About VisitHATTIESBURG

Hattiesburg’s Tourism Evolution

1990 · State legislature creates HCVB

1991 · Timberton Golf Club opens

1994 · Golf Package Marketing begins

1995 · Tatum Park softball/soccer complex opens

1996 · International Olympic Teams train in Hattiesburg

1996 · Hattiesburg Library opens featuring a 167-foot circular mural

1996 · Hattiesburg Zoo begins five-year development plan

1997 · HTC recruits the Mississippi Miss Hospitality Pageant

1998 · Lake Terrace Convention Center opens

1998 · Canebrake Golf Course opens

1998 · Timberton Golf Club opens nine new holes

2000 · Longleaf Trace recreational trail opens

2000 · HHDA receives revitalization plan

2000 · Historic Saenger Theater re-opens

2001 · Shadow Ridge Golf Club opens

2001 · Armed Forces Museum opens

2002 · Hattiesburg's First National Tourism Week Promotional Campaign

2002 · Inaugural Tourism Summit

2002 · Walnut Street Development in Historic Downtown begins

2003 · City of Hattiesburg purchases trolleys for tourism

2003 · Tatum Park sports complex expansion begins

2003 · HTC unveils new Hattiesburg BrandPrint™

2004 · Hattiesburg Visitors Center opens

2004 · Mississippi Tourism Association honors HTC with Excellence in Tourism Award / Outstanding CVB

2004 · Travel & Tourism Research Association honors HTC with Research-In-Action Award

2004 · Southeast Tourism Society honors HTC with Shining Example Award / CVB of the Year

2004 · Visitors to Hattiesburg spend $150 million

2005 · Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International honors HTC with three national awards for “Hattie” BrandPrint™

2005 · HTC joins Hattiesburg Hotel and Lodging Association in raising $25,000 in Tourism Hurricane Recovery Funds

2005 · Hattiesburg Historic Downtown Association honors HTC with 2005 Philanthropy Award for Hurricane Assistance

2005 · Visitors to Hattiesburg spend $160 million

2006 · Mississippi Tourism Hall of Fame inducts HTC Director, Rick Taylor

2006 · Visitors to Hattiesburg spend $171 million

2007 · Hattiesburg’s Historic Train Depot re-opens

2007 · Thad Cochran Center at Southern Miss opens

2007 · Hotel inventory grows to more than 2,500 rooms

2007 · HTC announces new operating name, VISITHATTIESBURG™

2007 · VISITHATTIESBURG™ debuts new tourism video and radio jingle

2007 · Visitors to Hattiesburg spend $211 million

2008 · Mississippi Tourism Association honors VISITHATTIESBURG™ with Tourism Promotion of the Year for Visitors Center promotional campaign

2008 · Lake Terrace Convention Center celebrates 10 years

2008 · Visitors to Hattiesburg spend $227 million