skip to main content
UA Center for Economic Development
  • Home
  • Programs
    • Alabama Birding Trails
    • Alabama Indigenous Mound Trail
    • Alabama Communities of Excellence
    • Outdoor Recreation
    • Planning and Community Development
    • Tourism Development
    • Your Town Alabama
  • Projects
    • Arts, Culture and Heritage Project
    • Flawless Delivery
    • I-22 Corridor Strategic Development
    • Mural >
      • Submit a Mural
  • Partners
  • More...
    • Tool Kits
  • Home
  • Programs
    • Alabama Birding Trails
    • Alabama Indigenous Mound Trail
    • Alabama Communities of Excellence
    • Outdoor Recreation
    • Planning and Community Development
    • Tourism Development
    • Your Town Alabama
  • Projects
    • Arts, Culture and Heritage Project
    • Flawless Delivery
    • I-22 Corridor Strategic Development
    • Mural >
      • Submit a Mural
  • Partners
  • More...
    • Tool Kits

Selma-Henderson House photo used with permission RuralSWAlabama.org Billy Milstead

Tourism Development

Utilizing nature and heritage-based tourism is an important economic development strategy.  UACED works with Alabama communities to assist them in showcasing their assets.  With tourism playing a prominent part in the state’s overall economy, the Tourism Development Program brings together the many cultural, heritage, rural, public lands and arts constituencies under the economic development umbrella to unify efforts to promote natural, cultural and heritage tourism.
 In 2024, 29 million tourists to Alabama spent $23.9 billion for food, accommodations, travel, shopping and incidentals, according to the Alabama Department of Tourism
Source: Alabama Tourism Department Economic Impact Report 2024

UACED and Tuscaloosa Tourism and Sports market West Alabama Tourism at Travel South Showcase

L-R Jasmine Rainey, Tuscaloosa Tourism and Sports, Candace Johnson UA Center for Economic Development
L-R Jasmine Rainey, Tuscaloosa Tourism and Sports, Candace Johnson UA Center for Economic Development
​UACED was invited by Tuscaloosa Tourism and Sports to participate in Travel South Showcase with them to market West Alabama to domestic tour operators in February of 2019. 

Native American History as well as Civil Rights History continues to be at the top of client’s request – making West Alabama a prime location for their tours.

Travel South Showcase is the premier Marketplace event in the South where over 600 tourism professionals gather for three days of intensive meetings with a goal of delivering more visitors, spending more time and more money in the South. This regional appointment-style marketplace offers the most targeted opportunity for tour operators and wholesalers to meet face to face with Southern Suppliers.

Collage of several photos

Arts, Culture and Heritage

Learn More
Artist weaving basket

Southwest Alabama
​Tourism

Learn More
West Alabama Logo in blue green

West Alabama
​Tourism

Learn More

Multi colored quit design on upright sign fence and house in background

National Geographic
​GeoTourism

Learn More
Trip Advisor Owl logo

Hospitality Training
​& Development

Learn More
Group of people meeting around a large rectangle table

East Alabama
​ Tourism

Learn More
ABOUT

ALABAMA BIRDING TRAILS
​

ALABAMA COMMUNITIES OF EXCELLENCE

ALABAMA INNOVATION ENGINE

​
AMERICORPS VISTA

ARTS, CULTURE AND HERITAGE
​
​BOOKS FOR THE BLACK BELT

​CONTACT ​​

LANDMARK

LIVING LEGENDS

OUTDOOR RECREATION PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT

PLANNING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT

STAFF

THE UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMA

TOOL KITS

​
TOURISM DEVELOPMENT

YOUR TOWN ALABAMA





The University of Alabama 
Center for Economic Development -
Box 870138
Tuscaloosa, AL  35487
Phone - 205.348.7058
Fax - 205.348.6974
email - [email protected]
University of Alabama logo - white
University of Alabama System logo - white
 The University of Alabama 254 Rose Administration Box 870114 Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0114 (205) 348-4890 © Copyright 2025 All Rights Reserved