Page 194 - South Mississippi Living - May, 2017

THEFINALSAY RENEE
ARENG
Executive Director,
Visit Mississippi Gulf Coast
photo courtesy of Renee Areng
2016 YEAR END
Sources: Mississippi Development Authority, Mississippi Gaming Commission, STR
• 6.2 million visitors in FY 2016, up 8 percent over 2015;
goal of 7 million by 2020
• Leisure and Hospitality jobs – 30,000, up from 2012 by
2,410 jobs
• $1.99 billion spent by visitors – up 10 percent over 2015
• $81 million in tourism capital improvements in FY 2016
• 14,633 total hotel rooms with 1,500 in pipeline to exceed
pre-Katrina 16,092
• 8 percent increase in non-casino hotel revenue 2016 over
2015
• 6 percent increase in room inventory in 2016
• Overall gaming revenue up more than 5 percent in 2016
If it seems like there’s more to enjoy and take advantage of on the Mississippi Gulf Coast than ever before, it’s intentional! The year 2016 brought many new visitors to the Coast, and we expect this year to bring even more. Predictions for 2017 indicate growth in all travel markets: leisure and group, domestic and international. We are ready and eager to receive them all.
Our organization’s goal for 2017 is to continue striving to exceed industry standards in all that we do. We
work diligently to represent Hancock, Harrison and Jackson counties to inspire travel to the destination. Our organization recently achieved industry accreditation through the Destination Marketing Accreditation Program (DMAP), demonstrating mastery of key principles of destination management and marketing.
The accreditation program requires a DMO (Destination Marketing Organization) to successfully comply with 94 mandatory and voluntary standards that span a variety of performance areas to gain this momentous achievement.
The area has gained recognition in national and international publications. From USA TODAY to Glamour,
Forbes and Thrillist, travel and lifestyle writers are interested in the Mississippi Gulf Coast and the area’s many attributes.
Our Sales Team achieved a 44 percent increase year
over year in tentative group leads, sales goals were met and exceeded by two percent, and the team realized a 73 percent increase over FY2015 in confirmed future business.
It’s easy to see that we have had plenty of positive strides in 2016, but we also know there’s more progress
to be made. Based on recent research conducted by the Gulf Coast Business Council, the Coast is pacing behind the rest of the state in many areas. The Council has posed the question, “Does the collective impact of Hurricane Katrina, the Great Recession and the BP Oil Spill represent a burden that other parts of the state do not carry?”
Hospitality and tourism-related jobs have not increased at the pace set in Go Coast 2020. Although we are actively working to encourage development throughout the region, we know the Coast has not recovered compared to the rest of the state and even to our competitive set.
We will continue to coordinate programs that will showcase the area as a desirable and valued meeting location to a variety of meeting and event planners, and we will generate even more first-time visitors by hosting events such as International Inbound Travel Association in 2017 and Travel South Showcase in 2018.
Programs established include Coast Champions Hospitality Development Program, Eat MS Coast, the Mississippi Gulf Coast Marathon – a Coastal Running Fest, partnership with the Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport to encourage direct flight opportunities, and golfcoast.com to assist golfers in booking trips.
194 SOUTH MISSISSIPPI Living • May 2017
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