Gulf Shores Beach Cleanest in South According to Leading Watchdog Group

Gulf Shores, AL, July 31, 2009 --(PR.com)-- According to a recently released report from the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) in Washington, D.C., the pristine sugar white shores of the Gulf Shores Public Beach ranked as one of 14 other locations – and the only the Southeast – to receive a perfect five star rating.

“We made the decisions to constantly improve our beach cleaning program because perfect isn’t good enough,” said Robert Craft, mayor of the City of Gulf Shores. “It is imperative to our future to keep our white sandy beaches pristine. It’s gratifying to know someone has noticed our efforts.”

This annual report studied the water quality, monitoring frequency and public notification of contamination of beaches along the Atlantic, Pacific and Gulf Coasts in addition the Great Lakes states. Also ranked alongside Gulf Shores Public Beach with a five star rating were beaches in Orange, Calif., Worcester, Md., St. Louis, Minn., and Rockingham, N.H.

“The NRDC reports confirms what millions of guests already know about our superb vacation destination,” said Herb Malone, president/CEO of the Alabama Gulf Coast Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB). “Both the cities of Gulf Shores and Orange Beach make the cleanliness and safety of our beaches a top priority, and their diligent efforts are obvious.”

Malone added that the popularity of Alabama’s Gulf Coast is continuing to grow.

“Despite the media reports about national travel, we have seen a steady influx of guests to our beaches. According to recent data, even our web traffic is near the top”.

The CVB’s website ranked number eight for its market share of website visitors when compared to almost 900 other CVBs throughout the nation.

To learn more about the pristine beaches of the Alabama Gulf Coast, visit www.gulfshores.com/things-to-do/beaches, or call 1-800-745-SAND.

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