By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Watch LIVE
Listen LIVE
SuperTalk Mississippi st logo
  • Tune In
    • Listen Live
    • Watch Live
    • Network Schedule
    • On Demand
    • Podcasts
    • Video Center
    • Connect
  • Stations
    • News/Talk
    • Music
  • Shows
    • Mornings with Richard Cross
    • MidDays with Gerard Gibert
    • Good Things with Rebecca Turner
    • SportsTalk Mississippi
    • In A Mississippi Minute with Steve Azar
    • SuperTalk Outdoors with Ricky Mathews
    • The Ricky Mathews Show
    • The Garden Mama Show
    • The Handyman Show
    • Thunder & Lightning
    • Eagle Hour
    • The Richard Schwartz Show
    • The Lars Larson Show
    • America at Night with Rich Valde
    • Coast to Coast with George Noory
    • Americas Roundtable
    • Crusader Talk
    • The Guy Benson Show
    • Fox Across America with Jimmy Failla
    • Element Wealth
  • News
    • Latest News
    • Featured News
    • Politics
    • Lifestyle
    • Crime
    • Opinion
    • Agrinews
  • Sports
    • Mississippi State
    • Ole Miss
    • Southern Miss
    • Jackson State
    • High School
    • More Schools
  • Weather
  • Networks
  • About
    • Our Story
    • Our Staff
    • Public Files
    • Contests
    • Affiliates
    • Jobs
  • Advertise
  • Contact
Reading: Morgan: Tourism is not just about visitors — it is key to Mississippi’s economic future
Watch LIVE
Listen LIVE
SuperTalk Mississippi st logo
  • Tune In
    • Listen Live
    • Watch Live
    • Network Schedule
    • On Demand
    • Podcasts
    • Video Center
    • Connect
  • Stations
    • News/Talk
    • Music
  • Shows
    • Mornings with Richard Cross
    • MidDays with Gerard Gibert
    • Good Things with Rebecca Turner
    • SportsTalk Mississippi
    • In A Mississippi Minute with Steve Azar
    • SuperTalk Outdoors with Ricky Mathews
    • The Ricky Mathews Show
    • The Garden Mama Show
    • The Handyman Show
    • Thunder & Lightning
    • Eagle Hour
    • The Richard Schwartz Show
    • The Lars Larson Show
    • America at Night with Rich Valde
    • Coast to Coast with George Noory
    • Americas Roundtable
    • Crusader Talk
    • The Guy Benson Show
    • Fox Across America with Jimmy Failla
    • Element Wealth
  • News
    • Latest News
    • Featured News
    • Politics
    • Lifestyle
    • Crime
    • Opinion
    • Agrinews
  • Sports
    • Mississippi State
    • Ole Miss
    • Southern Miss
    • Jackson State
    • High School
    • More Schools
  • Weather
  • Networks
  • About
    • Our Story
    • Our Staff
    • Public Files
    • Contests
    • Affiliates
    • Jobs
  • Advertise
  • Contact
Reading: Morgan: Tourism is not just about visitors — it is key to Mississippi’s economic future
Search
  • Tune In
    • Listen Live
    • Watch Live
    • Network Schedule
    • On Demand
    • Podcasts
    • Video Center
    • Connect
  • Stations
    • News/Talk
    • Music
  • Shows
    • Mornings with Richard Cross
    • MidDays with Gerard Gibert
    • Good Things with Rebecca Turner
    • SportsTalk Mississippi
    • In A Mississippi Minute with Steve Azar
    • SuperTalk Outdoors with Ricky Mathews
    • The Ricky Mathews Show
    • The Garden Mama Show
    • The Handyman Show
    • Thunder & Lightning
    • Eagle Hour
    • The Richard Schwartz Show
    • The Lars Larson Show
    • America at Night with Rich Valde
    • Coast to Coast with George Noory
    • Americas Roundtable
    • Crusader Talk
    • The Guy Benson Show
    • Fox Across America with Jimmy Failla
    • Element Wealth
  • News
    • Latest News
    • Featured News
    • Politics
    • Lifestyle
    • Crime
    • Opinion
    • Agrinews
  • Sports
    • Mississippi State
    • Ole Miss
    • Southern Miss
    • Jackson State
    • High School
    • More Schools
  • Weather
  • Networks
  • About
    • Our Story
    • Our Staff
    • Public Files
    • Contests
    • Affiliates
    • Jobs
  • Advertise
  • Contact
Follow US
Opinion

Morgan: Tourism is not just about visitors — it is key to Mississippi’s economic future

Danielle Morgan
By Danielle Morgan February 7, 2023
Share
7 Min Read
Photo courtesy of Coastal Mississippi
SHARE

The views expressed by contributors are their own and not the view of SuperTalk Mississippi Media

After the pandemic upended travel and tourism across the globe, one positive outcome is that people have a better understanding of tourism’s significant impact on the overall world economy.

