About Mississippi
Tourism Association
Overview
The Mississippi Tourism Association is an association comprised of tourism professionals established with a mission to unite all sectors of the tourism industry through advocacy, promotion and education. Membership is open to those in the hospitality industry as well as public service organizations and allied businesses.
Tourism is the fourth-largest industry in Mississippi and a cornerstone of Mississippi’s economy, generating billions of dollars in revenue, creating jobs, and supporting small businesses in every region of our state.
Tourism supports approximately 133,880 jobs in Mississippi. This would be enough to fill the University of Mississippi’s Vaught-Hemingway Stadium twice.
Like many other industries, tourism is experiencing workforce challenges. Mississippi Tourism Association is committed to working with state leaders and industry partners to strengthen the tourism workforce through training and recruitment strategies that will keep this vital economic engine humming to continue to grow the impact of tourism in Mississippi.
In fiscal year 2023, visitors to Mississippi spent $11.5 BILLION, with direct and induced impacts totaling $17.5 BILLION. These expenditures contributed $1.1 BILLION in state and local taxes, which would be enough to pay the salaries of 25,000 police officers, which is more than three times the current police force in Mississippi.
Tourism is a consistent multi-billion-dollar producer for Mississippi and our continued investment will help grow our economy and improve the quality of life of our communities throughout the state for both visitors and residents.
Our association was created to be the voice of tourism for industry partners around the state. We work together with our members to strengthen and grow the state’s tourism sectors to ensure all visitors to Mississippi have a positive experience with everyone they encounter within Mississippi’s travel and tourism industry and that our residents and leaders know that tourism is an essential component to our state’s future economic vitality.
MTA also provides quality educational, professional development and training opportunities as well as networking tools for our members and partners.
Through collaborative and grassroots advocacy efforts, we strive to strengthen the tourism industry and achieve our vision of transforming Mississippi’s economy through increased visitor spending and overall travel industry growth.
Danielle Morgan, Executive Director
Mississippi Tourism Association
History
In February 1986, an 18-member Governor’s Task Force on Tourism was appointed to “assess the strengths and weaknesses of the hospitality industry in the state and return recommendations for improving this vital, but often over looked industry.”
The task force began their work in March 1986 and issued their “Tourism Development Report” in May 1986. The major objective of the report was the establishment of a statewide public/private sector promotional organization…THE MISSISSIPPI TRAVEL PROMOTION ASSOCIATION (MTPA).
On May 12, 1986, MTPA began operations with the primary objective of creating an industry-wide promotional force with a focus centering on private sector marketing to the traveling public. That mission, although somewhat broadened in recent years, remains basically the same.
The MTPA mission statement stated, “MTPA, the voice of the Tourism and Hospitality industry, is to promote and advocate tourism, is to educate the public and is to provide services to its members which will result in increased economic vitality and a positive image for the State of Mississippi.
In our third decade of service to Mississippi, our major goal continues to be increased participation from every segment of the industry. These include hotels, restaurants, attractions, casinos, chambers of commerce, convention & visitor bureaus, all travel related businesses, and to remain a strong partner with the State of Mississippi’s tourism development efforts.
Today a Board of Directors, representing all parts of the State and all segments within the hospitality industry, guides the member based organization. Past Presidents of the Association have been a varied mix of professionals who have all left their mark on MTA.
For more than three decades MTA has represented Mississippi’s tourism industry well, and is poised to make even greater progress in the years ahead as we continue working towards achieving our vision to transform Mississippi’s economy through increased visitor spending and overall travel industry growth.
Board of Directors
Paige Hunt
Kinney Ferris
Vanessa Burse
Jonathan Pettus
Laura Beth Strickland
Nadia Thornton
Stephanie Coomer
Jeri Carter
Lisa Cookston
Mary Catherine Webb
Emily Tillman
Laura Carmichael
Morgan Dudley
Kim Gleason
Barry White
Sam Andrews
Dr. Rickey Thigpen
Annette Rand
LuAnn Pappas
Marlo Dorsey
Judy Young
Christy Burns
Janet Reihle
Strategic Plan
Mississippi Tourism Association’s Strategic Plan (crafted and approved in March 2026) outlines a dynamic roadmap to elevate the state’s tourism industry. Focused on collaboration, innovation, and sustainable growth, the plan aims to strengthen partnerships, enhance visitor experiences, and champion the voices of tourism professionals. Through strategic initiatives, MTA is committed to driving economic impact, showcasing Mississippi’s unique culture, and positioning the state as a premier destination for travelers from around the world. For more details, email Danielle Morgan.