See America Week/National Tourism Week is an annual event sponsored by the Travel Industry Association of America.

Each year hundreds of communities across the nation participate in the celebration.

National Tourism Week was established in 1983, when Congress passed a joint resolution designating the week to be celebrated in May 1984.

The purpose of See America Week/National Tourism Week is to promote a wider understanding of travel and tourism as a major U.S. industry that is vital to the economic stability and growth of the United States and that contributes substantially to its cultural and social well-being.

Tourism is an industry that attracts millions of tourists to this great state each year. It has a tremendous impact on the economy.

Travelers and tourists collectively spend nearly $5.8 billion a year in Mississippi.

The Adams County Welcome Center joins the nation in Celebrating National Tourism Week/See America Week this week. Throughout the week there will be exhibits, crafts, fine arts, attractions and representatives from the local and surrounding area to help promote tourism.

Tourist Appreciation Day will be observed from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. today. Community participation and representatives from various businesses and the surrounding area will be on site to welcome you to Natchez. Specialty teams that commemorate Mississippi will be distributed and light refreshments will be served.

Participants for that day will be: Port Gibson Tourism, Hampton Inn & Suites, Country Inn & Suites, Brookhaven/Lincoln County Tourism, Natchez Trace Parkway, Natchez National Cemetery, NAPAC Museum, Joseph Johnson Art Exhibit, Historic Jefferson College, Grand Village of the Natchez Indians, Forks of the Road Exhibit, Kristi Tedder’s Photo Exhibit, Natchez in Historic Photographs, Old South Winery, Lorraine Griffin’s Art Exhibit, Mississippi State Parks, Natchez Fire Department, Isle of Capri Casino and Hotel and the U.S. Forest Service.

Other participants for the week will include: Ridgeland Tourism, Natchez Eola Hotel and Days Inn of Natchez.

The exhibits will be available for viewing during the center’s business hours 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.

The public is invited to all events and to tour the Visitor Information Center.

More information is available by contacting Annette Anderson at the Mississippi Welcome Center in Natchez at 601-442-5849.

Annette Anderson works at the Natchez Visitor Reception Center.