Alabama beach businesses scramble for employees amid tourism boom: ‘Begging people to work’
Updated 9:42 AM;
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The Wharf entertainment district is celebrating its 15th year with near 100% capacity, and is boasting record-breaking occupancy numbers over the spring.
OWA, an amusement park and entertainment complex in Foley, saw record attendance and sales across the board this spring, according to a spokeswoman. The venue will welcome a waterpark this summer.
Coastal restaurants were packed during the spring break season, from early March through mid-April. They are expected to be even busier this summer.
Indeed, business is booming at Alabama’s biggest tourism draw its beaches. At the same time, a labor shortage within the hospitality sector is creating an obstacle and a potential pitfall for the region.
Alabama restaurants remain restricted as crowds arrive to beaches for Spring Break
Updated Mar 04, 2021;
Posted Mar 04, 2021
Renovated public beach in Gulf Shores. Baldwin County photos 2021. (Joe Songer | jsonger@al.com).Joe Songer | jsonger@al.com
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Since the coronavirus pandemic began and restrictions were imposed on businesses, Karina Ceballos has removed eight of the tables from inside her small seafood eatery in Gulf Shores.
And though restrictions on the number of people seated at one table have been lifted in Alabama, Ceballos will enter the crucial Spring Break season without the normal seating inside King Neptune’s Seafood Restaurant. She said she’s fine with the arrangement as well as restaurant’s approach toward ensuring employees are wearing face masks and are sanitizing tables.
Where are the snowbirds? Coronavirus, hurricane make difficult winter season for Alabama beaches
Updated Jan 17, 2021;
Posted Jan 17, 2021
Snowbird activity before COVID-19: Snowbirds pack the parking lot of the Erie Myer Adult Activity Center in Gulf Shores to benefit local fire departments. The brat fest, and other community fundraisers, have been canceled this year over concerns about the coronavirus pandemic. (file photo).
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Nancy and Jeff Poferl consider themselves on the “younger side” of their Minnesota snowbird flock. They say they are “relatively healthy” and aren’t overly concerned about traveling during the COVID-19 pandemic.
But before they headed south to the Alabama coast this month from their home in the St. Paul suburb of White Bear Lake, their family members had some questions.