News Releases
CVB Staff Welcoming Tourists Who "Pop In" During National Tourism Week
05/03/2013
MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST - For more than eleven years, the CVB has participated in National Tourism Weeks activities by visiting the Hancock County and Jackson County welcomes centers to talk to tourists about the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Recently, the staff began welcoming guests with free, fresh popcorn. Last year, the CVB has added the Biloxi Visitors Center to its Tourism Week activities.
Ocean Springs, Mississippi Honored with 2013 Great American Main Street Award
04/14/2013
Washington (April 14, 2013) - The National Trust for Historic Preservation announced today that Ocean Springs, Miss. was chosen as a 2013 Great American Main Street Awards® (GAMSA) winner. Recognized as a leader in implementing the Main Street Four-Point Approach®, embracing sound historic preservation practices and building strategic partnerships, Ocean Springs Main Street was honored today at the annual National Main Streets Conference in New Orleans.
Real Time Golf Vacation Booking Engine for the Mississippi Gulf Coast
03/19/2013
MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST - The Mississippi Gulf Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) and Mississippi Hotel & Lodging Association (MH&LA) are excited to announce a new real time golf vacation package booking engine for the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
Mississippi Gulf Coast Selected as #SoMeTUS13 Finalist
03/11/2013
MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST - As a result of a proposal submitted by the Mississippi Gulf Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB), the Mississippi Gulf Coast has been selected as a finalist in the Social Media Tourism Symposium (#SoMeTUS13) for November 6-8, 2013.
Beauvoir to host Civil War Commemoration
03/06/2013
MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST - Beauvoir: The Jefferson Davis Home and Presidential Library will mark the 150th anniversary of the Civil War on March 16, when as many as 700 Civil War re-enactors will march into the national landmark in west Biloxi for a day of cannon fire, speeches and a peek inside the presidential library.
Mississippi Gulf Coast CVB Campaigns Take Home ADDY Awards
02/25/2013
MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST - The American Advertising Federation Mississippi Gulf Coast Chapter recognized The Big 3's creative campaigns for the Mississippi Gulf Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) on Saturday night resulting in 13 ADDY awards and Best of Broadcast.
Letting the Good Times Roll...with Travel Writers
01/29/2013
MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST - The Mississippi Gulf Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) once again will be welcoming travel writers from across the country to the Mississippi Gulf Coast for the annual Mardi Gras Media Familiarization Tour taking place February 10-13, 2013.
Mississippi Gulf Coast Welcomes the BIG Gam Fans
01/23/2013
MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST - The Mississippi Gulf Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) welcomes national football fans from around the country to see the San Francisco 49ers take on the Baltimore Ravens in The Big Championship Game on Sunday, February 3, 2013 in New Orleans, Louisiana.
Three Mississippi Gulf Coast Events Named Top Event by STS
11/29/2012
MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST - The Mississippi Gulf Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) is proud to congratulate three local events for their Southeast Tourism Society (STS) Top 20 Events Award. The Long Beach Kite Festival, Mississippi Coast Coliseum Crawfish Festival, and Bay Bridgefest have won Spring 2013 Awards from STS after nominations by the Mississippi Gulf Coast CVB earlier this year.
Mississippi Gulf Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau Receives $1 Million Grants
11/28/2012
MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST - Because of swift actions, the Mississippi Gulf Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) will be receiving two $500,000 grants over the next two years from the Deepwater Horizon Claims Center.
Beauvoir to Launch New Holiday Tradition - Festival of Trees to launch Christmas at Beauvoir
10/25/2012
BILOXI, MISSISSIPPI - The grounds of Beauvoir: The Last Home of Jefferson Davis will be transformed to the 1880s this holiday season, as the national landmark in Biloxi presents a two-month celebration of Christmases past and the beginning of what organizers expect to be a nationally recognized event.
We've Handed Over the Keys! Beachfoot Winner Receives New Jeep Wrangler
10/19/2012
MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST - Today Pamela Drew of Ponchatoula, Louisiana drove away in a new 2012 Jeep Wrangler, the fabulous prize she won by participating in the Mississippi Gulf Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau's summer promotion.
