NATCHEZ — The members of the Natchez Convention Promotion board were business as usual Tuesday afternoon during their regular meeting and spent little time discussing the occupancy tax dilemma.

In fact, they decided to act as if the bill will pass, which is still has an opportunity to do, despite failing to make it to the Senate floor Monday.

The convention board had decided after the board of aldermen passed the occupancy tax to form a marketing committee to approve and distribute funds accumulated through the new tax.

Connie Taunton, director of tourism, told the convention board to start thinking of possible recommendations.

Royal Hill, chairman of the committee, told Taunton to continue to watch the situation and to keep the board updated.

In other business, Sally Durkin, media liaison with the Natchez Convention and Visitors Bureau announced that she sent out news messages to radio and television stations to get the word out that Natchez is not underwater.

According to Durkin, the visitor center has received a lot of phone calls from worried tourists to be about the flood situation, assuming Natchez is completely flooded.

Darrell White, director of the Natchez Association for the Preservation of African-American Culture Museum, gave a report on how the NAPAC Museum did during Pilgrimage.

He said the museum saw 800 visitors during Spring Pilgrimage.

“I have to say, I don’t think NAPAC has ever had 800-plus folks to come through the museum in a month and a half,” White said.

He said this has a lot to do with Natchez Pilgrimage Tours promoting heritage tourism through its tour called the Rest of the Story.

Natchez Pilgrimage Tour’s promotion states that in order to appreciate the antebellum homes in Natchez, the rest of the story must first be known.