Lake Lurleen State Park Trail System
Limestone County Canoe & Kayak Trail
Minooka Park Trail System
Montevallo Greenway Trail
Muscle Shoals
Pinhoti
Queen City Park Trail
Richard Martin Trail
Smith Lake Park Walking/Bike Trails
Sportsman Lake Trails
Stony Lonesome OHV Park Trail System
Sunset Drive Trail
Swan Creek Greenway Trail
Talladega-Lincoln Outdoor Park & Trails (T.O.P.TR
Tannehill Tramway Trail
The Larry and Ronna Dykes Trail
Veterans Park Trail
Village Pointe Preserve Park Trail System
Wind Creek State Park Trail System
Yoholo-Micco, The Creek Indian Trail

The Society of American Travel Writers' (SATW) annual convention, held in New Zealand last month, served as the backdrop to announce the 2011 Phoenix Award winners. Created in 1969, the Phoenix Awards recognize conservation, preservation, beautification, and environmental accomplishments as they relate to travel.  Birmingham's Railroad Park was one of four developments in the nation recognized with a Phoenix Award. Nearly four decades in the making, Railroad Park is a linear, 19-acre green space created on a former urban wasteland in downtown Birmingham, Alabama. The first stage of a planned "Three Parks Initiative," it features a two-acre lake and meandering creeks; paths for bicyclists, runners, and walkers; benches; free wifi; a skate park; play areas for children; a grassy hillside amphitheatre; outdoor workout equipment; and a shaded plaza with covered sheds that hold park offices, bathrooms, and areas for concessions. It serves as a space for recreation and small- and large-scale events. "Railroad Park has all the parts for a Phoenix Award - historical and environmental conservation, public/private partnerships, across-the-board benefit to the community and potential to fuel future growth," a committee member wrote.

For more information on Railroad Park please see www.railroadpark.org.

The George Lucas film, Red Tails, about Alabama's Tuskegee Airmen premieres in theaters across the U.S. January 20, 2012. The movie is the brain child of Lucas who has been developing the story for nearly 25 years. Red Tails is a high-flying action epic about the first African American combat pilots in the Tuskegee training program whose abilities were called into question as a result of segregation. The airmen were mostly untested, but proved themselves during WWII combat missions in Sicily and Italy. They also escorted bombers across Europe. Their nickname "red tails" stems from the paint that they applied to the tails of their planes.

The storyline follows the lives of the 332nd Fighter Group who are called into duty under the guidance of Col. A.J. Bullard played by Oscar nominee Terrence Howard. Howard's character is loosely based on Tuskegee Airmen commander Benjamin Oliver Davis Jr. Davis became the first African American general in the U.S. Air Force. The movie also stars Oscar winner Cuba Gooding Jr. as Major Emanuelle Stance and Theo James plays an intelligence officer. Lucas is the executive producer and Anthony Hemingway directed the action drama. The co-executive producer Charles Floyd Johnson is a native of Camden, Alabama.

"They were only in their early 20s when they performed these amazing feats," Lucas said.  "They became the best of the best- the top guns. It is an honor to bring to the screen a story inspired by their heroics." When asked about the movie Gooding told an Inquirer reporter, "This is the black answer to Avatar," he says, promising the film is chock-full of the most sophisticated and breathtaking effects this side of James Cameron's box-office hit. Although none of the scenes were filmed in Alabama, the shoot took place in Prague over 13 weeks.  The story follows lives of the 332d Fighter Group, which saw action in Sicily and Italy and also escorted bombers across Europe. The group acquired the nickname "red tails" for the paint they applied to the tails of their planes.

"Once moviegoers see the film, we are hoping they will come to Alabama to visit the actual site of the Tuskegee Airmen at Moton Field," said tourism director Lee Sentell. "Visitors can see a real planes used by the airmen during WWII and they can experience the real history," added Sentell. Moton Field opened in 1941 and was the training base for the Tuskegee Airmen. Today visitors can tour the Hangar One Museum at Moton Field for free. The hangar houses WWII-era training planes and interactive displays that tell the story of the airmen. For more information about the movie, Red Tails, visit www.redtailsfilm.com.  For more information on the museum and other Tuskegee attractions visit www.alabama.travel.

MONROEVILLE, AL - On Thursday, Dec. 1^st, 2011, Monroe County Heritage Museum will host the 4th Annual Fruitcake Festival, inspired by Truman Capote's heart-warming story, A Christmas Memory.  Locally made fruitcakes in specially designed tins will be for sale all day, followed by a special theatrical performance at 7:00 pm in the world-famous courtroom of the Old Courthouse Museum.  Tickets to the event are $25 and include a holiday reception...with fruitcake, of course!

