Alabama Black Belt Adventures

What Alabama Black Belt Adventures does

Alabama Black Belt Adventures Association (ALBBAA) is a non-profit tourism association founded in 2009 and headquartered in Montgomery, Alabama, that promotes outdoor recreation, cultural attractions, and nature experiences across Alabama's 23-county Black Belt region spanning from Mississippi to Georgia. The organization serves outdoor enthusiasts (hunters, anglers, campers, bikers, hikers, birders, golfers), cultural heritage tourists, and culinary tourists by curating trip-planning content and connecting visitors with local outfitters, guides, lodging, and regional partners. Its core offerings include a network of themed trails (the nine-trail Flavors of the Black Belt culinary program, the 100+ mural Black Belt Mural Trail, and the Arts & Antiques Trail), recurring annual photo contests (Big Buck, Big Gobbler, Big Catfish, Sporting Dog, Road Trip, and Feed Your Adventure), the award-winning 228-page Black Belt Bounty coffee table book, a monthly e-newsletter, a YouTube video gallery, and an annual print and digital travel guide.

The underlying platform is a content-and-community marketing operation rather than a technology product. The WordPress-based website (maintained by Red Sage Communications) acts as the central hub for trip planning, downloadable trail guides, and online ordering of the Black Belt Bounty book through PayPal. Distribution is multi-channel: a regional partner network comprising 12+ chambers of commerce, 12+ tourism bureaus, the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, the Alabama Tourism Department, the Alabama Wildlife Federation, Auburn University, and the University of Alabama Center for Economic Development; 25+ retail book distribution locations across Alabama; social channels including Instagram and YouTube; monthly email; and earned media coverage from regional outlets. The organization was founded with the early support of B.A.S.S. founder Ray Scott and Buckmasters founder Jackie Bushman, providing flagship-anchor credibility in the hunting and fishing community.

ALBBAA's business model blends modest earned revenue with grant and partner funding typical of a regional tourism DMO. Direct revenue streams include one-time book sales (Black Belt Bounty, retail and online via PayPal with a 10-book-per-order cap) and recurring promotional and partnership activity. Per the organization's own framing, hunting and fishing opportunities in the Black Belt generate an estimated $3.8 billion in annual economic impact and sustain more than 45,500 jobs (2024 study), positioning ALBBAA as a non-profit marketing and destination-promotion intermediary rather than a direct revenue capture entity. Leadership comprises founder and President Thomas Harris, Executive Director Pam Swanner, and Marketing Director Rhett (added May 2023).

Name

Alabama Black Belt Adventures

Legal name

Alabama Black Belt Adventures Association

Website

https://alabamablackbeltadventures.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Alabama Black Belt Adventures Association (ALBBAA) is a non-profit tourism association that promotes outdoor recreation, cultural attractions, and culinary experiences across Alabama's 23-county Black Belt region, serving hunters, anglers, cultural tourists, and general outdoor enthusiasts through themed trails, photo contests, and travel content.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Destination Marketing and Tourism Promotion

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (71219), Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation (71), All Other Amusement and Recreation Industries (713990)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Cultural & Environmental Education Expeditions (Citizen Science, Conservation Volunteering) (THAAAOAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Cycling, Mountain Biking & E-bike Adventures (THAJABAF)

Keywords

• Outdoor recreation tourism
• Destination marketing
• Regional travel guides
• Cultural heritage tourism
• Culinary trail promotion

Headquarters

HQ city

Montgomery

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Book Sales: Sale of the award-winning Black Belt Bounty coffee table book through retail locations and online via PayPal, limited to 10 books per order.
2. Tourism Promotion Services: Non-profit organization promoting outdoor recreation and tourism; likely funded through grants, partnerships, and promotional activities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Alabama Black Belt Adventures Association (ALBBAA) is a non-profit destination marketing organization that promotes outdoor recreation, hunting and fishing, cultural heritage, and culinary tourism across Alabama's 23-county Black Belt region. Its offerings include themed tourism trails (Flavors of the Black Belt, Mural Trail, Arts & Antiques Trail), annual photo contests, the Black Belt Bounty coffee table book, an annual travel guide, and digital content (newsletter, video gallery) that connect visitors with local outfitters, guides, and cultural attractions.

