Visit Mississippi

Visit Mississippi
Name	Visit Mississippi
Type	State tourism agency
Founded	1940s
Headquarters	Jackson, Mississippi
Website	[official site]

Visit Mississippi is the statewide travel promotion initiative that markets Mississippi's destinations, heritage, and attractions to domestic and international visitors. Operated in coordination with state agencies and local convention and visitors bureaus such as the Mississippi Development Authority and the Jackson Convention Complex, the program supports hotels, museums, parks, and festivals across urban and rural Mississippi counties. It highlights historic sites like Vicksburg National Military Park, cultural institutions such as the Delta Blues Museum, and culinary trails that traverse regions including the Mississippi Gulf Coast and the Mississippi Delta.

History of Tourism in Mississippi

Tourism promotion in Mississippi traces institutional roots to early 20th-century boosterism around river commerce and railroad hubs like Jackson, Mississippi and Gulfport, Mississippi, later formalized by state-level offices during the mid-20th century New Deal and postwar period. Promotional campaigns referenced landmarks including Natchez Trace Parkway, Beauvoir (Mississippi), and Rowan Oak while responding to shifts made visible by events such as the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 and the expansion of Interstate 55 and U.S. Route 61 (US 61). Preservation movements tied to the Civil Rights Movement and heritage tourism encouraged restoration of properties like Medgar Evers House and Moss Point Cultural Center, influencing modern itineraries. In recent decades, partnerships with organizations including Visit Jackson, Biloxi Chamber of Commerce, and the Mississippi Department of Archives and History have integrated digital marketing, festival calendars, and recovery efforts after disasters such as Hurricane Katrina.

Major Tourist Attractions

Major draws promoted by Visit Mississippi span battlefield parks, literary sites, and coastal resorts. Historic military and antebellum sites include Vicksburg National Military Park, Longwood (Natchez, Mississippi), and Mount Holly (Natchez). Music heritage sites include the Delta Blues Museum, Birthplace of the Delta Blues (Dockery Plantation), and the B.B. King Museum and Delta Interpretive Center. Cultural institutions promoted include Mississippi Civil Rights Museum, Eudora Welty House, and Walter Anderson Museum of Art. Coastal and casino destinations such as Beau Rivage Resort & Casino, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Biloxi, and the Gulf Islands National Seashore draw visitors for gaming, beaches, and seafood. Literary and historic homes like Rowan Oak and events tied to authors such as William Faulkner, Eudora Welty, and Richard Wright form part of heritage itineraries. The state’s museums, theaters, and sports venues—e.g., Davis Wade Stadium, Swayze Field, and the Mississippi Museum of Art—are also featured.

Regional Travel Guides

Guides produced for prospective visitors emphasize regional identities: the Mississippi Delta guide focuses on blues routes, cotton plantations, and towns including Clarksdale, Mississippi, Greenwood, Mississippi, and Cleveland, Mississippi; the Gulf Coast of Mississippi guide highlights Biloxi, Mississippi, Ocean Springs, Mississippi, and Bay St. Louis, Mississippi; the Pine Belt and Hattiesburg, Mississippi materials promote forestry, motorsports at Motul Raceway, and cultural attractions such as Hattiesburg Zoo. The Capital Region (Mississippi) or Jackson, Mississippi guides spotlight museums like the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science, performance venues including the Thalia Mara Hall, and historic districts such as Fondren Historic District. Travel itineraries often reference transportation nodes like Jackson–Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport and rail history along Illinois Central Railroad corridors.

Culture, Music, and Cuisine

Promotional narratives foreground musical legacies tied to Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, and B.B. King, and venues such as the Delta Blues Museum and juke joints in Clarksdale, Mississippi. Literary tourism links sites associated with William Faulkner (e.g., Rowan Oak) and Eudora Welty (e.g., Eudora Welty House). Culinary trails emphasize regional dishes and purveyors connected to traditions of Cajun cuisine influence on the Gulf Coast, Creole and Southern fare showcased at establishments in Biloxi, Mississippi and Jackson, Mississippi, and signature items like catfish from Cleveland, Mississippi and tamales popularized in Greenville, Mississippi. Festivals and museums celebrate artisans from the Craft Revival and folk traditions preserved by institutions such as the Gulf Coast Exploreum Science Center and community cultural centers.

Outdoor Recreation and Natural Areas

Outdoor offerings promoted include birding, fishing, hiking, and kayaking across areas such as Tishomingo State Park, the Homochitto National Forest, and the Delta National Forest. Coastal habitats and barrier islands within Gulf Islands National Seashore support ecotourism, while the Natchez Trace Parkway provides scenic driving, cycling, and access to archaeological sites like Jefferson Davis Home and Presidential Library (Brierfield?) and Native American mounds associated with the Mississippian culture. Angling, hunting, and water sports draw visitors to reservoirs and rivers including Ross Barnett Reservoir, the Pearl River (Mississippi–Louisiana), and the Tombigbee River. State parks such as Chickasaw State Park and recreation areas maintained by the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks feature trails, interpretive programs, and camping.

Festivals and Events

Calendar highlights used in marketing include music festivals like Juke Joint Festival, Canton Flea Market and Trade Days (market event), and the Natchez Pilgrimage historic home tours. Cultural events tied to blues and roots music—such as the Sunflower River Blues & Gospel Festival and performances at Ground Zero (Clarksdale)—are central to heritage promotion. Seafood and culinary festivals in Gulfport, Mississippi and Biloxi, Mississippi, literary events connected to Eudora Welty and William Faulkner societies, and rodeos, craft fairs, and county fairs in towns like Tupelo, Mississippi and Meridian, Mississippi round out the calendar.

Tourism Economy and Infrastructure

Economic and infrastructure initiatives linked to Visit Mississippi coordinate lodging taxed through boards such as local Tourism Commissions, airport improvements at Gulfport–Biloxi International Airport and Jackson–Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport, and partnerships with hospitality companies operating properties like Beau Rivage Resort & Casino and regional hotel chains. Workforce development programs collaborate with community colleges such as Hinds Community College and hospitality training partners. Recovery and resilience projects after Hurricane Katrina and other storms have shaped grant programs and grantors including federal agencies, private foundations, and state economic development entities. Visitor data collection, marketing analytics, and collaboration with chambers of commerce in municipalities such as Oxford, Mississippi and Vicksburg, Mississippi inform strategic planning.

Category:Tourism in Mississippi