Friday, July 21, 2023

Governor Names New Tourism Director

 Governor Tate Reeves issued the following statement.

 Governor Tate Reeves today announced the appointment of tourism industry veteran Rochelle Hicks to lead Visit Mississippi. She begins the new role on August 14th.


“I am excited to welcome Rochelle Hicks as the new director of Visit Mississippi,” Governor Reeves said. “The tourism industry is strong in Mississippi. I’m confident that her decades of experience will be an incredible asset as we continue to grow our tourism industry and promote our state as a top destination for visitors.”

Hicks brings 25 years of experience in the tourism industry to the role. She previously served as executive director of the Mississippi Tourism Association and as deputy director of the Ridgeland Tourism Commission. Most recently, she was director of advancement initiatives at Canopy Children’s Solutions.

“I appreciate the opportunity to build on the fantastic work Visit Mississippi is doing to grow our state’s visitors,” said Hicks. “With more than $7 billion spent by tourists in Fiscal Year 2022, the industry carries a significant impact on our economy, and I look forward to promoting the beauty, music, culture and great food of our state.”

In Fiscal Year 2022, Mississippi’s tourism industry thrived. Mississippi had almost 24 million visitors, took in $7 billion from tourism, and the industry was the 4th largest in the state’s economy.

Hicks, a Natchez native, has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Louisiana. She is a certified travel industry specialist and graduate of the Southeast Tourism Society’s Marketing College.

Former Visit Mississippi director Craig Ray left the position June 30, 2022, to pursue other opportunities.

 

27 comments:

Anonymous said...

I would like to see some innovation in this sector.
There is a lot of untapped potential involving Mississippi YouTubers.
There are several great YouTube channels based based in Mississippi that promote this state in very unique ways.
Jerry Skinner is a great channel about the History of Mississippi and Mississippians
Dixie Cryptid is a good paranormal channel.
Professor of Rock isn’t based in Mississippi, but he talks about people from Mississippi since this state is the birthplace of Rock n Roll.
Include any dozen or more YouTube channels about the outdoors.
Don’t just go to YouTube/AdSense for ads.
Go to the content creators themselves and get them to say the ad in the video and it will be in the video forever.

Anonymous said...

Excellent selection-

Anonymous said...

Adventure Mississippi Tourism:

Spend three days and four nights in Parchman Prison and work crops each day. Wear authentic prison garb, work the fields to plantation sing along and in the kitchen listening to Delta Blues and eat real prison food with real prisoners, private cell, rustic toilet. Per person: $1,000/4 nights, meals included. Optional AC extra.

Anonymous said...

25 years of experience?
I’m guessing that photo is a little outdated.

Anonymous said...

Sounds like a great choice and somebody who can hit the ground running, with great creativity and a positive attitude.

This is the brand of energy and enthusiasm we need instead of a 70-year-old restaurant owner or a guitar player who spent 19 years in Nashville.

Don't know her, but looking forward to really positive things!

Anonymous said...

@2:33 - Enjoy your recliner and gin-fizz.

Anonymous said...

Attn 2:33 PM Just because you are defending life long state employees from Mississippi and recommending them for even higher paid jobs where they do virtually nothing does not indicate you have any real business experience. I am pretty sure you want to make Puerto Rico a state so Mississippi can get off of the bottom. Why not share with us your work history. Have you ever had a job where you had responsibility and produced anything?

Anonymous said...

@2:33 - Thanks for sharing. Looking forward to checking them out.

Anonymous said...

4:05 PM - That sounds like the Hilton Garden Inn, downtown Jackson.

Anonymous said...

Yeah, a YouTube channel on the paranormal will get tourists flooding into Mississippi. Give us a break.

Anonymous said...

@6:09 normally, I would agree with you. But I have met several tourists who never knew about Merrehope in Meridian, Stuckys Bridge in Clark County, or many other historical sites in MS and they were only visiting them because of a social media post about haunted places. People do actually get out and do ghost tours….

Anonymous said...

@6:09 PM
I highly recommend you take a haunted Natchez tour.

Anonymous said...

ROI on chasing paranormal tourists is next to zilch.

Anonymous said...

I tell you what I would like to see. I would like to see the state of Mississippi quit spending my paycheck to "promote" tourism. I'd rather keep that portion of what I earn myself. And I'd like the industries that benefit from tourism to spend their own money on advertising and promotion -- you know, like other businesses have to do. My money isn't theirs to steal.

Anonymous said...

" highly recommend you take a haunted Natchez tour. "

Agreed !

One will see many ghostly local officials ... drunk as phuck.

Some may even see one or two passed out on the slot machines

Anonymous said...

The $7 billion per year figure is highly suspicious. Few people want to come here, they actually fear for their safety because of our deplorable state reputation for racism, rednecks and crime, and they are disgusted by the dismal roads, littering, and lack of good hotels and restaurants. This young lady has her work cut out for her to improve the status quo.

Anonymous said...

Kirk Fordice had the right idea about bring tourism dollars to Mississippi. The hotty toddy, pussel-gutted, Sansabelt-slack-wearing, New South bidness-types, though, our social superiors, knew better. That's why the Yankee tourists are lining up to visit Mississippi and, serendipitously, find out what a business paradise it is.

Anonymous said...

Great choice. She is an intelligent woman and knows tourism. She also has a high level of integrity.

Anonymous said...

11:21 - He was laid to rest a couple of months ago. Try to keep up.

Anonymous said...

I didn’t realize that Mississippi is a “top destination for visitors”.

Anonymous said...

@2:43
Once I get my SBA loan for armored tour vans, I will launch my Ghetto Safari in Jafrica startup.

Anonymous said...

Can someone break down the $7 billion?
I'd like to see how much went into the casinos. I'd "wager" over $1.5 billion did.

Anonymous said...

Election year appointment, a full-time cheerleader loyal to Tater. She's window dressing at best and a state funded position with no accountability. Give her 4 years at best.

Anonymous said...

Mississippi is a "top destination for visitors" if we include all of the Memphis thugs who commit their crimes here.

Anonymous said...

Rochelle is perfect for this job!! She has spent her career in Tourism, Mississippi is lucky to have her!! Great job Tate!

Anonymous said...

These press releases are always devoid of any measurable accomplishments.
Working in a field for 25 years isn’t an accomplishment.
I’ve been working on a time travel device since I saw Back To The Future at the age of 7 and I have yet to time travel.

I have a résumé full of measurable accomplishments that I am proud to share with anyone who is interested in hiring me.
Why not publish her actual résumé full of accomplishments?
If she had some they would say.
She’s probably connected to Tate politically in some way.
Perhaps her daddy or husband contributed to Tate’s campaign.
That’s the story Kingfish should be chasing.
Instead he is chasing those MSGOP campaign ad dollars!

Anonymous said...

4:34 I can ASSURE you that no one in Rochelle Hicks family has given any money or anything to Tate- She is and has been a constant in Mississippi Tourism for years. She knows everyone near and far in this industry and all of the ins and outs. There is absolutely no one with more accolades, knowledge, training OR that is better for this job! Maybe you need to take a break on the keyboard and work on your own resume 😬


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