Arizona, Tennessee, Florida, New Jersey, Texas, Georgia  …

During a visit to the Bidenharn Coca-Cola Museum Saturday morning, these were just a few of the states represented by those coming in to tour the museum.

My wife and kiddos were there for some ice cream and Coke floats. And while I left with my Coke float fix satisfied, and the children’s ice cream wants satiated, I left again amazed at the draw Downtown Vicksburg and Vicksburg overall truly is.

Even during lunch Tuesday at a downtown restaurant, we met a couple from Phoenix, who were making a “big loop” through the South on their way to a convention in Houston.

They were having to revise their plans due to the heavy rains Tuesday, but we quickly shared with them the museums, the galleries and other indoor attractions that make even the wettest day a memorable one in Vicksburg.

Tourism is recognized as one of the top industries in Vicksburg. There are the parks, the destinations, the casinos and of course, the history.

But, none of that would mean one dollar of economic impact if it weren’t for the people who provide the first impression to the thousands of visitors who come to Vicksburg each year.

The customer service our businesses, from our hotels to our gas stations, provide is key to not only the first impression these visitors have, but serve as a key reason why these visitors more often than not come back.

And, it is not just those employees who matter. It is the welcoming smile and handshake visitors receive when visiting our churches, or the gracious greeting they receive from a local resident as they pass each other in a parking lot.

Vicksburg is the Red Carpet city for a very good reason, but that name has to be earned on a daily basis. It has to be earned with each time we welcome someone to our city.

With the Miss Mississippi Pageant kicking off their events this weekend, we are given yet another opportunity to not only prove why we are Miss Mississippi’s Hometown, but why we might just be the most welcoming city in Mississippi.

Tourism is a big deal in Vicksburg. It is an industry that affects a large number of jobs, but when it comes right down to it, everyone is on tourism’s payroll and all of us have a job to do.

 

•

Tim Reeves is publisher of The Vicksburg Post. Email comments to tim.reeves@vicksburgpost.com.