National Travel & Tourism Week

GSDP ANNOUNCES NATIONAL TRAVEL & TOURISM WEEK IN STARKVILLE

The first full week of May is annually recognized as National Travel and Tourism Week, a tradition first celebrated in 1984. Localized events are presented in cities, states and travel businesses nationwide to champion the power of travel. It was established as National Tourism Week when the U.S. Congress passed a joint resolution in 1983 designating the week to be celebrated in May. In a White House ceremony, President Ronald Reagan signed a Presidential Proclamation urging citizens to observe the week with “the appropriate ceremonies and activities.”

Since its establishment, the U.S. travel community has collectively marked the event in a number of creative ways, from staging local rallies and conducting media outreach to securing proclamations and resolutions from local legislative bodies. This year, the Greater Starkville Development Partnership is partnering with the Starkville Daily News in an asset mapping project to better inform Oktibbeha County residents about our hometown travel and tourism attractions and assets. The GSDP will also formally dedicate the new location for the Starkville Community Market on Friday, May 14 as the culmination of this exciting week.

“This week, we stand up for travel,” said Roger Dow, president and CEO of the U.S. Travel Association, the umbrella organization representing the U.S. travel industry. “Travel is one of the country’s biggest employers with more than 10 million Americans depending on this industry for their paychecks. Everyday travel powers our economy in cities and states across the country.”

Travel and tourism is a $59.8 million industry for Oktibbeha County, providing 950 jobs and generating $4.8 million in tax revenue locally. Travel is a broad and diverse industry employing a vast workforce, from airline and attraction employees to restaurant, hotel and taxi workers.

“I’ve worked in the travel industry for 20 years, and I depend on travelers to Starkville for my living,” said Chip Carley, Managing Partner at Holiday Inn Express. “When people make the choice to travel here, it makes an enormous impact to Starkville’s residents who work in this industry,” said Carley.

The U.S. Travel Association reports that travel and tourism is one of America’s largest industries. Direct spending by domestic and international travelers generated $704 billion in the nation’s economy last year. The industry also represents one of America’s largest employers, accounting for more than 10 million direct and indirect jobs. Though the travel workforce has declined as a result of the prolonged recession, the industry expects to add 90,000 new American jobs due to modest gains in travel expected in 2010. U.S. Travel projects 1.95 billion domestic person-trips will take place this year, up 2 percent from last year. International arrivals are expected to total 56.5 million in 2010, an increase of nearly 3 percent over 2009, according to U.S. Travel.

“In these times more than ever, everything we can do to support our travel and tourism industry helps Oktibbeha County, said Jennifer Gregory, GSDP Vice President for Tourism Development. “It is vital that we continue to remember the value of encouraging travel to our area and showing visitors all that Oktibbeha County has to offer,” said Gregory.

“This week, we’ll spotlight several of our tourism partners and hopefully enlighten our residents about the outstanding attractions, museums, galleries, and facilities that Oktibbeha County has to offer. Not only are there interesting and enlightening things to see and do in the greater Starkville area, but there’s a unique, vibrant, and progressive atmosphere that is unlike any other town in Mississippi,” said Gregory.