Reports - Mississippi Renewal

THE GOVERNOR’S COMMISSION REPORT | 87One designation.■ Events and festivals should continue.Without such events as Smokin’the Sound, Cruisin’ the Coast, PeterAnderson Festival, and Mardi Gras,Coast communities will lose criticaltourist dollars. Local festival organizersshould seek assistance from MDAand festival organizers in other states.Hotels should receive appropriate resourcesto open quickly and accommodatevisitors to these events.■ Tourism promotion organizationshould focus on golf and charter fishing.Of 16 golf courses in the region,14 were open by January 1, 2006. 16■ The Mississippi Golf Associationshould attract regional golfers andplace golfers with available rooms.The dollars spent by golfers may bethe quickest avenue for stimulatingthe tourism market. MDA can helpthe Golf Association create and financepromotional material and distributeit to golfing markets, lettinggolfers know that courses are openand hotel rooms available. Promotingthe existing Golf Trail and that thesecourses are open with signage on I-10 would have an immediate impacton tourism. The charter boat industryalso survived the hurricane comparativelywell and should be part of thestate’s short-term tourism promotion.Planning for the Long Term■ Private development should transitionthe Coast from the nation’s premierVoluntourism market to a TierOne Destination. This includes buildingadditional hotel rooms, meetingand convention space, restoring and/or reconstructing museums/aquariums/learningand visitor’s centers,and launching a major nationwidemarketing campaign by the TourismPromotion Commission.■ MDA and the local CVB should createat least one new major attractionin South Mississippi. A NASCARtrack, zoo, professional sports facility,and a cruise ship are all possibilities.A new J.L. Scott Marine EducationCenter, Biloxi Seafood Museum,NASA’s Infinity complex and theeco-tourism opportunities along thePascagoula River can each becomemajor attractions. A new HurricaneKatrina Experience at Infinity couldteach about record-breaking Katrinaand about hurricanes in general. Thiscould be tied to a coast-wide “high