As Mississippi’s fourth-largest industry, tourism is a $6.7 billion producer for the state, which provides cash-in-hand economic development delivered instantly by visitors. However, building a strong tourism infrastructure is also key to meeting our state’s other economic growth and development goals.

It is not a surprise to anyone that a nice place to visit is also a nice place to live and work. Increasingly, a key draw for attracting talent is quality of life or, simply put, a place worth calling home. Those of us who have made our lives here know Mississippi is a special place filled with people whose warmth, generosity and hospitality are unmatched. While those virtues are attractive in their own right, the next generations are also striving to cultivate a stronger balance between work and life. Therein lies the sweet spot where our greatest

opportunity for economic growth and stability resides.

This is why developing destinations and communities is more important than ever before, and it should be a priority for everyone who wants to see our state thrive. By investing in new tourism offerings and focusing on initiatives that enhance the curb appeal of Mississippi’s communities, we are investing in our future. This provides the tools we need to invite more families and talented workers to become Mississippians, while also helping us to keep our best and brightest here in the state.

One common factor of communities experiencing significant growth in the U.S. have in common is that they are not only lauded as strong business hubs but also known as strong tourism destinations. Taking a look at Dallas, Denver, Nashville, Seattle, Charlotte and Austin, it is easy to see these direct connections. The more visitors we bring into our state directly ties into our brand image and creates new opportunities to attract potential residents and investors.

We have long been known as the hospitality state. Have you ever thought about why that is and why it makes us distinctive? Warmth and hospitality are woven into every fiber of who we are, and it is our people who set us apart and create a profound sense of place. I have often heard people say that Mississippi has a stronger sense of place than anywhere they have ever been. This is an asset unique to our state that we need to leverage for growth.

Tourism is the first date of economic development. No one who is considering relocating, retiring or starting a business in Mississippi is going to do so without first experiencing the state as a visitor. The impression we make is the hook that will keep them coming back for more after getting a taste of what sets us apart.

While attending an economic development event, I heard a speaker discussing how quality of life and quality of place are increasingly important to development efforts. She told of a man who moved to a rural area for a career opportunity. He knew no one and had no family in the area. Shortly after moving, he developed a near-fatal illness. Knowing he didn’t have a support system nearby, the community rallied around him and provided for his physical needs by bringing meals and helping out. In addition, they also surrounded him with support to meet his emotional needs. They wanted to show him that he was part of their community. Years later, he was part of a site selection process for a major development project. Through tears, he shared his story with selectors to illustrate why he would never consider living or working anywhere else. It was not his executive salary, title or benefits package. Rather, it was the quality of life and sense of place that won his loyalty.

Most every area of the country has sites available for development and ways to make a living, but not everywhere has the community, spirit, people and culture that make the living worthwhile. I often ask developer friends, “When you are courting a developer or site selector, are you showing them your community through the eyes of a visitor? Are you showing them what sets your community apart beyond available space and incentives? Does your marketing align with your community’s tourism marketing and is it a cohesive effort? Do you ever ask your tourism professionals to join in on a pitch?” The developers who answer “yes” are generally in the communities that are winning in Mississippi.

State lawmakers and public leaders should be applauded for recognizing the immense value tourism holds for Mississippi’s economic health and investing in its growth and vitality. Mississippi has been a national leader in tourism recovery due to the forward-thinking approach that was conceived by the state’s tourism community and legislative leaders. Equipped with recovery resources, our state’s fourth-largest industry has a stronger foundation than ever to build upon to generate significant revenue for our state’s financial future.

Let’s keep investing in our quality of place. It is yielding tremendous returns to our state’s general fund, our small businesses and our communities.

By doing this we are also building a better, more resilient Mississippi for all who live, work and play here as well as all who visit.

Danielle Morgan is the executive director of the Mississippi Tourism Association

Copyright 2025 SuperTalk Mississippi Media. All rights reserved.

Opinion

Stay informed.

Get the latest breaking news delivered straight to your inbox.