MS Gulf Coast CVB Chosen as Platinum Choice Award Winner
10/18/2012
MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST - The Mississippi Gulf Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) is thrilled to announce it has won a Smart Meetings 2012 Platinum Choice Award. This prestigious award highlights the best of the best-hotels and CVBs that consistently go above and beyond expectations. Smart Meetings magazine readers and editorial staff voted for their favorite properties and convention bureaus across North America, with only 125 hotels and 50 CVBs selected as winners.
CVB Announces Beachfoot Promotion Jeep Wrangler Winner
09/18/2012
MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST - The Mississippi Gulf Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) is thrilled to announce the winner of the Search for Beachfoot's 2012 Jeep Wrangler. A big congratulations goes to Pamela Drew of Ponchatoula, Louisiana.
Mississippi Gulf Coast Will Host 2013 Society of American Travel Writers' Conference
09/10/2012
MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST - The Mississippi Gulf Coast Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB) and the Mississippi Gulf Coast Attractions Association are excited to announce that the Mississippi Gulf Coast will be the location of the 2013 Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) Annual Conference.
Cruisin' The Coast Named as Best Event for 2012
09/07/2012
MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST - The Mississippi Gulf Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau is proud to announce that the American Bus Association (ABA) named Cruisin' the Coast as one of North America's 100 Best Events for 2013 by an experienced expert tourism industry selection committee. This is the forth year that Cruisin' the Coast has received this prestigious award - 2001, 2011, 2012 and 2013.
Bay St. Louis Nominated as Coolest Small Town
09/07/2012
MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST - The Mississippi Gulf Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) announced today that Budget Travel Magazine has nominated Bay St. Louis as one of the Coolest Small Towns in America.
Biloxi Seafood Festival Hotel Packages Now Available
09/05/2012
MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST - The Mississippi Gulf Coast CVB is teaming up with the Mississippi Hotel Lodging Association to promote to visitors a great deal on the upcoming Biloxi Seafood Festival held at the Biloxi Town Green.
Mississippi Gulf Coast Host Connect Marketplace Pre-FAM
08/15/2012
MIMISSISSIPPI GULF COAST - The Mississippi Gulf Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) has organized a familiarization tour (FAM) for 16 meeting planners from across the country before they attend Connect Marketplace in New Orleans.
Mississippi Gulf Coast CVB Announces National & Regional Awards
08/10/2012
MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST - The Mississippi Gulf Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) is proud to announce recent recognitions by AAA Southern Traveler, Where to Retire, and the Southeastern Tourism Society.
Biloxi Featured in Where to Retire Magazine
08/09/2012
Houston, TX (August 9, 2012) - Biloxi, MS, has been selected by Where to Retire, the only magazine in America geared toward helping people with retirement relocation decisions, as a top retirement destination and will be profiled in the feature story "15 Low-Cost Towns."
Footprints Found at the Preserve Golf Club
08/06/2012
MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST - The Mississippi Gulf Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) is continuing to ask summer visitors to help with the search efforts to identify the large footprints still being spotted from Bay St. Louis/Waveland to Pascagoula. The most recent footprints were found in Vancleave at The Preserve Golf Club in the sand trap.
Parade of Teams in Gulfport - United States Sports Specialty Association
07/18/2012
MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST - The second week of the United States Sports Specialty Association (USSSA) Baseball Global World Series will kick off on Wednesday, July 18 at 7 p.m. with a Mardi Gras-style welcome parade of teams at Gulfport's Jones Park. Several local dignitaries will be present to welcome the teams to the Mississippi Gulf Coast and local vendors will be selling refreshments to attendees.
Peranich announced as "Excellence in Tourim" recipient by CVB
07/12/2012
MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST - The Mississippi Gulf Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) is proud to announce that Mrs. Diane C. Peranich has been selected as the 2011 Billy Creel Excellence in Tourism Award recipient by the CVB. Peranich is a former representative of the Mississippi House of Representatives and the Tourism Committee Chairperson. After recognizing the $6 billion annual impact of tourism in Mississippi, Peranich advocated within the State Legislature for tourism to be a considered an industry. She helped create the Legislature's first tourism committee and served as its chairman for eight years.
Youth Tournaments to Make Impact
07/05/2012
MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST - Over 3,500 youth baseball and softball players will visit the Mississippi Gulf Coastin July to participate in four major tournaments. The Nation's Baseball Gulf Coast Select National, the United States Sports Specialty Association (USSSA) Baseball Global World Series, the Cal Ripken Baseball U11 Southwest Regional, and the United States Fastpitch Association (USFA) Softball Southern National events are anticipated to fill area hotels and have a major economic impact along the coast.
