At the Governor’s Conference on Tourism in Hattiesburg earlier this month, Gov. Tate Reeves announced the release of Visit Mississippi’s annual Tourism Economic Contribution Report, revealing that the state welcomed 43.7 million visitors in 2023. This visitor volume has resulted in a $17.5 billion contribution to Mississippi’s economy.

The new study, conducted by Tourism Economics, provides an in-depth analysis of tourism’s economic impact in Mississippi for the calendar year 2023.

“These record-breaking numbers highlight just how much momentum Mississippi’s tourism industry has,” Reeves said. “Today’s announcement is another historic win for our state. Mississippi has a lot to offer, so it’s no surprise that people from all over want to visit and spend their hard-earned money here. I’m proud of what Mississippi’s tourism industry is accomplishing.”

Key highlights from the 2023 Economic Impact Report specifically on Warren County are as follows:

• Visitor Spending: $300.8 million in visitor spending generated a total economic impact of $447.4 million in Warren County. The $30o.8 million accounts for 2.6% of the state’s total spend and is made up of $69.2 million from the Lodging category, which includes the value of second homes; $76.9 million in Food and Beverage; $64.6 million in Recreation; $46.4 million in Retail; and $43.6 million in Transport, which includes both ground and air transportation.
• Job Creation: The total economic impact sustained 2,765 jobs in Warren County, contributing $127.3 million in labor income.
• State & Local Taxes: Tourism in Warren County generated $16.5 million in state tax revenues and $8.7 million in local tax revenues.
• Key Spending: The top spending category for Warren County is food and beverage.

Key highlights from the 2023 Economic Impact Report on a statewide level are as follows:

• Visitor Volume: Mississippi welcomed 43.7 million domestic and international visitors in 2023.
• Visitor Spending: $11.5 billion in visitor spending generated a total economic impact of $17.5 billion in Mississippi in 2023.
• Job Creation: The total economic impact sustained 133,880 jobs, contributing $4.5 billion in labor income.
• State & Local Taxes: Tourism generated $1.1 billion in total state and local tax revenues in 2023.
• Daily Spending: On average, visitors spent approximately $31.6 million per day.
• Key Spending: Top categories included food and beverage, lodging, recreation and retail, and transportation.

The report revealed that approximately $31.6 million was spent daily by visitors in Mississippi, underscoring the importance of the tourism industry to local economies and communities across the state.

“Every dollar spent by visitors supports jobs and generates vital tax revenue that benefits local communities,” said Rochelle Hicks, director of Visit Mississippi. “Our tourism industry supported approximately 133,880 jobs in 2023, contributing $4.5 billion in wages. Without the impact of tourism, Mississippi households would need to pay an additional $922 in taxes each year.”

For more detailed insights and to access the full economic impact study, please visit https://visitmississippi.org/travel-industry-partners/.