 

For more information or to purchase tickets to the evening's performance, contact the Museum at 251-575-7433 or mchm@frontiernet.net.  Website:  www.tokillamockingbird.com.  

 

 

Christmas Light Festival
Montgomery; Dec 1-31
Thousands of holiday lights illuminate the Montgomery Zoo with animal shapes and Christmas themes. See the displays by train or by foot, and enjoy live entertainment, food and pictures with Santa. Festival dates are Dec. 1-4, Dec. 8-11 and 15-31, from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Admission is charged.

Christmas Lights at Palisades Park
Oneonta; Dec 1-31
Palisades Park will sparkle this Christmas season with a multitude of beautiful lights, compliments of businesses, churches, clubs and individuals in Blount County. Visitors can drive through the park between 5 and 9 any evening except Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. The Blount County Quilters Guild will host Santa Claus and serve refreshments at its cottage in the park; call 205-274-0017 for specific dates.

Christmas on the River
Demopolis; Dec 1-4
This four-day festival is jampacked with activities, including the Alabama State Championship BBQ Cook-off, home tours, a daytime parade, the Jingle Bell Run, an evening nautical parade with fireworks, the lighting of the Love Light Christmas tree, and more.

Sportsman's Wonderland
Cullman; Dec 1-Jan 1
Enjoy a drive through animated light displays and stop by to see Santa Claus. Take a train ride around the lake, and don't miss the horse-drawn carriage ride and hot cocoa.

Christmas at Oakleigh
Mobile; Dec 2-4
Step back in time and enjoy a festive 19th-century holiday celebration, featuring seasonal music, guided tours, a Victorian Santa, exhibitors and refreshments from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Tours by candlelight are 6:30-8 p.m.

Christmas at Arlington
Birmingham; Dec 3-4
If you're looking for an old-fashioned Christmas, come to Arlington and step back in time to experience true Southern hospitality and charm. Enjoy the beautifully decorated rooms and the delicious Southern fare on this special weekend. This event, hosted by the Arlington Historical Association, will be the perfect way to start your Christmas season!

Holiday Festival
Selma; Dec 5-17
This community celebration of the holiday season is a two-week affair, with a craft show, bake sale and appearances by Santa.

West Alabama Christmas Parade
Tuscaloosa; Dec 5
West Alabama's largest Christmas parade features more than 150 decorated floats along with Santa Claus, bands and other performers from the area. Parade begins at 5:15 p.m., followed by the tree-lighting on the steps of the courthouse at 6:30.

Victorian Christmas
Dothan; Dec 11
Sample old-fashioned desserts, sip hot chocolate or mulled cider and try your hand at making traditional Christmas decorations at this annual event.

City of Fairhope New Year's Eve Celebration
Fairhope; Dec 31
Fairhope's New Year's Eve Celebration is back. Residents and visitors are invited to bring their families and ring in the new year in downtown Fairhope. The band will begin playing at 8:30 p.m. at the corner of Section and Church streets. Other entertainment will include a DJ, face painting, free party favors, fireworks and a ball drop at midnight.

 

From the editorial "The remarkable story of space pioneer Dr. Wernher von Braun" by John Peck in The Huntsville Times:

There's the public side and the personal side of German-turned-American rocket scientist Dr. Wernher von Braun. Most people know his public side. Now, in an extensive display of artifacts, personal items and historical documents, the U.S. Space and Rocket Center  in Huntsville is showcasing the life of the man known globally as the father of the American space program. The "100 Years of Von Braun: His American Journey," opened last week and will run through May. Museum officials are working with schools to schedule field trips. Huntsville-area residents can use this chance to learn about the person largely credited with transforming Huntsville into a major hub for aerospace and defense work. The exhibit is the brainchild of the space museum's new director, Dr. Deborah Barnhart.Von Braun died on June 16, 1977, at age 65 after a stellar career at NASA and later at a private satellite firm. His 100th birthday would be March 23, 2012.

"This is a story every American should know," Barnhart said last week. "It takes visitors through von Braun's American experience from the surrender at the end of World War II through their historic moon landing. This authentic and respectful story of his accomplishment also unveils the personal look at the man behind them - father, musician, sportsman and celebrity." Visitors will delight in seeing family photographs of his life in Huntsville. One collection shows von Braun along with other German colleagues being sworn in as American citizens in the Huntsville High School auditorium on April 14, 1955. Items from his home in the Blossomwood area include books, his telescope and toys of his children. There's a setup of his Marshall Space Flight Center office and collections of various personal keepsakes. There are videos of him with presidents John Kennedy and Dwight D. Eisenhower in their visits to Huntsville, diagramming spaceflight sequences and making congressional appeals during the height of the space race.