Club Gulf Coast is in full swing - Mississippi Gulf Coast loyalty card off to a strong start
06/28/2012
MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST - The Mississippi Gulf Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) announces today that card requests for the Club Gulf Coast program are averaging 500 per week. Registration started online on May 14, and the program officially kicked off on June 15.
Is Beachfoot Ready for a Mississippi Gulf Coast Summer?
06/21/2012
MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST - With the first day of summer quickly approaching, Beachfoot has made another appearance on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. This time the large, mysterious creature has left his footprint at IP Casino Resort Spa in Biloxi.
Strange Sightings on the Mississippi Gulf Coast - Beachfoot Continued
06/04/2012
MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST - The Mississippi Gulf Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) is hoping summer visitors will help with the search efforts to identify the large footprints still being spotted from Bay St. Louis/Waveland to Pascagoula. Search efforts kickoff this weekend at the Hancock County Welcome Center, Biloxi Visitors Center, and Jackson County Welcome Center.
Strange Sightings on the Mississippi Gulf Coast - BEACHFOOT
05/23/2012
MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST - The Mississippi Gulf Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) is asking summer visitors for help finding the cause of mysterious footprints seen along the 62 miles of coastline from Bay St. Louis/Waveland to Pascagoula. Search efforts will officially begin on Friday, June 1.
Media Alert - Strange Sightings on the Mississippi Gulf Coast
05/22/2012
MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST - The Mississippi Gulf Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) will be kicking off its summer campaign on Friday, June 1 with "The Search for Beachfoot," a fun search for visitors to the Mississippi Gulf Coast! To make this campaign as successful as it can be, the CVB needs YOUR help! We are asking our local and regional media to hype up the exposure of "strange sightings" on the Mississippi Gulf Coast, from Bay St. Louis/Waveland all the way to Pascagoula.
Youth Baseball Players to Make Impact
05/03/2012
MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST - Over 1,200 youth baseball players will visit the Mississippi Gulf Coast this weekend to participate in the USSSA 2012 NIT "Battle at the Beach." The event will be held May 5-6 at the Gulfport Sportsplex, Goldin Park and the Clarence Johnson Sports Complex.
CVB staff welcoming tourists who "POP" in during National Tourism Week
05/01/2012
MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST - The Mississippi Gulf Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) will be personally welcoming tourists to the Mississippi Gulf Coast during National Tourism Week.
Biloxi celebrates 35th anniversary of "Smokey and the Bandit" with Bandit Run
05/01/2012
MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST - On Wednesday, May 16, 2012, the Biloxi Main Street Association, City of Biloxi, Beau Rivage, and the Mississippi Gulf Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau will celebrate the 35th Anniversary of "Smokey and the Bandit" with a party on Biloxi Town Green.
The Mississippi Gulf Coast Sends Warm Welcome to Final Four Fans
03/28/2012
MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST - The Mississippi Gulf Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) invites Final Four fans from across the country to enjoy the Mississippi Gulf Coast, only an hour away from New Orleans!
Michael Feldman's Whad'Ya Know? -- Live show from Saenger Theatre
03/15/2012
MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST - The King of Small-Talk Radio brings his wildly popular, nationally broadcast public radio show to the Mississippi Gulf Coast for a live show on Saturday, March 31, 2012.
Mississippi Gulf Coast to Visitors - "Play Your Way"
02/01/2012
MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST - Tourism industry members assembled on Wednesday at the MS Coast Convention Center for the unveiling of the new branding campaign for the Mississippi Gulf Coast. The "Play Your Way" campaign highlights the strongest travel offerings on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. The Mississippi Gulf Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) worked with The Big 3 advertising agency to roll-out the new marketing plan and creative approach.
Mississippi Gulf Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau Hires Director of Sports Sales & Marketing
01/24/2012
MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST - The Mississippi Gulf Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) announces the hire of Torye Hurst who has joined the CVB as Director of Sports Sales & Marketing to further develop the growing sports industry on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Hurst comes with a wealth of experience within the field of sports, having spent the past eleven years at Virginia Tech as associate director of athletics communications.
"Whad'Ya Know" Will Soon Know the Mississippi Gulf Coast....and so will its listeners!
