Officials say 2012 has been a record tourism year for the state - WSFA.com: News Weather and Sports for Montgomery, AL.

Hurricane Isaac will not drown out a banner year for Alabama's tourist industry, according to state officials.

There was a great deal of fear that Hurricane Isaac would hit Alabama's Gulf Coast hard and leave it damaged. In Homewood today, Alabama Tourism Director Lee Sentell says Alabama was fortunate.

"The tourism people and officials in Orange Beach have been through it so many events. I think they were prepared for it and it turned out to be a nonevent," Sentell said.

Restaurant owners in Gulf Shores are hoping tourists will make this a big Labor Day weekend.

"Our schedule is still intact. We are planning to have a big Labor Day and it's important that the people who are planning to come here keep their plans," Brad Cohen with The Hangout said.

Sentell spoke to the Homewood Rotary Club Thursday where he unveiled new television commercials promoting the state.

"This has been a record year. Not only for the Gulf Coast but statewide as well. It has been the strongest economic tourism year for the tourism industry," Sentell said.

A big contributing factor was delaying the start of the Alabama school year for two weeks. Still Homewood Rep. Paul DeMarco is pushing a bill to allow local school systems to set their own start dates.

"We want to encourage tourism in our state but when it comes to education each local school system should have the final say," DeMarco said.

Sentell says it's up to the state legislature to decide when the schools will start but he admits delaying the start of school has been a major plus.

"The projection was for every two weeks you add to summer there is at least $30 million for education that is going to," Sentell said.

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