Susan Collins-Smith, MSU Extension Service | Submitted by Rachael Carter, MSU Extension Service
Tourism employees, city council members, elected officials and others interested in growing tourism in rural areas attended a tri-state tourism conference.
The Alabama-Mississippi-Tennessee Rural Tourism Conference was held Oct. 23-25 in Cleveland, Mississippi. Themed “Investing in Local – Transforming Rural Communities into Destinations,” the conference was coordinated by rural tourism stakeholders from the three states and representatives from Mississippi State University Extension Service.
The conference has been in existence for over 20 years and is open to anyone who works in tourism, economic development or public service. Attendees had the opportunity to network with professionals in the tourism industry and attend multiple educational sessions. Tours provided attendees opportunities to see downtown revitalization projects and tourism attractions in the community. The goal of the conference is to provide affordable quality education and mentorship to those working in rural tourism and community development. The group not only hosts the conference each year, but they provide scholarship opportunities for conference attendance and additional continuing education for rural tourism employees in the region.
Topics this year included creating successful initiatives with small grants, marketing for community and tourism events, improving communication with elected officials, an overview of Cleveland’s local investment strategies, creating unforgettable outdoor experiences, investing in and managing agricultural events, promoting a unique region, festival development, creating positive economic impact by celebrating Mississippi’s culture and history, and strengthening the customer service experience.
Speakers were Rolando Herts with the Mississippi Delta National Heritage Area; Brian Ostrovsky with Locable; Scott Coopwood with Coopwood Communications; Craig Johnston with Alabama Mountain Lakes; Marty Marbry with Tennessee Department of Tourism; Tricia Walker, Becky Nowell and Nan Sanders with Cleveland tourism; Laura Jane Giaccaglia, Angie Abrams and Gina Wills with Mississippi State University Extension Service; and hit singer, songwriter and producer Steve Azar.
For more information or to view the agenda, visit the conference website at https://www.almstnruraltourism.com/