Tell everyone about it

The beauty of Lake Martin surpasses many other vacation destinations

Wildlife is abundant at Lake Martin

STORY BY BETSY ILER & PHOTOS BY KENNETH BOONE, JAKE ARTHUR & AUDRA SPEARS

For many years, Lake Martin was touted as the South’s best-kept secret. A haven for summer fun, the lake hosted families and friends who relished the lazy days skiing, swimming and picnicking among the islands. Our Treasured Lake grew popular as a secondhome market and vacation destination, and in the last decade, it became apparent Lake Martin was an economic engine that warranted investment.

A branding consultant helped business leaders coin the phrase that now identifies the lake as Alabama’s Freshwater Coast. With solid experience in economic development, Sandra Fuller was hired as the executive director of Tallapoosa County Tourism, and Brandy Hastings came on board as executive director of Lake Martin Tourism Association in Alexander City.

It is the job of these two organizations to tell the world about the great things to do – the great places to stay, the great food to eat, the great experiences that await – at Lake Martin.

“The greatest thing we make at Lake Martin is memories,” said Hastings. “There is nothing more special than making memories with the people we care about. Those are the things that mean more than anything else.

“We work hard at telling the story of our destination and showing visitors the types of memories they can make here. Many people don’t even know all of the types of memories they can make until we tell those stories. There was a time in my life when I would never

Lake views are second to none

CRATA’s outdoor education center attracts visitors year round

Feeding goats makes you smile

The fireworks show at Lake Martin Amphitheater is one of the best in the Southeast

have thought of going to an island in the middle of a beautiful lake and feeding Cheetos to goats, but anyone who has visited Goat Island will tell you, that is a pretty awesome memory that you will talk about for years to come.”

Those memories play a crucial role in bringing revenue and jobs to lake area communities, enhancing the quality of life here even more, Fuller said.

“We all have a hand in it,” she noted. “All of us have created this energy. Three years ago, I put together the first list of annual events for the calendar on Tallapoosa County Tourism’s new website, and there are even more events now. I think we feed off of each other’s energy. I’ve seen it on the Dadeville Square with the new businesses that are opening there, and in the growth of our restaurants on Main Street in Alexander City.”

The economic impact of tourism filters through the community when visitors spend money at local shops, restaurants, gas stations, grocery stores, hotels and campgrounds, Hastings explained.

“That money goes into the hands of our local residents who are working in those establishments. They then take that money and spend it on their mortgage, doctor visits, babysitters, lawn maintenance and more. The money that comes in from our visitors definitely helps our local business owners and direct tourism related businesses, but it is filtered throughout our community as well. The dollar that comes from our visitors actually affects many industries. Everyone is affected by the economic impact that tourism makes here,” she said.

In addition, overnight visitors – whether staying in hotels, bed and breakfasts, campgrounds or vacation rental homes – pay a lodging tax that funds a variety of city projects and services.

Fuller said she is seeing the growth extend well beyond the boundaries of Lake Martin.

“The lake is a big draw, but I see a lot of activity growing on the river. There is more interest there than I have seen in a long time,” she said.

Fuller also serves on the Alabama Governor’s tourism advisory board, and through that entity hopes to establish better hospitality education opportunities at the high school level.

“I want to see us better prepare our workforce for hospitality jobs,” she said.

A more educated hospitality workforce could draw more new businesses to the area, influxing the lake’s surrounding communities with more spendable income.

“There is a lot of competition for where people can travel, but we work very hard to keep enticing visitors to come here to make their memories, so in turn, tourism can make a greater impact on our community,” Hastings said.