VIDEO: Tourism Growth in Mississippi

TREMONT, Miss. (WCBI)- Mississippi’s top welcome center, in Tremont, celebrates 25 years of service today.

The Governor paid a visit to express just how important tourism is to the state.

“More people come here than any other center, 41 thousand people, for example, stopped here just last month,” says Governor Phil Bryant.

It’s the first thing visitors see when entering our state.

“It’s the first impression that many folks travelling into and out of our state have when they come to our welcome centers or rest stops, that’s the value- it’s just an endless opportunity economically to make that first impression and to attract more people to our state,” says MDOT Commissioner, Mike Tagert.

Bryant says tourism is one of Mississippi’s leading money makers.

“Economically it is so important, you look to what it adds to the GDP every year, about 6.3 billion dollars, that’s as much as the entire budget for the state of Mississippi, so tourism brings in dollars that help pay for public education, help pay for highways, the law enforcement- without tourism, we’re losing those valuable dollars to support needed government services,” says Bryant.

Tagert agrees…

“Tourism is such a vital part of our initial economy, it’s a vital part of our culture, and it’s really important that we’re here to recognize this 25th anniversary,” says Tagert.

According to Bryant and Tagert, it all starts at our Welcome Centers.

“About 23 million people visited Mississippi last year and a lot of them will come through this welcome center,” says Bryant.

Being hospitable is how Mississippi is internationally known.

“Mississippians know exactly what hospitality means and how to offer it. It comes from our DNA and from out upbringing and people are often surprised as I go around the world I hear from people that visited our state saying ‘those were the nicest people we have ever met,'” says Bryant.

It’s an industry that keeps on growing.

“It’s grown exponentially in the past decade plus, and it’s roughly about a 6 billion dollar a year industry,” says Tagert.

The state’s next goal is to encourage visitors to make Mississippi their home.