Tourism is the state’s fourth largest industry. According to Visit Mississippi, tourism helps to support 133,880 jobs in the state - in small businesses, restaurants, hotels and attractions.
Rickey Thigpen is the president of the Mississippi Tourism Association.
“In 2023, Mississippi welcomed 43.7 million visitors who spent 11.5 billion, with a B in our communities,” he said. “That's an equivalent of 15 visitors for every Mississippi resident, and an average of $31.6 million spent every single day.”
Officials say 2023 was a record breaking year for tourism in the state, creating $1.1 billion in state and local tax revenue.
“That $1.1 billion is enough to fund salaries for 25,000 law enforcement officers across the state of Mississippi,” Thigpen said.
State Senator Lydia Chassaniol from Winona represents District 14, which includes Attala, Carroll, Grenada, Leflore, Montgomery counties. She chairs the Senate tourism committee.
“Tourism celebrates the good things that Mississippi has to offer,” she said. “We even tell the stories that are incredibly sad. Let me tell you, that takes real courage to do that.”
Lieutenant Governor Delbert Hosemann believes visitors are attracted to the state's many destinations.
“We got assets from Pickwick to the Gulf Coast, from the Mississippi River to the Marty Stuart Museum,” he said. “All over Mississippi, B.B. King, wherever you go. Natchez, Vicksburg. They all got things to see and do. And people are coming to our state, and we want to increase that traffic.”
For the past three years, the Lieutenant Governor has worked to create a Department of Tourism. He supports Senate Bill 2573.
“A Department of Tourism allows us to focus specifically on the tourism department not being part of the Mississippi Development Authority or some other organization,” Hosemann said. “This allows us to focus and give them their own budget. That's really important. They will have their own budget and of course they'll be accountable to the legislature.”
The Senate Bill has moved to the house for a vote.
