Partial-Year Figures From Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism

Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism recently released partial-year tourism figures for 2022, and according to the tourism office, the Alabama Department of Revenue reports taxable lodging revenues for Alabama’s beaches through August beat last year’s all-time high for the same timeframe: $747 million this year compared to $668 million through August 2021. This amount is higher than the total for all of 2019, the previous pre-pandemic record year. Taxable retail sales through August hit $1.1 billion for the first time, the second consecutive year for this category to top $1 billion before the end of the year. For most of this year, occupancy levels for both hotels and vacation rentals have hovered between pre-pandemic levels and 2021 record-setting levels. Short-term vacation rentals make up the majority of lodging inventory in the Gulf Shores, Orange Beach and Fort Morgan area—more than 14,000 total units are available as short-term rentals. Increases in revenue generally mean an increase in visitors, but final visitation estimates and tourism economic impact for 2022 will not be completed by the state until spring 2023.