AMLA's "HOW TO WORK WITH TRAVEL WRITERS" SEMINAR RESCHEDULED FOR JUNE 19

Visit our website **** AMLA's "HOW TO WORK WITH TRAVEL WRITERS" SEMINAR RESCHEDULED FOR JUNE 19 Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association's free "How to Work with Travel Writers" seminar which was scheduled at the new Florence/Lauderdale Tourism Visitor Center on Tuesday, May 27, has been rescheduled for Thursday, June 19 from 1-3 pm at the same location. Georgia Turner, Communications Manager for Florence/Lauderdale Tourism, and her longtime colleague Laurie Rowe from Laurie Rowe Communications will conduct the seminar, addressing topics such as building a newsworthy itinerary and the "rules of engagement" while travel writers are in a community.  The new Visitors Center is located at 200 James Spain Drive, Florence, AL.  Registration is open at www.amla4tourism.com.  For more information, contact the AMLA office.   Travel writers at Helen Keller Birthplace, Tuscumbia,AL.   About Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association (AMLA) AMLA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the promotion and development of the travel industry within the 16 northernmost counties of the state. It is supported by 500-plus members consisting of chambers of commerce, Convention & Visitors Bureaus, attractions, campgrounds, festivals, communities, counties, golf courses, restaurants, tour operators, accommodations, vendors, financial institutions and individuals. Counties included within the AMLA region are Blount, Cherokee, Colbert, Cullman, DeKalb, Etowah, Franklin, Jackson, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Marion, Marshall, Morgan and Winston. Additional information on North Alabama destinations, accommodations and special events is available by calling 800.648.5381 or by visiting www.northalabama.org. Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association

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Alabama Bass Trail's New Tournament Series Kicks off

