Visit Mississippi, the state’s tourism office, released the annual Tourism Economic Contribution Report, revealing that Starkville is in the top 16 counties in the state of Mississippi in visitor spending. Visitors spent $17.5 billion in Mississippi in 2023 with Oktibbeha County direct visitor spending accounting for $194.5 million of the total number. Mississippi welcomed a record 43.7 million visitors in 2023.
“My goal for Starkville is for us to be a place where people want to live, work, play and learn; to have such a robust visitor experience that we are a regular choice as a destination for our events and our amenities,” said Starkville Mayor Lynn Spruill. “I couldn’t be happier to see new people in town exploring our shops and restaurants and taking part in our activities. Tourism is an industry that creates jobs and brings excitement. Whether you think of us as Starkville or Starkvegas, we want you to embrace all we are and return over and over again until you think of Starkville as your second home.”
The report showed Starkville’s tourism industry supported approximately 2,348 jobs in 2023, contributing $67.4 million in wages. The state of Mississippi supported approximately 133,880 jobs contributing $4.5 billion in wages statewide.
“Every dollar spent by visitors supports jobs and generates vital tax revenue that benefits local communities,” said Rochelle Hicks, Director of Visit Mississippi. “Without the impact of tourism, Mississippi households would need to pay an additional $922 in taxes each year.”
“Tourism plays a vital role in Starkville’s robust economy. We know how much visitors love spending time in Starkville: Mississippi’s College Town and it is exciting to see these numbers reflect the growth of the tourism sector here,” said Starkville Director of Tourism Paige Hunt.
