Get the Word Out: Gulf Shores, Alabama is Open for Business - and Golf - This Fall and Winter

[Janeen Driscoll]

I'm new to Tripatini, but I'm curious on who's on here and how it's used.

So I'm sharing news from Golf Gulf Shores - let me know what you think of the Gulf Shores publicity, and how we as agents of travel publicity, can help them get past the negative travel messages from the summer. It's time we all told the rest of the story - the sign of recovery.

Get the word out: Beaches are clear, NOAA has allowed and extended recreational fishing for the popular Red Snapper in the Gulf, and the golf courses - even those closest to the shore - were only affected by national photos of oil, and not by a spot of it on their courses. Golf packages are now on sale starting at $62.

Happy to get you in touch with my contacts there, so you can tell their story too.

See news below.

Red Snapper Fishing Returns; Country Music Star Alan Jackson to play
'Concerts For The Coast’ series on October 30

(GULF SHORES, ALABAMA) – Golf and Gulf Coast fishing – a popular buddy-trip combination along the Gulf Shores of Alabama – is available again, thanks to an added eight-week season of recreational red snapper fishing.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration opened the Gulf of Mexico Oct. 1 for red snapper anglers. The reopening of Gulf waters allows avid fishermen to catch the quota they did not reach this summer when a portion of the Gulf was closed due to the Deepwater Horizon/BP oil spill. Recreational fishing will be allowed on Fridays through Sundays through Nov. 21.

“We’re excited that fishing and golf devotees can now come to the Gulf Shores of Alabama and take part in both of their favorite pastimes,” says Duncan Millar, executive director of Golf Gulf Shores. “With optimal weather through November, this is the best time to return to the Gulf for a weekend getaway with 18 holes at a quality course and fishing in one of the hottest spots on the coast.”

Because the summer fishing season was cut short, experts estimated that only one-third of the quota set aside for recreational fishermen was harvested. Alabama’s Gulf Coast is home to one of the world’s largest charter fishing boat fleets with a dozen marinas and hundreds of vessels from which to choose. A variety of fishing options are available – from deep sea trips to back-bay excursions – that will suit any anglers’ needs.

Golf stay-and-play packages throughout the Gulf Shores region can be customized for each group, and start around $75 per person, per night this fall. Sport fishing charter companies abound in the Gulf, with rates starting at $550 per four-hour expedition. For more information about the many quality fishing and golfing options available on Alabama’s Gulf Coast and a customized quote, visit www.golfgulfshores.com.

In addition, all groups that book a customized golf package via www.golfgulfshores.com for travel between Nov. 16, 2010 and Feb. 28, 2011 will be entered to win the $2,000 destination credit prize to be used on dining, golf shop items, area attractions and more. Packages must be purchased by Nov. 15, 2010 and include a two-night minimum stay. The winner of the $2,000 destination credit will be randomly chosen on Nov. 15.

Country Music Legend Alan Jackson to Perform at the Concerts for the Coast Series

Grammy Award winner Alan Jackson will bring his country music talent to the Gulf Shores for a free concert on Saturday, Oct. 30 at The Wharf in Orange Beach as the final event of the “Concerts For The Coast” series. The event is will be an appreciation concert for the local community presented by Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism (CVB).

Locals can score up to four free tickets per person through Friday, October 22, while supplies last, at The Wharf’s Amphitheater box office (Monday through Friday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.) or the Ticketmaster office located at the Publix of Orange Beach (Monday through Saturday 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.; Sunday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.)

“We are thrilled to bring this year’s concert series to a close with an artist of this caliber,” said Herb Malone, president/CEO of the CVB. “Our area has faced a challenging summer, and I am extremely proud and humbled to see how our community has joined together to face this battle with a unified effort. This concert will be a thank-you to the community.”

The “Concerts For The Coast” series kicked-off with Jimmy Buffett & Friends: Live from The Gulf Coast on July 11. This nationally televised event hosted 35,000 fans on the Gulf Shores Public Beach. The series continued with a September 25 performance by Hank Williams Jr. and Gretchen Wilson at The Wharf. Bon Jovi (October 15) and Brad Paisley (October 17^th) are both scheduled to perform this weekend during the Thunder of the Gulf 2010 powerboat event.

The “Concerts For the Coast” event series was created to offer economic support to the gulf area, drawing visitors from around the country and stimulating the local economy damaged by the oil spill.