As visitors stroll by the kiosks across the museum's main floor, they can trace von Braun's path from his boyhood days and missile work in Germany to his dramatic surrender to the Americans as allied forces were closing in. One enlarged photo, taken near the time of surrender, shows von Braun with his left arm still in a sling from a vehicle accident while rushing to a mountain hideout just days before. His brother, Magnus - chosen because of his English speaking skills - rode a bicycle (also on display) to surrender to American troops in Ruette, Austria, on May 2, 1945. There are historic photographs and films of von Braun and 117 other German missilemen living at Fort Bliss, Texas, and their transfer to Redstone Arsenal in 1950. The exhibit also educates viewers about the efforts by local leaders like Army Gen. Holger Toftoy to steer the U.S. missile program to Redstone.

There's a life-size model of a V-2, an authentic captured blueprint of an enemy missile design, and footage of German missile parts being whisked by train to the Americans. There are models of various spacecraft and interviews that portray von Braun's life as a public figure in the heyday of the space race, including his work with Walt Disney on space films to drum up public support. Sprinkled throughout the exhibit are blowup quotes of von Braun's witticisms that give a sense not only of his communicating skills but of his no-nonsense management style. "One test result is worth one thousand expert opinions," reads one. "Our two greatest problems are gravity and paperwork. We can lick gravity but sometimes the paperwork is overwhelming," reads another. Then there's this: "I have learned to use the word impossible with the greatest of caution." Von Braun looked beyond what many thought was impossible. And America is much better because of it. For more information on the Wernher von Braun exhibit please see http://www.ussrc.com/mu/travexh.

For the complete editorial please see http://blog.al.com/times-views/2011/10/the_remarkable_story_of_space.html.

From the article "Tourism effort takes flight" by Dennis Sherer in the Times Daily:

A tourism effort that hatched in the Shoals is taking flight statewide. The Piedmont Plateau Birding Trail in east-central Alabama officially opens Nov. 17 with 34 bird-watching sites in nine counties. It is one of eight bird-watching trails open or being developed to include every county in the state. Mark Sasser, coordinator of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources non-game wildlife program, said inspiration for the statewide network of birding trails came from the success of the North Alabama Birding Trail that opened in 2005. The North Alabama Birding Trail, which stretches from Mississippi to Georgia primarily along the Tennessee River, consists of 50 bird-watching sites, including 12 in the Shoals. The trail is being expanded to include Franklin and Winston counties. It was the second birding trail in the state. The Coastal Alabama Birding Trail opened in 2002.

"After we created the North Alabama trail, Alabama Tourism Director Lee Sentell said he wanted every county in the state to have at least one birding site," Sasser said. "The Department of Conservation and Natural Resources is providing technical advice for the new trails, but they are being created by the Alabama Tourism Department and local agencies throughout the state." Two of the bird watching trails in the new initiative, the Pinewoods Birding Trail in southwest Alabama and the Black Belt Nature and Heritage Trail across the middle of the state, are open. Three other trails are in the development or planning phases.

Susann Hamlin, executive director of Colbert County Tourism and Convention Bureau, said creating birding trails throughout the state will boost tourism."The North Alabama Birding Trail has been extremely successful," said Hamlin, who helped spearhead the effort to create the trail. "We are constantly receiving requests for information from people who want to come to our area to see birds and other wildlife along the North Alabama Birding Trail." Dana Lee Jennings, president and CEO of the Decatur-based Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association, said a brochure about the North Alabama Birding Trail is one of the most popular publications the organization distributes. Hamlin said the birding trail aids the local economy. She said bird watchers often stay in motels, eat at restaurants, shop and buy gas in communities they visit. A study by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service found Americans spent nearly $45 million in 2006 observing, feeding and photographing wildlife. The average spending per person was $798.

For the complete article please see http://www.timesdaily.com/stories/Tourism-effort-takes-flight,183869?sub_id=183869&print=1.

The U.S. Army Corps Of Engineers are facing budget troubles and several parks they operate throughout Alabama are in jeopardy of closing.

Volunteers in Monroe County are doing what they can to make sure Isaac Creek Campground doesn't close. The U.S. Army Corps Of Engineers have given the volunteers until November 1st to show prove that the park needs to remain open.

 
http://www2.wkrg.com/news/2011/sep/21/volunteers-working-keep-park-open-ar-2444380/

Members of The Cahaba Foundation on Tuesday donated 27 acres to the Alabama Historical Commission to help preserve the site, and they are trying to purchase the remaining acres of what was the state's first capital.

