Photo courtesy of the National Park Service, Dept of the Interior

NATCHEZ TRACE COMPACT HONORED AS SOUTHEAST TOURISM SOCIETY’S REGIONAL ORGANIZATION OF THE YEAR

Tupelo, Miss. –The Natchez Trace Compact was recently awarded the Shining Example for Regional Organization of the Year by the Southeast Tourism Society (STS). The presentation was made Sept. 6, 2006 in Arlington, Virginia, and the group was honored for their accomplishments Sept. 26, 2006 at a reception in Tupelo, Mississippi, which is the headquarters of the Natchez Trace Parkway.

Each year, STS honors what they deem the best and brightest in the tourism industry at their annual fall meeting and Shining Example Awards banquet.

"Shining Example Awards highlight some of the best work in travel and tourism, and winners truly set examples that others in the industry can follow," said STS chairman Georgia Turner. "Showcasing great work is important because tourism is the largest, second-largest or third-largest industry in every Southeastern state."

Shining Example Awards, presented since 1985, are in 13 categories with competition from 11 states. The Natchez Trace Compact won Regional Organization of the Year (Private) for their multi-state partnership dedicated to promoting the Natchez Trace Parkway and the communities along the byway’s path.

“Earning a Shining Example award is one of the highest honors given in the tourism industry,” said Hattie Ruder, president of the Compact and executive director of the Ridgeland Tourism Commission. “Partnership is the keyword for the Natchez Trace Compact. The five charter communities who formed the organization in 1999 first established a strong working relationship with the National Park Service. In 2004, they extended the membership to include the states and member cities of Alabama and Tennessee, creating a multi-state cooperative.”

Since the expansion of the compact, visitation to the Parkway has increased. The Kosciusko-Attala Chamber of Commerce, who serves as a visitor information center, recently recorded visitors from 31 countries. In one year, Parkway visitation increased 7%.

“Together,” Ruder added, “the group has shown how much can be accomplished when we join forces to promote a common interest. Among many other activities, our partnership has allowed us to be chosen a Best Practice in Southern Tourism and helped us secure grant funds from the National Scenic Byways organization.”

The Natchez Trace Parkway is a 444-mile scenic byway and All-American Road that connects Natchez, Miss. to Nashville, Tenn. Although the Trace is the 7th most visited park out of 388 National Park Service units, research showed its 13 million+ annual travelers were not experiencing the route’s recreational resources nor were they venturing off the byway to outlying communities. In an ambitious effort to promote the Parkway and the community experience, the Compact was formed, and since that time, the members have implemented an annual program of work reaching a broad regional audience.

Since receiving grant support worth over $200,000, the Compact is now able to implement a national program of work reaching a much larger audience. Support continues from the three states and member cities allowing for grant match money. The organization was also recently notified that they will receive a 2006 Scenic Byways Grant worth over $275,000. Funds for the 2006 grant will be distributed in 2007.

Member communities of the Compact include Mississippi’s Natchez, Port Gibson, Raymond, Clinton, Jackson, Ridgeland, Kosciusko, and Tupelo; Alabama’s Florence, Muscle Shoals, Tuscumbia and Sheffield; and Tennessee’s Leiper’s Fork, Franklin, Brentwood and Nashville.

Founded in 1983, the Southeast Tourism Society is dedicated to the promotion and development of tourism to its member states of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia. The membership includes state travel offices, attractions, hotels, motels, resorts, convention and visitors bureaus, airlines, bus companies, car rental agencies, newspapers, magazines and other travel-related organizations.

For more information on the Compact, visit www.scenictrace.com.