Stacy Gentle’s frustrations began on Monday when she called a vacation rental agency in Gulf Shores, asking for a refund for their trip that was supposed to start this Sunday.

“They were offering nothing,” said Gentle, a middle school teacher from Florence. “I was told, ‘our grocery stores are fully stocked, restaurants are open for business and there is nothing we can do.’”

Gentle heard nothing back from the company. Her story has been a common one in recent days as frantic vacationers have scrambled to cancel their spring break trips to the coastal beaches of Alabama as the coronavirus pandemic has unfolded and now the state has ordered beaches to close.

Some rental companies, like Bret-Robinson Vacations, have offered hassle-free refunds for people canceling their trips. Home rental companies like Airbnb are offering full refunds including service fees. Vrbo has a policy in which they are refunding traveler service fees.

But some smaller rental companies, faced with the prospects of laying off employees and closing up shop, have been more reluctant.

“We have a mixed bag,” said Orange Beach Mayor Tony Kennon on Wednesday. “Some are getting canceled and getting refunds.”

Kennon said he and other local governmental officials don’t have the authority to require the rental companies to refund the frightened travelers.

“There are people who are cash poor right now and can’t afford to give (a refund),” said Kennon, adding that the city is offering refunds on its facilities. “I’m not saying that is right or wrong, but that’s just a fact.”

Maintaining ‘destination’

Further complicating matters is that some travel insurance agencies are not honoring cancellations, a move that prompted a U.S. House Oversight Committee on Wednesday to demand the companies provide answers.

Some of the companies, in social media posts to policy holders provided to AL.com, said the coronavirus outbreak is considered a “foreseeable event,” which means that people “could be covered” if they are diagnosed with COVID-19, but not if they are under quarantine.

Some companies do not cover “fear of travel” under their policies, offering instead that consumers be eligible for an insurance premium refund or a travel insurance voucher.

But travelers have been peppering their rental agents in recent days requesting cancellations. In most social media posts to AL.com, upset travelers claim that they either got a full refund or a voucher that can be used for a vacation at a later date.

Herb Malone, president & CEO of Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism, is requesting coastal Alabama’s “tourism lodging partners” to review their rebooking and cancellation polices and deposit refund policies “to make sure they are as customer-friendly as possible.”

Kay Maghan, spokeswoman with the tourism agency, said that they had been advising anyone who contacts them to “get in touch with their rental company.”

Said Malone, in a letter Wednesday, “The calls and emails we are receiving – as well as social posts we are seeing – are concerned about being able to get their money back or being able to book for a later date with no penalty. Please remember, while cancellations are challenging, these are the same customers we want to return to our destination once this crisis is over. It is vital that we make them feel we, as a destination, care about their safety and concern.”

Maghan said at least one of the companies that came under the most fire for not offering cancellations was inundated with phone calls and emails fielded by a staff of only six reservation agents. That same company later changed its cancellation policy on Wednesday to allow people to rebook at a later date.

At least one representative of a rental agency, which was among those chastised for not initially providing full refunds, said the decision to provide full refunds was complicated because the beaches had been left open, a fact that has since changed.

The representative, who asked not to be identified publicly, said she’s been dealing with cancellation requests while having to calm housekeepers who are “in tears” over the lost business, as well as having to consult with condo and vacation home owners worried about paying off their bank notes.

‘Suffering’ industry

Criticism has mounted in recent days over images circulated on social media of large gatherings on the coastal Alabama and Florida beaches despite strict restrictions about limiting public gatherings amid the COVID-19 crisis.

In coastal Alabama, both Mobile and Baldwin counties had finally both confirmed cases as of Thursday. There also has been limited testing that has occurred in South Alabama. No testing site has been set up in Baldwin County.

Robert Thompson, chairman of the University of South Alabama’s Department of Hospitality and Tourism Management, said that Baldwin County’s No. 1 industry – tourism – supports around 64,000 direct and indirect jobs. He said the cancellations and beach closings is going to be devastating to coastal Alabama.

According to state tourism figures, Baldwin County accounts for $6.2 billion of Alabama’s overall $15.6 billion in travel-related spending, or close to 40%.

“Our industry is really suffering,” said Thompson, who worries that coastal tourism could be devastated if “social distancing” recommendations last through the summer vacation season.

“It will have long-lasting ramifications,” he said.

So far, the swath of cancellations are not showing up in Gulf Shores & Orange Beach Tourism figures.

Maghan, the agency’s spokeswoman, said that as of Tuesday, the analysis of rental activity over the next 30 days indicated that occupancies were remaining on par or slightly below the same time period as last year. Tourism, last year, set another record in terms of visitors to coastal Alabama.

She did, however, say that bookings were below typical pacing and cancellations were elevated.

Gentle, the middle school teacher at Shoals Christian School, said she was just pleased that she was able to eventually get a response from her travel agent.

The cancellation, she said, occurred because Shoals baseball team’s tournament had been canceled.

“It’s been a nightmare,” she said.

AL.com is offering a free service so you can receive the most urgent coronavirus updates on your cell phone. To sign up, subscribe to Alabama Coronavirus Urgent Alerts. You can follow our coronavirus live updates here.