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Kay Donaldson, Program Director PHONE: 256.350.3500 / 855.9FISHAL EMAIL: kay@alabamabasstrail.org Alabama Bass Trail's New Tournament Series Kicks off February 1 on Lake Guntersville Decatur, Ala. (January 8, 2014) - On February 1, 2014, the Alabama Bass Trail Tournament Series gets underway on Lake Guntersville where a guaranteed first place prize of $10,000 is up for grabs. Hosted by the Marshall County Convention and Visitors Bureau, the tournament is bringing in 400 amateur anglers from across the southeastern United States and is expected to generate an approximate $500,000 economic impact for Guntersville and Marshall County. Lake Guntersville will host the first stop of the Alabama Bass Trail Tournament Series, a team-style tournament series sanctioned by BASS (Bass Anglers Sportsman Society). Registration for the first tournament is full at 200 boats and 400 anglers. Registration and briefing will take place at the Lake Guntersville State Park Lodge beginning at 5 p.m. on Friday, January 31. Takeoff is set for approximately 7 a.m. and weigh-in begins at 3 p.m. at the boat ramp in Lake Guntersville State Park. Takeoffs and weigh-ins are free and open to the public. During the launch tournament, Anglers Channel will be filming an episode to be aired at a later broadcast that will be shown in over 40 markets reaching a viewership of over eight million households. Official tournament director is Fishlife and Elite Outdoors Media will provide fishing fans with live streaming coverage. According to Alabama Bass Trail's Program Director Kay Donaldson, each tournament is expected to pump an estimated $500,000 into the local economy of the host city. "Anglers typically pre-fish, or scout a location, three or four days prior to a tournament, and during this time, they visit restaurants, gas stations, and tackle shops. While competing in a tournament, anglers spend approximately $300 each day on accommodations, gasoline, food and other supplies," stated Donaldson. The tournament trail features two divisions: Northern and Southern. Each division is made up of five tournaments on five different lakes. Maximum number of boats is 200 and each tournament will have a $10,000 guaranteed first place prize and will pay 20 places. Northern Division: Lake Guntersville                        February 1, 2014 hosted by Marshall County CVB Pickwick Lake                                    March 22, 2014 hosted by Florence-Lauderdale Tourism Neely Henry Lake                     April 5, 2014 hosted by City of Gadsden Parks & Recreation Wheeler Lake                               May 31, 2014 hosted by Decatur-Morgan County CVB Logan Martin Lake                     June 21, 2014 Southern Division: Mobile-Tensaw Delta        March 1, 2014 hosted by North Baldwin Chamber of Commerce Lake Eufaula         March 15, 2014 hosted by Eufaula-Barbour County Chamber of Commerce Lake Jordan         April 19, 2014 hosted by Wetumpka Chamber of Commerce Alabama River (Millers Ferry)         May 10, 2014 hosted by Wilcox County Chamber and the City of Monroeville Lay Lake         June 7, 2014 hosted by Shelby County Commission The championship is a 125 boat, two-day event. The 125 boats are comprised of the top 50 teams in points from both divisions that fished all five events in their respective divisions, along with the top 25 student boats collectively from both divisions that fished all five events in their respective division. Hosted by Chamber of Commerce of Walker County, the championship tournament is set for October 10-11, 2014 on Lewis Smith Lake. The championship is a no entry tournament and the first place prize is a fully-rigged 2015 Phoenix 619 Pro with a Mercury 150, trolling motor and electronics valued at $37,495 with an additional $40,000 in cash and prizes. The official bass boat of the Alabama Bass Trail, Phoenix Bass boats will also offer the tier one First Flight incentive plan to tournament winners in a qualifying Phoenix boat. Alabama Bass Trail Tournament Series' sponsors include Bill Penney Toyota, the Alabama Tourism Department, Phoenix Bass Boats, Inc., Fishlife, Elite Outdoors Media, McDonalds of Alabama, and Pradco-FISHING representing BOOYAH and YUM, Dobyns Rods, Randy Jones Agency - Nationwide, T-H Marine Supplies, Inc., Alabama Power Company, Buffalo Rock, Inc., Jet-Pep, Inc., Tennessee Valley Authority, Rigid Industries, Inc., and Frogg Toggs, Inc., Go Pro, Gander Mountain HydroWaveTM, Garmin, and Yeti Coolers. For more information on the Alabama Bass Trail and the tournament series, call Donaldson at 855.934.7425 or visit www.alabamabasstrail.org.     About Alabama Bass Trail The Alabama Bass Trail is a program of the Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association. Its mission is to promote Alabama as a year round fishing destination, to preserve natural resources for generations to come, and to educate high school and college aged students to be good stewards of natural resources. The 11 bass fishing lakes consist of Lake Guntersville, Wheeler Lake, Pickwick Lake, Lewis Smith Lake, Neely Henry Lake, Lay Lake, Logan Martin Lake, Lake Jordan, Alabama River (Millers Ferry), Lake Eufaula, and the Mobile-Tensaw River Delta.  For more information, visit www.alabamabasstrail.org.  ###

