Biloxi, Miss. - The Mississippi Tourism Association (MTA) recognized the impact and accomplishments of the state’s tourism industry at the Governor’s Conference on Tourism held at the IP Casino Resort and Spa in Biloxi, Miss. on Nov. 30 - Dec. 2, 2020.
This annual educational and professional development event brought together more than 120 tourism industry professionals from across the state as well as tourism partners from the surrounding region.
The awards program gives MTA the opportunity to recognize the best of the best from their 200+-member organization. Awards were presented in 15 categories, each focusing on a different aspect of the hospitality industry or individual achievement.
“Not only does the Governor’s Conference on Tourism allow us to recognize our outstanding peers, it also provides the opportunity for advancement in education, so we, as professionals, can continue to expand our impact in the state,” said Kelli Davis, 2020-2021 president of MTA. “As the fourth largest industry in Mississippi, we are key contributors to our state’s economy, and we only want to continue that growth. Those we honored at this conference are certainly helping us to achieve that goal.”
Visitors in Mississippi spent an estimated $6.7 billion in 2019, a 2.9% percent increase over 2018 numbers. As visitor spending increased, so did the overall number of visitors. In 2019, Mississippi hosted 24.7 million visitors who helped to support more than 122,000 jobs.
During the conference, the following were honored for their dedication, creativity, impact in the industry and individual award criteria:
The award winners for 2020 were as follows:
1. Destination Marketing Organization of the Year (DMO) of the Year - $0 - $499,000 : Visit Greenwood
2. Destination Marketing Organization of the Year (DMO) - $500,000 to $999,000 : Visit Columbus
3. Destination Marketing Organization of the Year (DMO) – over $1 million : Visit Jackson
4. Travel Attraction of the Year : Mississippi Aquarium
5. Small Festival/Event of the Year : Taco Hop - Starkville Main Street Association
6. Large Festival/Event of the Year : Tupelo New Year’s Eve Party - Tupelo Convention & Visitors Bureau
7. Community Volunteer of the Year : Mr. Hezekiah Watkins
8. MTA Member of the Year : Marlo Dorsey - Visit Hattiesburg
9. Social Media Campaign of the Year: City With Soul/My City/Visit Jackson
10. Best Social Media Overall Strategy : My City/Visit Jackson
11. Best Social Media Presence : Coastal Mississippi
12. Governmental Tourism Leadership Award : Mayor Robyn Tannehill - Oxford, Mississippi
13. Tourism Investment Award : The Gulfport Redevelopment Commission
14. Tourism Promotion of the Year : Tupelo’s New Years Even Party - Tupelo Convention & Visitors Bureau
15. Travel Media Award : Kristin Luna
For more information on MTA or Mississippi tourism, visit www.mstourism.com or www.visitmissisippi.org.
