January 11, 2017
ORANGE BEACH, Ala. – 
More than 560 winter visitors staying along the Alabama Gulf Coast attended yesterday’s Meet Mobile! Day Snowbird Expo at the Event Center at The Wharf in Orange Beach. Folks from Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana Iowa and other Midwestern and Northern states waited patiently in line for the doors to open to yesterday’s event, while inside, 25 Visit Mobile member museums, attractions, events, organizations and restaurants waited to greet them.
The event also drew four journalists (two from Canada, two from snowbird-centric publications covering the Gulf Coast) and door prizes. Coupons, passes, promotions and brochures were distributed in an effort to encourage these winter visitors to visit Mobile during their coastal stay.
“We come to Gulf Shores every winter,” said one woman from Iowa. “A few day trips to Mobile are always on our agenda. This event really helps us learn more about what we want to do each year.”
The snowbird market is important to many of our area attractions who usually see a decrease in attendance during the winter months. “It is not unusual for some of our attractions to see an immediate return.” said Stacy Hamilton, VP of Marketing and Communications of Visit Mobile. “In fact, I bet that some folks we met yesterday will be in Mobile today or at least over the weekend.”
Plans for 2018 Snowbird Expo will be announced soon.
Exhibitors included:
Alabama Coasting
Bay City Conventions & Tours
Bellingrath Gardens & Home
Bragg Mitchell Mansion
Conde-Charlotte Museum
The Colonial Fort of Mobile
Dauphin Island Sea Lab & Estuarium
Dora Franklin Finley African American Trail Felix’s Restaurant
Five Rivers Delta Safaris/Wild Native
Gulf Coast Ducks
Gulf Coast Exploreum & Science Center
Gulf Coast Tours History Museum of Mobile
Mobile Arts Council
Mobile Alabama Pass
Mobile Carnival Museum
Mobile Medical Museum
Mobile Museum of Art
The Mobile Symphony
The Original Oyster House
Spot of Tea Restaurant
Spot of Tea Segway Tours
USS ALABAMA Battleship & Memorial Park
Visit Mobile
Special Thanks to:
Visit Mobile Welcome Center Volunteers
Tropical Flyer/The Gumbo Kings (booking agency: Entertainment Management)
Naman’s Catering
The Event Center at The Wharf
Link to images from the event: https://www.facebook.com/