Product overview

Alabama Black Belt Adventures is a non-profit tourism association operating a comprehensive online platform promoting outdoor recreation and tourism across Alabama's 23-county Black Belt region. The organization's offerings include a network of themed trails (Flavors of the Black Belt with nine culinary trails, Mural Trail with 100+ murals, and Arts & Antiques Trail), seasonal photo contests (Big Buck, Big Gobbler, Big Catfish, Sporting Dog, Road Trip, and Feed Your Adventure contests), the award-winning Black Belt Bounty Book coffee table book, a monthly e-newsletter, video gallery with YouTube content, and an annual travel guide available in print and digital formats. The platform serves as a centralized hub for trip planning, featuring information about hunting, fishing, camping, golf, birding, adventure sports, and cultural heritage attractions throughout the region.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Black Belt Bounty Book Award-winning 11"x11" deluxe alpha cowhide hardcover coffee table book of 228 pages featuring four-color photography, wildlife essays, hunting and fishing traditions, wild game recipes, and stories celebrating Alabama's Black Belt heritage. Sold online via PayPal (maximum 10 books per order) and through 25+ Alabama retail locations.
• Flavors of the Black Belt Trail Themed culinary trail program comprising nine trails covering different counties and food traditions (Baker's Confections, Divine Sausages, Donuts Galore, Cheesy Bites, Fish Kings, Ques 'N' Brews, Tasty Treasures, Spirits on the Plains, and Syrup Makin'). Includes downloadable trail guides and a mobile passport program for earning points and winning prizes.
• Black Belt Mural Trail Curated collection of over 100 painted murals across the Black Belt region showcasing historical moments, celebrated natives, flora and fauna, landscapes, and cultural heritage.
• Black Belt Arts & Antiques Trail Curated trail of visual arts venues, performing arts, and antique shops across the Black Belt region, organized by area including Auburn-Opelika, Camden-Oak Hill, Demopolis-Eutaw-Greensboro, and other locales.
• Big Buck Photo Contest Annual photo contest for hunters to showcase harvested bucks from the 23-county Black Belt region, with prizes including $100 gift cards and copies of the Black Belt Bounty book. Winners selected through online voting.
• Big Gobbler Photo Contest Annual photo contest for turkey hunters to display gobblers harvested in the Black Belt region, with prizes including $100 gift cards, Thermacell mosquito repellent, gun-cleaning kit, and Buckmasters prize pack.
• Big Catfish Photo Contest Inaugural catfish photo contest celebrating catfishing across the Black Belt, with a grand prize of a two-person half-day guided trip with Bama Noodling in 2027.
• Best Sporting Dog Photo Contest Annual photo contest celebrating sporting dogs, particularly Boykin Spaniels and hunting breeds, with winners receiving recognition and prizes.
• Black Belt Road Trip Photo Contest Annual photo contest celebrating regional attractions, activities, outdoor recreation, and cultural experiences. Photos must include people and be taken within the 23-county footprint; prizes include gift cards and ALBBAA merchandise.
• Feed Your Adventure Photo Contest Photo contest encouraging participants to capture and share food photos while traveling the trails and shopping for local goods throughout the Black Belt region.
• Alabama Black Belt Travel Guide Annual comprehensive travel guide covering the Black Belt region's attractions, outdoor adventures, culinary destinations, arts and culture, history, and scenic small towns. Available in print and digital formats.

Quantifiable outcome

• $3.8 billion annual economic impact from hunting and fishing
• +3 more outcomes

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural ResourcescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState agency partner supporting outdoor recreation promotion and wildlife management programs in the Black Belt region.
• Alabama Tourism DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerState tourism agency working with ALBBAA to promote Alabama's Black Belt as a premier travel destination.
• Alabama Wildlife FederationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in outdoor education and conservation efforts; hosts programs at the Alabama Nature Center.
• B.A.S.S. (Bass Anglers Sportsman Society)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerB.A.S.S. founder Ray Scott signed on early to help promote the region as a hunter's paradise with world-class fishing.
• BuckmastersflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerBuckmasters founder Jackie Bushman co-promoted the Black Belt region with B.A.S.S. founder Ray Scott.
• Auburn UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUniversity partner providing research support and connections to the Alabama tourism industry.
• University of Alabama Center for Economic DevelopmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch partner providing economic impact data and development expertise for the Black Belt region.
• Alabama Scenic River TrailcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBlueway partner promoting paddling and water recreation along Black Belt waterways.
• Robert Trent Jones Golf TrailcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThree Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail courses located in the Black Belt region (Cambrian Ridge, Capitol Hill, Grand National).
• Alabama Quail TrailminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner organization promoting quail hunting and conservation in Alabama.
• Black Belt Heritage AreacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRegional heritage tourism organization preserving and promoting Black Belt cultural assets.
• Selma/Dallas County Chamber of CommercecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal chamber partner helping distribute tourism materials and promote regional attractions.
• Tuscaloosa Tourism and Sports CommissioncoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorRegional tourism partner covering the Tuscaloosa area of the Black Belt.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Market position

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCGZPGde2Vm1HSGwy9tRylnw
• Instagraminstagram.com/alabamablackbeltadventures
• Xx.com/ALBlackBeltADV
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/alabama-black-belt-adventures-association

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Alabama Black Belt Adventures