"It's an absolutely magical place," said site director and archeologist Linda Derry. The site -- which had also been the location of Native American settlements for thousands of years -- is archeologically rich, Derry said.

http://blog.al.com/spotnews/2011/09/foundation_working_to_preserve.html

An interactive map on the Alabama Tourism Department's website allows visitors to see the predicted fall color change for each weekend this fall.  The map, a list of recommended viewing sites and a Circle of Color driving route are all available on the state tourism website at www.alabama.travel.     

Large concentrations of hardwoods make Alabama State Parks some of the best places to enjoy the fall color change.  Joe Wheeler has an excellent viewing spot next to the dam and near the cabin area on the Lawrence County side.  Autumn scenery can be found at DeSoto State Park at Little River Canyon and DeSoto Falls.  Monte Sano has views of the Tennessee Valley along the Warpath Ridge Trail and its overlook.  Cheaha's Bald Rock and Pulpit Rock trails both have excellent views.  Cheaha is the highest point in the state at 2,407 feet above sea level. With cooler days and lower humidity, autumn is a wonderful time to enjoy Alabama's many fall festivals and events. Lee Sentell, director of the Alabama Tourism Department, recommends several events designed around being outdoors and enjoying the beautiful fall weather.

Outdoor events scheduled for this fall include:

• Old Town Walking Tour in Huntsville on Oct. 8
• National Shrimp Festival in Gulf Shores on Oct. 13-16
• Kentuck Festival of the Arts in Northport on Oct. 15-16
• Original German Sausage Festival in Elberta on Oct. 29
• Alabama Frontier Days in Wetumpka on Nov. 2-6
• Pike Road Arts and Crafts Festival in Pike Road on Nov. 5
• Cayne Syrup Makin' Day in Beatrice on Nov. 5
• Native American Heritage Weekend in Fort Payne on Nov.18-21
• Galaxy of Lights in Huntsville on Nov.24-Dec.31
• Christmas on the River in Demopolis on Dec.1-Dec. 4
• A complete list of fall events is available at www.alabama.travel.

Message from Lee Sentell, Alabama Tourism Department Director:
 
Greetings
 
On August 4th, I sent a notice of the Alabama Tourism Grant Program to tourism and festival representatives across the state. These grants are intended to promote attractions, municipalities, tourism organizations and festivals across the state. We have received strong responses from a variety of applicants, and Governor Bentley has decided to extend the application period and modify the guidelines accordingly.
 
Specifically, while we welcome and encourage letters of recommendation, applications will not be disqualified for not having one.  If you have already submitted an application there is no need to reapply.
 
The deadline for applications to be postmarked or emailed will be extended to Wednesday, September 21, 2011.  Final decisions will be made by September 30, 2011. Award notifications will be made during the first week of October.  Recipients of Alabama Tourism Grants will be required to submit a detailed budget to the Department of Tourism along with a subsequent detailed accounting of expenditures as the funds are used.
 
We thank you for your work in promoting the State of Alabama and look forward to reviewing all the submitted applications.
 
Sincerely,

Lee Sentell, Director
Alabama Tourism Department

(below is the original information that went out, along with a pdf document with additional details)

                                                                                                                           August 4, 2011

Greetings:

The Alabama Legislature, led by budget chairs Sen. Arthur Orr of Decatur and Rep. Jim Barton of Mobile, and signed into law by Gov. Robert Bentley, has approved a grant program to assist attractions, municipalities, tourism organizations and festivals in bringing more tourists to Alabama.

Grants will be awarded on a competitive basis for the best potential return on investment. The program is being administered by the Alabama Tourism Department and the Alabama Historical Commission. Groups that explain how the money can be used to increase traffic can request up to $25,000. Applications require a letter of support from a local senator or representative. If the amount requested exceeds the available funds, the amounts distributed may be prorated.

Attached please find a copy of the grant guidelines and application. Additional copies are available for download at the bottom of the homepage of the website www.alabama.travel. Applications should be mailed by Sept. 1. A list of frequently asked questions is included in this package.

Thank you for in advance for your participation in this program.
Legislative Grant.pdf

The 2012 Saturday Walking Tours will take place April 7, 14, 21, and 28 with all tours being offered at 10 a.m.  The deadline to sign-up as a participating city for the 2012 Saturday Walking Tours is Friday, Sept. 2.  This will insure that your city will appear in the Saturday Walking Tours listing in the 2012 Calendar of Events and all other promotional materials.  Email Brian.Jones@tourism.alabama.gov by Friday, Sept. 2 to sign-up as a participating city for next April.  Please include your city, starting location and a local contact number in the email.

