Below is a press release from the Mississippi Joint Legislative PEER Committee:
The PEER Committee released its report titled FY 2021 Annual Report: A Review of the Mississippi Development Authority Tourism Advertising Fund.
Some of the Committee’s major findings include:
– MISS. CODE ANN. § 27-65-75 (23) (a) (1972) requires percentages of sales tax revenue collected from Mississippi restaurants and hotels to be deposited into the Mississippi Development Authority (MDA) Tourism Advertising Fund; the MDA Tourism Advertising Fund received approximately $7.3 million in restaurant and hotel sales tax revenue in FY 2021.
– According to MDA staff, approximately $2.5 million was expended from the Tourism Advertising Fund during FY 2021 to support local communities attracting tourists.
– Two new contracts were issued by MDA during FY 2021: one to Longwoods International for a custom overnight visitation study; and one to Lobaki in utilizing virtual reality for trade shows.
– PEER identified the services provided by five vendors that represented approximately 84% of total FY 2021 Tourism Adverting Fund expenditures: Alabama Media Group; Expedia, Inc.; Fox Sports South; Madden Preprint Media; and Meredith Corporation.
– MDA anticipates using remaining FY 2021 revenues and projected future fiscal year revenues to fund a $15.4 million media campaign.
– PEER staff believes that MDA has made expenditures from the Tourism Advertising Fund in accordance with MISS. CODE ANN. § 57-1-64 (1972). However, it is imperative that monies expended from the fund are effective in growing tourism and attracting visitors to the state. Therefore, PEER recommends the Legislature give PEER the authority to conduct a review of the effectiveness of MDA tourism marketing efforts. This review shall be provided to the Lieutenant Governor, Speaker of the House, the Chairman of the Senate Tourism Committee, the Chairman of the House of Representatives Tourism Committee, and the Governor by no later than December 1, 2024, and every four years thereafter..
Click HERE for the link to the full report.