By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.
Share This Article
Facebook Twitter Email Copy Link Print

Stay Connected

19kFollowersLike
12.3kFollowersFollow

Latest News

Carthage gas station offering fill-ups for 76 cents per gallon Friday
May 9, 2025
Mud Monsters
Mississippi Mud Monsters mount 11-run victory in Trustmark Park debut
May 8, 2025
Gun in class
New safety measures implemented at Oktibbeha County schools following two gun-related incidents
May 8, 2025
2025 Egg Bowl scheduled for Black Friday
May 8, 2025
James Matthew Gardner
Rankin County man faces up to 45 years in prison for sexually assaulting minor
May 8, 2025

Always Stay Up to Date

Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!

News / Talk Stations

  • Corinth :: 94.3
  • Delta :: 96.9
  • Golden Triangle :: 100.9
  • Hattiesburg :: 97.3
  • Jackson :: 97.3
  • Laurel :: 99.3
  • Meridian :: 103.3
  • MS Gulf Coast :: 103.1
  • North MS :: 93.7
  • Pike County :: 93.5
  • Southwest MS :: 102.1
  • Tupelo :: 101.9
  • Corinth :: 94.3
  • Delta :: 96.9
  • Golden Triangle :: 100.9
  • Hattiesburg :: 97.3
  • Jackson :: 97.3
  • Laurel :: 99.3
  • Meridian :: 103.3
  • MS Gulf Coast :: 103.1
  • North MS :: 93.7
  • Pike County :: 93.5
  • Southwest MS :: 102.1
  • Tupelo :: 101.9

Music Stations

  • 92.9 Corinth’s Best Country
  • Mix 95.9
  • Q105
  • Max 99
  • Lazer 96.1
  • G-92.9
  • G-103.3 The Delta
  • 97.9 CPR Rocks
  • 105.9 The Monkey
  • G-96.7 Gulf Coast
  • 92.9 Corinth’s Best Country
  • Mix 95.9
  • Q105
  • Max 99
  • Lazer 96.1
  • G-92.9
  • G-103.3 The Delta
  • 97.9 CPR Rocks
  • 105.9 The Monkey
  • G-96.7 Gulf Coast

Shows

  • Mornings with Richard Cross
  • MidDays with Gerard Gibert
  • Good Things with Rebecca Turner
  • SportsTalk Mississippi
  • In A Mississippi Minute with Steve Azar
  • Outdoors with Ricky Mathews
  • The Ricky Mathews Show
  • The Garden Mama
  • The Handyman Show
  • Thunder & Lightning
  • Eagle Hour
  • Richard Schwartz Legal Power Hour
  • The Lars Larson Show
  • America at Night with Rich Valdez
  • Coast to Coast with George Noory
  • Americas Roundtable
  • Crusader Talk
  • The Guy Benson Show
  • Fox Across America with Jimmy Fallia
  • Element Wealth
  • Mornings with Richard Cross
  • MidDays with Gerard Gibert
  • Good Things with Rebecca Turner
  • SportsTalk Mississippi
  • In A Mississippi Minute with Steve Azar
  • Outdoors with Ricky Mathews
  • The Ricky Mathews Show
  • The Garden Mama
  • The Handyman Show
  • Thunder & Lightning
  • Eagle Hour
  • Richard Schwartz Legal Power Hour
  • The Lars Larson Show
  • America at Night with Rich Valdez
  • Coast to Coast with George Noory
  • Americas Roundtable
  • Crusader Talk
  • The Guy Benson Show
  • Fox Across America with Jimmy Fallia
  • Element Wealth

News

  • Latest News
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • Agriculture
  • Lifestyle
  • Opinion
  • Latest News
  • Politics
  • Sports
  • Agriculture
  • Lifestyle
  • Opinion

About

  • Our Story
  • Our Staff
  • Public Files
  • Advertise
  • Networks
  • Connect
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Our Story
  • Our Staff
  • Public Files
  • Advertise
  • Networks
  • Connect
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms & Conditions
ST logo

SuperTalk Mississippi Media is Mississippi’s leader in news, politics, sports, music, and all things Mississippi. With four statewide radio networks, 12 talk stations, 16 music stations, SuperTalk TV, and over 50 affiliates, SuperTalk Mississippi Media covers every inch of the state.

Contact us: [email protected]
nab
© 2020 - 2025 SuperTalk Mississippi Media. All Rights Reserved.
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?