The Alabama Tourism Department's focus on small towns last year has been honored as best promotion by the National Council of State Tourism Directors.

State tourism director Lee Sentell accepted the award Tuesday night at the U.S. Travel Association's Educational Seminar for Tourism Organizations (ESTO) conference in Salt Lake City, Utah.  "The great cooperation from so many community leaders across the state made last year's campaign such a success. I am so proud of our staff and ad agency for creating our most ambitious campaign ever," said Sentell.  

This is the third time in the last six years the Alabama Tourism Department has won the top award.  Previous awards went to the "Year of Alabama Food" and the "Year of Alabama Arts."  Sentell was a featured speaker at the conference and was a finalist for state tourism director of the year which was won by George Zimmerman of Michigan.

The "Year of Alabama Small Towns and Downtowns" promoted the unique charm and hospitality of Alabama communities to visiting tourists.  The state tourism agency donated a historic marker to each of the 215 towns that held a special homecoming celebration or festival during the year.  Staff members Marilyn Jones Stamps and Brian Jones edited the historic marker text and ordered the markers.  Tommy Cauthen produced calendars for the campaign.  Luckie & Company advertising agency in Birmingham created ads and commercials for the promotion.

Belle Chevre will begin giving scheduled tours for small groups to their Elkmont, Alabama creamery. By popular demand, Belle Chevre will offer scheduled tours every Wednesday for small groups starting in August. Tours can be booked by calling the creamery at 256.423.2238.

Tours can be taken at:
• 9:00 a.m.
• 10:00 a.m.
• 1:00 p.m.
• 2:00 p.m.

Groups are limited to 10 people. The tours will include a guided explanation of how to make chevre, as well as sampling of the different cheeses made by Belle Chevre. Visitors can see how marinated chevre, sweet breakfast chevres, and classic chevres are made. "We are a part of our community," said Tasia Malakasis, owner of Belle Chevre. "It just makes sense to open our doors so people can see how their local goat cheese is made." For almost 20 years Belle Chevre has been hand-crafting fine French style goat's milk cheeses in rural Alabama. The winning recipe has, to date, garnered almost 100 national awards from American Cheese Society and other famed institutions. It has been recognized as some of the finest fromage by the likes of Food Network Magazine, O!, Southern Living, Cooking Light and more. Tasia Malakasis is owner and head cheesemaker at Belle Chevre. She has also recently authored a cookbook, Tasia's Table: Cooking with the Artisan Cheesemaker, which comes out in fall 2011 and can be pre-ordered on amazon.com.

For more information on Belle Chevre please see www.bellechevre.com.

(Note from Brian Jones:  The National Council of State Tourism Directors gave the Mercury Award for Best State Tourism Campaign in the Nation to the Alabama Tourism Department for the original Year of Alabama Food in 2005.)

From the article "Alabama tourism chief: Food will key 2012 campaign to bring in visitors" by Michael Tomberlin in The Birmingham News:

This year, it was music. Next year, it will be food. Again. Lee Sentell, director of the Alabama Tourism Department, says the state's 2012 tourism campaign will be "The Year of Alabama Food."  If that sounds familiar, it's because 2005 carried the same theme and each year since the campaigns have had a component of that in them.  Sentell told the members of the Economic Development Association of Alabama at that organization's summer conference at the Perdido Beach Resort that food defines the state so much and its lists of "things you must eat before you die" resonate with tourists. Food won't be the only point of the state's 2012 tourism push, he said. Continuing efforts to bring tourists to the state's beaches will be a key component, as will be pushing events like the races at the Talladega Superspeedway and the Indy Grand Prix of Alabama at the Barber Motorsports Park near Leeds. Of special significance this year will be the 20th anniversary of the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail, Sentell said. Tourism was a $9 billion industry in Alabama in 2010, a year where the Gulf of Mexico oil spill kept many tourists away from the beaches. Nearly 6.8 million visitors stopped at Alabama's "Welcome Centers" on its interstate connections in neighboring states. Tourism put $550 million in state and local tax coffers last year.

For the complete article please see http://blog.al.com/businessnews/2011/08/alabama_tourism_chief_food_wil.html.