SOUTHEAST TOURISM SOCIETY ANNOUNCES SHINING EXAMPLE AWARDS

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE STS SHINING EXAMPLE AWARDS PRESS RELEASE CONTACT:  Tom Adkinson, APR tadkinson@bohanideas.com 615-341-8796 office 615-430-6947 cell Southeast Tourism Society Names Myrtle Beach Boardwalk Region's Travel Attraction of the Year Attractions, CVBs, Individuals Also Earn Shining Example Awards JACKSONVILLE, Fla. (Nov. 5, 2013) - The 6.5 million, 1.2-mile-long Oceanfront Boardwalk and Promenade in Myrtle Beach, S.C., has received a Southeast Tourism Society Shining Example Award as the Escape to the Southeast Travel Attraction of the Year. The Southeast Tourism Society, which promotes travel in a 12-state region, presented 11 other Shining Example Awards as part of its 30th anniversary celebration in Jacksonville on Nov. 5. Three tourism promotion organizations received Shining Example Awards for their overall work: The Louisiana Office of Tourism was named the state travel department of the year. The Charleston, W.Va., Convention and Visitors Bureau received the award for CVBs with budgets less than $2 million. The Greater Ft. Lauderdale Convention and Visitors Bureau received the award for CVBs with budgets greater than $2 million. In addition, the Governmental Tourism Leadership Award went to three jurisdictions in Virginia that recognized the power of cooperation and joint marketing. They are the City of Roanoke, the City of Salem and Roanoke County that united to support the Roanoke Valley CVB and its new tourism brand, "Virginia's Blue Ridge." John Dersham, executive director of DeKalb County Tourism in Alabama, received the Rising Star Award given to a tourism professional with fewer than five years in the industry  and Jim Wescott was the posthumous recipient of the Beacon Award for leadership. Wescott promoted the South Carolina Lowcountry for 27 years before his death earlier this year. Ruby Falls in Chattanooga, Tenn., received the Tourism for Tomorrow Award for its work in sustainable tourism. It was the 2012 Tourist Attraction of the Year. Festivals that won Shining Example Awards were the Peter Anderson Arts & Crafts Festival in Ocean Springs, Miss., and the Master Musicians Festival in Somerset, Ky. The top marketing award went to Visit Greenville in Greenville, S.C., for its "Yeah, THAT Greenville" promotion of the popular Carolina Upcountry destination, and the niche marketing award went to the Virginia Beach CVB for its work to promote wedding tourism. "The best work in travel and tourism wins Shining Example Awards, and winners are examples that others in the industry can follow," said STS President and CEO Bill Hardman. "Winners truly are shining examples in tourism, which is the largest, second-largest or third-largest industry in every Southeastern state." STS started the Shining Example Awards program in 1985. Here is the full list for 2013. Escape to the Southeast Travel Attraction of the Year Oceanfront Boardwalk and Promenade - Myrtle Beach, S.C. CVB of the Year (budget less than $2 million) Charleston, W.Va., CVB CVB of the Year (budget greater than $2 million) Greater Ft. Lauderdale CVB Top 20 Event/Festival of the Year (attendance up to 100,000) Master Musicians Festival - Somerset, Ky. Top 20 Event/Festival of the Year (attendance more than 100,000) Peter Anderson Arts and Crafts Festival - Ocean Springs, Miss. Tourism for Tomorrow Ruby Falls - Chattanooga, Tenn. State Tourism Office of the Year Louisiana Office of Tourism Governmental Tourism Leadership Award City of Roanoke, City of Salem and Roanoke County, Val, for support of the Roanoake Valley CVB and its new tourism brand, "Virginia's Blue Ridge" Rising Star Award (for extraordinary on-the-job performance by someone with fewer than five years in tourism) John Dersham - executive director of DeKalb County Tourism in Alabama Beacon Award (for demonstrated tourism leadership) Jim Wescott - executive director of the South Carolina Low Country Tourism Commission Best Marketing Campaign Visit Greenville (S.C.) for its "Yeah, THAT Greenville" campaign Best Niche Marketing Campaign Virginia Beach CVB for its wedding tourism campaign Chairman of the Board Award Alisa Bailey, President & CEO, Charleston Convention & Visitors Bureau Spirit of STS Award Ron Kuhlman, VP, Tourism Marketing & Sales, Virginia Beach CVB __________________________________________________________________ About STS Founded in 1983, the Southeast Tourism Society is dedicated to promoting and developing tourism in its member states of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. Its headquarters are in Atlanta. The membership includes state travel offices, attractions, lodging properties, resorts, convention and visitor bureaus, chambers of commerce, travel media and other travel-related organizations. __________________________________________________________________

About Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association (AMLA) AMLA is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the promotion and development of the travel industry within the 16 northernmost counties of the state. It is supported by 500-plus members consisting of chambers of commerce, Convention & Visitors Bureaus, attractions, campgrounds, festivals, communities, counties, golf courses, restaurants, tour operators, accommodations, vendors, financial institutions and individuals. Counties included within the AMLA region are Blount, Cherokee, Colbert, Cullman, DeKalb, Etowah, Franklin, Jackson, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Limestone, Madison, Marion, Marshall, Morgan and Winston. Additional information on North Alabama destinations, accommodations and special events is available from the AMLA by calling 800.648.5381 or by visiting their web site at www.northalabama.org.