MS: Top travel spending market in U.S. for 2020

Despite COVID drawback and across the board hits to tourism across the nation, Coastal Mississippi has been placed as one of the highest performing destinations in the nation last year.

- despite covid drawback and- across-the-board hits to- tourism across the nation,- coastal mississippi has - been placed as one of the - highest performing- destinations in the nation last- year.

- news 25's toni miles shows us - how coastal mississippi's - recovery plan helped to continu- our area's momentum - to keep building, and even grow- in the wake of covid.

- - mississippi was the top travel- - - spending market in the united - states in 2020.

- state's lawmakers awarded - coastal mississippi $3.4- million dollars from the touris- recovery fund - setting up our- area for success when we needed- it most, according- to the ceo of coastal - mississippi.- milton segarra, ceo, coastal- mississippi: "we've been able t put together the very - initiative, objective.

We were- able to get the funding to- support that, and at the end, - we are seeing the numbers that- make mississippi, and certainly- one-third of- all the activities that happen- in mississippi are here in- coastal mississippi, so we're - seeing the growth in that - respect."

Roxy condrey, owner of the roos- boutique hotel in ocean - springs agrees.

- she says things have been - looking up and they're making u- for lost time and revenue at an- impressive pace.- roxy condrey, owner, the roost- boutique hotel: "through the covid pandemic and- everything that's happened in - 2020, we have seen quite a bit- of travelers from the - surrounding areas that otherwis- would have been traveling a - - - - little farther away, but have - decided to stay closer to home- and have come here to the coast- to visit our- hotels here and at the roost.

- toni miles, news 25: "and according to a recent 18-month- tourism study, our- area will continue to be on the- uptick with benefits spilling - over into other areas of our- local economy."

Milton segarra, ceo, coastal- mississippi: "also we have to factor in the recent- numbers say the gdp for our - nation will grow between 7- to- 10-percent.

The amount- of savings the familes in our - nation have been able to- - - - accumulate is in excess of $1.8- million, and driving is the - preferred method when going on- vacation.

When you put all that- together, it's very positive an- shows we should - continue to see growth in our - business."

With local businesses perched i- better positions- than this time one year ago - - - - - and flocking to reap the- benefits together.- toni miles, news 25.-