Guests visiting Alabama's 32 miles of white-sand beaches have a new mobile vacation tool at their fingertips. Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism (CVB), which serves as the area's official destination marketing organization, announced the launch of its new vacation guide app that is available through both the iTunes and Android stores. In addition to providing detailed listings for all accommodations, restaurants and attractions in the area, this app showcases specials for local restaurants, lists nearby businesses, previews the weather forecast, provides links to all of the CVB's social channels, and enables users to check into Facebook Places. "The use of this app allows us to reach our guests directly and provide the necessary content in a fun, engaging and simple to use manner," said Herb Malone, president/CEO for the CVB. "We are confident that this tool will enrich the beach vacation experience even more while allowing guests to get back to the real reason why they came on vacation - reconnecting with those you love."

Guests who download this new app may receive a small token by visiting either the Gulf Shores or Orange Beach Welcome Center through Labor Day and showing the app on your phone to one of the welcome center staff members. The CVB will be rolling out an app awareness program in the coming months. Users wishing to download this free app may go to www.itunes.com or https://market.android.com/apps, and search for the app titled Gulf Beaches.

Registration is now open for the 2nd Annual Alabama Festival and Event Development Conference being held Sept. 22 at the Wetumpka Civic Center.  This affordable, one-day conference focuses on helping event planners in communities large and small with resources for planning, budgeting, funding, branding, and publicity.  Registration is $35 per person.  Speakers scheduled for the conference include:

Lee Sentell, Director, Alabama Tourism Department
Herb Malone, Gulf Shores and Orange Beach Tourism
Vicki Morese, Alabama Chicken and Egg Festival
Marianne McLeod, Jubilee City Fest
Pete Preston, River Region Runners
Selina Maddox, Navistar LPGA Classic/Bruno Event Team
Alabama Mountain Games
W. C. Handy Music Festival
For more information and online registration please see http://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/event?llr=5ettrvcab&oeidk=a07e3ilccvye8f0e521.

First Lady Dianne Bentley will cut the ribbon on Friday, August 26, to open the first two exhibits of the Museum of Alabama at the Department of Archives and History in Montgomery. The 11:30 ceremony will be followed by tours of the exhibits and opportunities to the meet the advisors, artists, and designers involved in the project. Grand Opening festivities continue on Saturday, August 27, with a full schedule of public programs from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Events include gallery tours, guest speakers, hands-on activities for families, and demonstrations by muralists and model makers. The two new exhibits, The Land of Alabama and The First Alabamians, tell the story of the earliest days of Alabama history.

The Land of Alabama includes a multimedia introduction to the state's varied geography and the natural resources that have helped shape Alabama history.  The gallery also features photographs by Beth Maynor Young highlighting Alabama's diverse and beautiful environment.  Artifacts help illustrate the state's natural resources and products from the land of Alabama.  On Saturday, guest curator Dr. John Hall of the University of West Alabama will present a talk at 10:00 about Alabama's earliest history and will meet with visitors to the gallery throughout the day. The First Alabamians tells the story of Native Americans from prehistory to 1700 using artifacts, interactive maps, a large diorama model of a Mississippian village, and ten specially commissioned murals created by Karen Carr Studio.  Guest curator Dr. Craig Sheldon will present a program on Alabama's earliest people at 1:00 and will be available to meet with visitors in the gallery throughout the day.  Diorama artist Ken Osen and muralist Karen Carr will also be available to discuss their research and artistry.

The two exhibits constitute Phase I of the Museum of Alabama, which eventually will include five renovated galleries and an entirely new centerpiece exhibit, Alabama Voices.  Funding for Phase I was provided by a 2007 state bond issue and private contributions.  Fundraising for subsequent phases of the project is ongoing. The exhibits at the Alabama Department of Archives and History will be open Monday through Saturday, 8:30 - 4:30, starting August 27, 2011.  Funding to allow the Museum of Alabama to open every Saturday is made possible by a grant from the Alabama Tourism Department to the Friends of the Alabama Archives.  The Research Room is open Tuesday through Friday, 8:30 - 4:30, and the 2nd Saturday of each month.

For more information please see www.archives.alabama.gov.

Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism announced recently that the area has been awarded the opportunity to host two prestigious travel writer conferences. "Both the Midwest Travel Writers Association (MTWA) and the Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) are outstanding organizations with top-notch professionals," said Herb Malone, president/CEO of the CVB. "By hosting these two groups within six months of each other, we will take our public relations efforts to the next plateau. We are honored to have been entrusted with these tasks as we make plans to host the crème-de-la-crème of travel writers." Malone added that "after seeing the list of other destinations that have previously hosted these groups, we feel our family-orientated destination has been placed in very humbling company. These groups will generate a significant amount of positive press coverage as well bringing prestige to our destination, and I am proud of our Public Relations Manager Kim Chapman for her hard work on these two conferences."

