Miss-Lou Regional Tourism Summit to be held in Natchez in August
The 6thAnnual Miss-Lou Regional Tourism Summit will be held August 7-9 in Natchez, Mississippi; one of the most enchanting locations in the South. Summit fun will include a scaled-down version of the popular Natchez event, “Angels on the Bluff”, on the opening night of the Summit, which has a great line-up of topics and speakers to help tourism entities throughout the Miss-Lou region learn how to attract visitors to their area.
Topics for this year’s summit will include the film industry, creative entrepreneurship, culinary arts, marketing and public relations strategies and utilizing media outlets. The Summit will open with a policy update on a very active year for the tourism industry in the legislature, and what new policies and changes will mean for both Mississippi and Louisiana. Mississippi Senator Lydia Chassaniol and Louisiana Representative Andy Anders will join Dr. Martin Wiseman of the Stennis Institute of Government, for this opening session. The theme of this year’s summit is “I think I can, I think I can, I know I can!”
Speakers will include Emmy Award winning film producer Jennifer Ogden, and Paige Hunt of the Greenwood Convention and Visitors Bureau, who will talk about working with the film industry and how Greenwood, Mississippi capitalized on the filming of “The Help” in their city. Also, Melissa Hall from the Southern Foodways Alliance, will teach a session on making culinary tourism work. This will be followed by experts on public relations and marketing such as Denton Gibbs from the Gibbs Company, Johnny Wessler from Louisiana North, and Porter Trimble from “The Honey Brake Experience.’
The Miss-Lou Regional Tourism Summit is open to anyone interested in tourism and community development. To view the agenda or register for this event, visit the Stennis Institute of Government and Community Development at Mississippi State University website, www.msgovt.org/misslouphp and click on the word “Training” to access the registration form. You may register online or print the form and mail it with your registration fee if paying by check, to Miss-Lou Rural Tourism Association P. O. Box 2180 Natchez, MS 39121. Your registration fee will include a one year membership in the Miss-Lou Rural Tourism Association as well, and there are a variety ways to affiliate your organization or as an individual. Hotel reservations may be made at the Vue Hotel in Natchez, MS by calling 601-442-9976. For more information you may contact Rachael Carter at the Stennis Institute at 662-325-6703.