01/23/2012
MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST - The Mississippi Gulf Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) extends a hospitable thank you to our local marketing partners for their support of Michael Feldman's "Whad'Ya Know," a nationally syndicated public radio comedy/quiz show based in Madison, Wisconsin. The show will be broadcasted live from the Saenger Theatre in Biloxi on March 31, 2012.
Upcoming BCS Championship Brings Mississippi Gulf Coast Visitors
01/04/2012
MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST - The BCS Championship Bowl Hotel Packages being advertised, promoted and sponsored by the Mississippi Gulf Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau are a HUGE SUCCESS, producing significant results. Sixteen buses to New Orleans have already been filled.
Mississippi Gulf Coast CVB Completes Successful Sales Mission to Washington DC
12/14/2011
MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST - Sales staff from the Mississippi Gulf Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB), along with other local marketing partners, met with meeting planners and association executives in Washington DC and the surrounding areas in November.
The Mississippi Gulf Coast Sends Warm Welcome to Alabama, Michigan, LSU, and Virginia Tech Fans
12/06/2011
MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST - The Mississippi Gulf Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) invites Sugar Bowl and BSC fans to enjoy the Mississippi Gulf Coast, only an hour away from New Orleans!
Mississippi Gulf Coast CVB Ready to Reach the Nation Through National Tourism Public Relations Firm
12/01/2011
MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST - The Mississippi Gulf Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) has contracted with Nicholas & Lence Communications - an award winning national strategic communications, public relations and marketing firm based in New York City to promote the region to travel, national and international media to drive visitation. The firm has represented many cities in the Gulf Coast area including Gulf Shores-Orange Beach, Lake Charles, Lafayette, Mobile, Pensacola as well as the umbrella marketing organization South-Coast, USA. The Nicholas & Lence contract began November 16 and will run through May 15th 2012.
TARYN SAMMONS NAMED “RISING STAR” by the Southeast Tourism Association
11/10/2011
Mississippi Gulf Coast- Taryn Pratt Sammons with the Mississippi Gulf Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) was awarded the Southeast Tourism Society's "Rising Star" award at the STS Fall Meeting in New Orleans on November 9, 2011. This award is given to an outstanding people with less than 5 years experience in the tourism industry.
Bill Lady to Represent Hancock County on Mississippi Gulf Coast CVB Board
11/07/2011
MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST - Mr. Bill Lady has been appointed to serve on the Mississippi Gulf Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau Board by the Board of Directors of the Hancock County Tourism Development Bureau. Via a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to jointly market and promote the Mississippi Gulf Coast as one destination, the Boards for the Harrison and Hancock County Tourism entities are officially joined in their common efforts of advertising and promoting the Mississippi Gulf Coast.
Mississippi Gulf Coast Lands International Attention
10/18/2011
MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST - The Mississippi Gulf Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau is proud to be a co-sponsor of the upcoming fourth International Association of Golf Tour Operators (IAGTO) North America Golf Tourism Convention that will take place at the IP Casino Resort & Spa in Biloxi, Mississippi June 6 - 9, 2012. More than 100 golf tour operators selling North America will attend the convention with only twenty-five percent from the USA & Canada and the remainder from more than 20 different countries all with North American golf programs. The convention is open only to golf resorts, golf clubs, hotels, ground handlers and other golf tourism suppliers in the USA, Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean.
Mississippi Gulf Coast CVB Wins Golf Service Award for 2011
10/06/2011
MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST - The Mississippi Gulf Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) is proud to announce their recent selection by Meetings & Conventions magazine (M&C) subscribers as a 2011 Gold Service Award winner.
Cruisin' the Coast Named Top 100 Event
10/03/2011
MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST - It is with great excitement that the Mississippi Gulf Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) announces Cruisin' the Coast as a 2012 Top 100 Event from the American Bus Association (ABA). Cruisin' the Coast kicked off on October 2 and will run through October 9.
Fireball Run's Finish in Gulfport, Mississippi
09/28/2011
MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST - The Mississippi Gulf Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau is excited to announce that the Fireball Run Adventurally will be coming to a finish on Saturday, October 1, 2011 in downtown Gulfport. We invite the general public to the finish line near the Hancock Bank Plaza between 6:00 pm and 7:00 pm to welcome and greet the drivers, get autographs, receive information about missing children around the country, and to celebrate the finish of the 2,500 mile Fireball Run Adventurally.
