We appreciate John Dersham speaking tonight at the Fort Payne Lions Club and providing wonderful details about Tourism in our area! John has a true passion for sharing and photographing our beautiful northeast Alabama area! H explained DeKalb County now ranks 2nd in the State of Alabama for “leisure tourism” behind Gulf Shores. Tourism started on Lookout Mountain after the Civil War with camps and hotels and has seen huge growth. The Little River Canyon Center is on track to host 1 million visitors in 2022. During the pandemic DeKalb County became a destination place for thousands of families and visitors looking for a safe place with beautiful scenery to relax and social distance. He says short term property rentals are in high demand. John says visitors brag on the friendliness of people in DeKalb County and how well they were treated. Many are repeat visitors and book one year ahead of time. He is holding a copy of the beautiful Tourism Guide that highlights every place to visit in DeKalb County. He announced that Candlewood Suites is opening a hotel in Fort Payne and that cabins are being built on Lookout Mountain all the time. The old visitors center flooded and has been torn down so the Tourism Office is temporarily located inside the Economic Development Authority Building on Airport Road. John welcomes anyone who would like to stop by. Pictured are Club President Alan Kilgo and John Dersham.
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