Tourism boots local economy

By Staff
Melissa Cason
Representatives from the Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association visited the Russellville Civitan Club yesterday to talk about the importance of tourism to our county, region and state.
Alabama Mountain lakes Tourist Association President Dana Lee Jennings was the key speaker at the event. She talked about the importance of bringing tourism to our region, and how communities profit from it.
"Tourism dollars help boost the whole economy because tourists eat, sleep and purchase things in your community," Jennings said.
She added that Franklin County has a lot to offer tourists, from the festivals to top-notch fishing.
"Fishing is the number one tourist attraction in North Alabama," Jennings told the group.
She added that Franklin County's own Bear Creek Lake was voted the cleanest lake for fishing in the state, and that Franklin County already has fisherman coming in to visit our lakes.
"This is quite a compliment because of the damage being done to other lakes by companies," Jennings said.
The Alabama Mountain Lakes Association works with its members to help recruit tourism into their community, from offering maps to helping with tourism projects such as getting signs to help tourists navigate to different sites.
"We will begin working on getting proper signage," Jennings said. "Once they [tourists] get off the highway, there usually don't know where they are and where they are going."