Mississippi Gulf Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau Congratulates Rep. Diane Peranich
09/28/2011
MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST - The Mississippi Gulf Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau is proud to congratulate Representative Diane Peranich on her Tourism Achievement Award from the Mississippi Tourism Association (MTA). Representative Peranich received the award on Tuesday during the MTA Award Luncheon that was held during the Governor's Conference on Tourism at the Beau Rivage Resort & Casino in Biloxi.
Mississippi Gulf Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau Named CVB of the Year
09/27/2011
MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST - It is with great excitement that the Mississippi Gulf Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) announces the honor of winning "CVB of the Year" from the Mississippi Tourism Association. The CVB was nominated in July for "CVB of the Year with a budget of $750,000+", and the award was announced and given out today at the MTA Tourism Awards luncheon during the Governor's Conference on Tourism.
Governor's Conference on Tourism Ready to "Reshape the Imagination"
09/23/2011
Mississippi Gulf Coast - The Mississippi Gulf Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) is geared up for the 2011 Mississippi Tourism Association's Governor's Conference on Tourism, taking place Sunday through Tuesday at Beau Rivage Resort & Casino in Biloxi. The event kicks off with The Amazing Race, sponsored in part by the CVB. During the Amazing Race, teams made up from conference participants from around the region will experience the sights and sounds of the Mississippi Gulf Coast at a variety of Gulf Coast attractions. The goal of the Amazing Race is to be the first team to complete all the tasks, have their picture taken, and return back to the starting point.
Gulfport Team selected to help find Missing Children
09/01/2011
Mississippi Gulf Coast - The Mississippi Gulf Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau is pleased to announce that Col Lance Hester and Mr. Ken Montana will be representing the Mississippi Gulf Coast and the search for missing children (specifically Cameron Anderson) during the 2,500 mile Fireball Run Adventurally. The public is invited to meet the teams, get autographs, and show support at the finish line on Saturday, October 1, between 6 pm and 7 pm in downtown Gulfport.
Tourist Attractions to Get a World Wide Big Boost
08/23/2011
Mississippi Gulf Coast - The Mississippi Gulf Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau will rejoin SouthCoast USA! SouthCoast USA is a Tourism Destination Organization that spans the coastline of four Gulf Coast/ I-10 corridor states, from the Pan Handle of Florida to Lake Charles, Louisiana.
Carriere to begin leading Mississippi Gulf Coast CVB
07/26/2011
BILOXI, MS - The Mississippi Gulf Coast Convention and Visitors Bureau (CVB), the largest public sector Destination Marketing Organization within the State of Mississippi, is pleased to announce the selection and start date of its new Executive Director. Ms. Beth Carriere has been enthusiastically asked to lead the bureau forward in its present position as the Premiere Gulf Coast Tourist Destination. As of yesterday, Ms. Carriere's three year contract has been signed, and she will begin her role as Executive Director on August 1, 2011.
Harrison County Tourism Commission New Executive Director Selected
07/15/2011
BILOXI, MS The Mississippi Gulf Coast Convention and Visitors Bureau, the largest public sector Destination Marketing Organization within the State of Mississippi, announced the selection of its New Executive Director. Ms Beth Carriere has been enthusiastically asked to lead the bureau forward in its present position as the Premiere Gulf Coast Tourist Destination and the future development goals of becoming a Tier One Type Tourism Resort.
Janet McCarroll selected for tourism award
06/01/2011
BILOXI, MS - The Harrison County Tourism Commission has selected Janet McCarroll as the 2010 recipient of the "Billy Creel" Excellence in Tourism Award. The 14th Annual Mississippi Gulf Coast Tourism Award Luncheon will be Tuesday, June 14 at 11:30 a.m. at the Beau Rivage Resort & Casino, Camellia Ballroom.
The Mississippi Gulf Coast Is Geared Up For The Summer
05/26/2011
MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST - Here on the Mississippi Gulf Coast we have had our share of natural and man-made disasters. While we are sending our thoughts and prayers to North Mississippi and surrounding areas in wake of the flooding and tornados, the Mississippi Gulf Coast and all eleven of the casinos are open for business and unharmed by any weather conditions. Not only are we open, but the Mississippi Gulf Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau is proud to say we are growing with added attractions, expanded casinos, and new restaurants!
