Tourism chief: We should have hope for a brighter future
This week is National Travel and Tourism Week, which arrives at an opportune moment to unite the industry, celebrate its indomitable spirit and elevate the role it will play in America’s economic recovery. This annual celebration of the contributions and accomplishments of the U.S. travel industry spotlights resilience and hope in the face of the coronavirus pandemic with this year’s theme: The Spirit of Travel.
The spirit of travel isn’t only found in far-off places. When residents embrace the spirit of travel by supporting local businesses and helping their neighbors, they are also playing a key role in rebuilding their community — and America.
Coastal Mississippi is no stranger to challenges and adversity. There is no doubt that this has been an incredibly challenging time for the travel and tourism industry worldwide, but this week serves as a great reminder of the importance of the industry to our coastal communities and to the State of Mississippi. Although we continue to be met with uncertainty during such an ever-evolving situation, there is one thing that we can be certain of: the people of Coastal Mississippi are some of the most resilient, strong, and compassionate in the world.
The resiliency of our community is apparent as we see individuals and businesses banding together and doing their part in making a difference while striving towards recovery. It is this community spirit, unwavering determination and positivity that we see across Coastal Mississippi on a daily basis that motivates us to continue to work hard and offer support in any way we can. When faced with such challenges, it is truly remarkable to see how so many individuals, businesses, and industries on The Secret Coast are adapting, collaborating and creating innovative ways to support one another.
We know these times are difficult, but we should all have hope for a brighter future for our industry and for Coastal Mississippi. As we gather insights and trends from our industry partners, we are confident that Coastal Mississippi: The Secret Coast truly aligns with what travelers will be seeking once they are able to safely explore again. Our team is working in lockstep with our partner agencies in the areas of advertising, social media, and public relations to ensure our recovery strategy is comprehensive and effective.
We understand that our community is facing new challenges each day, and Coastal Mississippi is here to support our partners in the tourism and hospitality industry in their efforts as we rise up to our challenges together. We thank every single member of this wonderful community for everything they do to make our beautiful Secret Coast so special, and we truly believe that our strong community will emerge from this with an unmatched power to heal and rebuild together.
We are Coastal Mississippi.
Milton Segarra is the CEO of Coastal Mississippi.