Set for October 12-16, 2011, the MTWA conference will provide approximately 40 journalists who live in the Midwest with the opportunity to explore the area's family-oriented beach destination during the 40th Annual National Shrimp Festival. "Our members are looking forward to experiencing Alabama's white-sand beaches," said Mary Lu Laffey, MTWA president. "And we're eager to discover all the other wonderful sites and attractions in the area." Founded 60 years ago in Chicago, MTWA is America's oldest professional travel journalist organization. While all the members live and work in 13 Midwest states, their stories and publications span the globe. This meeting will be the organization's second visit to Alabama; it met in Huntsville in 2000.

Then in the spring, the area will welcome 25 members of the SATW for its mid-year board meeting from April 11-14, 2012. "The SATW Board of Directors looks forward to meeting at Gulf Shores and Orange Beach," said SATW President-Elect Betsa Marsh. "After we conduct SATW business, we will explore the region for story and photo opportunities and bring our keen travelers' eyes and insights to help promote this amazing destination." Along the same lines, Barbara Ware, board manager for SATW President-Elect Marsh, added that "I am thrilled to bring our esteemed group of travel writers to Gulf Shores and Orange Beach. I had never been to this area and on the site visit, I knew after the first few hours, this is a great place for our SATW Board of Directors to meet. The beautiful white sand, the fabulous array of restaurants, and the awesome Gulf Shores and Orange Beach staff won us over. We are excited to be coming to the area." The Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) promotes responsible journalism, provides professional development for its members, and encourages the conservation and preservation of travel resources worldwide. The Society's more than 1,200 members include journalists, photographers, editors, electronic media specialists, film lecturers, television and film producers, and travel industry public relations representatives. SATW members maintain the industry's highest professional and ethical standards, and their dedication and experience represent the Society's commitment to journalistic integrity and credibility. SATW truly comprises "Travel's Most Trusted Voices."

"Through these two meetings, we will show the writers unique story ideas along the Alabama Gulf Coast, which will ultimately be included in articles covering our target markets across the Southeast and Midwest," Malone said. "It's a win-win situation times two."

For more information on Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism please see www.gulfshores.com.

The 2011 Alabama Governor's Conference on Tourism was held July 23-26 at the Marriott Shoals Hotel and Spa in Florence.  Members of the tourism industry from across the state joined together to discuss the trends and future outlook of the travel industry. The event concluded with the Annual Alabama Tourism Awards which honors outstanding achievements in the state's tourism industry.  

 The Alabama Tourism Department coordinates the awards program. The 14 winners are as follows:

Government Advocate Award - Senator Arthur Orr
Media Advocate Award - Mary Colurso, The Birmingham News
Organization of the Year - Alabama Mountain Lakes Association
Attraction of the Year - Barber Motorsports Park & Museum
Event of the Year-  Honda Indy Grand Prix of Alabama
Tourism Executive of the Year- Judy Ryals, Huntsville/Madison County CVB
Tourism Employee of the Year - Ron McConnell, Mobile CVB
Alabama Tourism Department Employee of the Year - Frances Smiley
Partnership Award - Tuscaloosa CVB
Welcome Center of the Year - Cleburne
Theme Campaign - Alabama State Council on the Arts
Rising Star Award - Kayla Riggs, Decatur CVB
Alabama Tourism Hall of Fame - Doug Purcell
Director's Award - FAME Recording Studios

For more information on each category and the winners please see the Alabama Tourism Department press room at www.alabama.travel/media-room/press-releases/.

The U.S. Travel Association has named Lee Sentell and two others as finalists for the State Tourism Director of the Year Award. The award will be presented in Salt Lake City next month. Sentell, appointed by Gov. Robert Bentley in January, is in his ninth year as director of the Alabama Tourism Department. The other finalists announced are George Zimmermann of Michigan and Sara Otte Coleman of North Dakota. USTA spokesman Patton Wood said the criteria includes program development, trade and consumer response, and professional skills.

Reducing state and local tourism marketing programs in the name of saving taxpayer dollars impedes economic growth, according to new research conducted by Longwoods International and commissioned by the U.S. Travel Association. A comprehensive analysis of recent campaigns by the State of Michigan and the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation (GPTMC) reveals that tourism marketing programs drive greater visitation, generate new tax dollars and create jobs for states and local communities. "There's a reason that America's most prominent brands continue to increase their marketing budgets:  it works," said Roger Dow, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association. "This study proves that destinations must operate like Nike, Apple and similar businesses that have followed the marketing path to success. Substantial cuts to destination marketing programs are counterproductive and will have long-term negative economic consequences." The research proves that destination marketing programs generate more tax revenue than they cost by driving substantial increases in visitation and spending in local communities.

