Page 170 - South Mississippi Living - July, 2023

FINAL SAY
JUDY
YOUNG CEO, Coastal Mississippi
Traveling feeds the soul and educates bits of a person that they never knew needed to be nourished. Working in the tourism industry has always been my path. Through amazing “greatest genera- tion” parents, my family explored the U.S. by all means of transportation, but mostly in a VW pop-up camper. Those peanut butter and jelly trips were the best!
Working in travel and tourism sounds fun, and it is, but that side of the business was a firehose of industry minutia more valuable than a master class. Trying to sell a product when you have no control over the delivery or, say in the quality of the consumer experience was equal parts terrifying, demanding, and fun. Here in South Mississippi, the tourism industry is responsible for 25,000+ jobs, $2.1 billion in visitor spend annually, and more than 30 percent of the state and regional tour- ism tax revenue.
So, what’s the biggest industry leader- ship lesson of all? Regardless of the level of your position, do not walk past a piece of trash or see something that needs attention or cleaning without doing the “hard” work. Always chip in for load-in, set up, and take down. Never forget that team members make the first and last im- pression on a visitor or a stakeholder no
matter where you are or what you do. Set the example, do the work, take pride in where you live, and be part of why people want to go there.
As a native Texan, I had grown up and worked in my hometown for most of my career, but as our daughter entered Grad- uate School, my husband and I began to entertain the idea of relocating for a new challenge. When the opportunity arose to move to Coastal Mississippi, my husband reminded me that my unofficial checklist for where to live should always include, “lots of water, great food, dynamic attrac- tions, ability to catch a plane, fantastic people, and lots of nature.”
With each visit, the Mississippi Gulf Coast checked every one of those boxes, with warm Southern hospitality sealing the deal. Hearing, “What can we get y’all,” “Here’s your bottomless mimosa,” or “You’re gonna love this dish, honey,” was music to our ears and made us feel
as welcomed as locals. These terms of endearment are the lyrics of Coastal Mis- sissippi’s authentic Southern hospitality that unify the personalities of the people who call this region home, regardless of city or county boundaries.
Beyond hotels, airlines, and attractions, travel and tourism amenities such as retail
and dining are the front door to the visitor experience in our destination and a decid- ing factor when consumers are choosing to return to a destination or deciding to relocate permanently.
I am honored to be counted as one of the more than 25,000 of my neighbors across the tri-county region who work in the tourism industry. Being on the Coastal Mississippi Tourism team has given me the unique opportunity to meet “Coastal Characters” and share some of those “Terms of Endearment” as I meet new friends and share the wonders of this region both here and abroad. Now, I just need to learn to pronounce Tchoutaca- bouffa properly.
170 | July 2023
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