VIDEO: The Hotel Industry Across the Golden Triangle

GOLDEN TRIANGLE, Miss. (WCBI) – There are dozens of hotels in the Golden Triangle and more continue to be built.

Hotels can be seen all around the Golden Triangle.

As the area continues to see more development and tourism growth, more of these are popping up.

Columbus has over 1,500 hotel and bed and breakfast rooms and managers work throughout the year to keep them full.

“Through the week, we have business travelers that are coming to Columbus and we have special events throughout the year, we assemble, my office, Visit Columbus, assembles over 15,000 business bags and visitor bags on an annual basis,” says Visit Columbus Executive Director and CEO, Nancy Carpenter.

Carpenter says Columbus focuses on business travelers advertising and joint advertising with the state.

“We have chosen to do this piece through Delta Airlines and every time you take a seat on Delta Airlines this summer, you will pull a copy that will include, not only an ad, but some advertorial, some discussion about what’s available in Columbus.”

Greater Starkville Development Partnership Interim Director of Tourism Jennifer Prather, says they’re seeing a surge in the hotel industry across the college town.

“The hotel industry gives us an opportunity to promote Starkville as a destination, because not only will we sell the great restaurants that we have and the shopping that we have here locally, but we have prestigious properties for them to stay in and really experience the quality that Starkville has to offer.”

Mississippi State’s athletic events bring in an extra 20,000 people to town and the city works to keep rooms filled for the entire weekend.

“We really seek to capitalize on that by creating a really good experience for them, thus the idea of our new south weekends. We create a Friday night event and then, have the weekend followed up by special Sunday shopping, so it really encourages people to come for the whole weekend.”

Prather says during the off season, the Partnership works to attract tourists by promoting Starkville as a restaurant destination.