"Legislators are ignoring basic economics if they slash destination marketing programs," said the report's author, Bill Siegel, founder and CEO of Longwoods International. "The return on investment of destination marketing programs is significant and nearly immediate." After inconsistent promotion efforts for decades, the Pure Michigan state promotion campaign began regionally in 2006 and went national in 2009. The powerful and non-traditional storytelling of Pure Michigan has stimulated 7.2 million trips to Michigan by out-of-state visitors. Those visitors spent $2 billion at Michigan businesses and generated $138 million in new tax revenue for Michigan - more than three times the cost of the advertising itself. In 2010, the second year of national Pure Michigan advertising, spending by out-of-state leisure visitors jumped 21%, from 2009 to $6.4 billion. At the same time, Michigan tourism-related employment rose by 10,000 jobs. While facing a large deficit and forcing significant cuts to entitlement programs, Michigan Governor Rick Snyder nonetheless added $10 million in additional funding to the Pure Michigan campaign in 2011, stating: "It brought in more tax revenue than it has cost our state."

In Philadelphia, a 1995 report by The Pew Charitable Trusts identified leisure travel as a potential replacement industry for lost manufacturing jobs. This led to the creation of the Greater Philadelphia Tourism Marketing Corporation in 1996 by Pew, the City of Philadelphia and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to promote the region to leisure travelers. Through a sustained marketing program over the last 15 years, Philadelphia's image has transformed and visitation has surged, delivering returns to the city and state. "Fifteen years ago, Philadelphia was considered a two-hour stop," said Meryl Levitz, founding president and CEO of GPTMC. "Then we became on overnight sensation, and now we are a premier destination where visitors stay for multiple days and come back several times a year." Since 1997, overnight visitation to Greater Philadelphia has grown 66 percent, six times faster than the national growth rate of 11 percent. GPTMC's most recent campaign began in 2009 in the midst of the deepest and longest economic downturn since the Great Depression.  With a budget of just $4.3 million in 2009/2010, With Love, Philadelphia XOXO generated 3.7 million incremental trips to the Philadelphia region, injecting $432 million in visitor spending and $24 million in new state tax revenue and $22 million to local governments. The marketing program also generated over 7,000 additional jobs for Greater Philadelphia at a reasonable cost of $600 in advertising for each job created.

According to the U.S. Travel Association's 2009 annual Survey of State Tourism Office Budgets, 31 states cut funding for tourism advertising and marketing by 13 percent, or $52.7 million, between 2008 and 2009. The state of Washington closed its tourism office in June 2011, harkening back to Colorado's decision to abolish its marketing program in 1993 due to budget constraints. According to a landmark study by Longwoods International, Colorado eventually lost more than 30 percent of its share of domestic visitors and more than $2 billion annually in visitor spending. With funding for Colorado's marketing program now restored, the state treasury sees a 12:1 return on marketing investment, and trips to Colorado have rebounded to record levels.

To read the complete study please see https://images.magnetmail.net/images/clients/UST_PRESS/attach/Power_of_Destination_Marketing_2011.pdf.

Extra tourism marketing, a strong demand for vacations and falling gasoline prices should combine for a strong summer travel season, according to Alabama tourism director Lee Sentell. "If the Fourth of July beach traffic is any indication, the state could fully recover this summer from the lingering effects of last year's BP oil spill," said Sentell. "Beach promoter Herb Malone has alerted Gulf Shores and Orange Beach officials to be prepared for the biggest weekend in history." Officials there expect that nearly all of the 17,000 condo and hotel rooms and 2,500 RV sites will be occupied through Monday, with many guests staying through next weekend. In addition, music concerts are scheduled for the next few weekends to attract even more tourists to Gulf beaches.

"Having the Fourth of July fall on a Monday has encouraged people all over the South to plan road trips to visit friends and families and seek out festivals and fireworks," Sentell said. "This is especially important for beach tourism." Gasoline prices have fallen more than 40 cents in the past four weeks in the Midwest, said Sentell, removing a possible deterrent to car travel for families. Using $3.5 million provided by BP, the state tourism department has aired commercials in cities from Baton Rouge to Atlanta that showcase Orange Beach, Gulf Shores and Dauphin Island. BP funds were also used to stage the second annual Hangout Festival that attracted 40,000 music fans the weekend before Memorial Day. Similar funds drew fans to a concert of "oldies" musicians at Dauphin Island in June. Some potential tourists have been discouraged from beach vacations in recent years because of storms and the national economy.  Sentell said there is a lot of pent-up demand among travelers and many of them are deciding they have waited long enough.