HATTIESBURG, Miss. (WHLT) – Hattiesburg kicks off National Travel and Tourism Week by celebrating those who work in tourism and hospitality.

This year’s theme is “The Power of Travel,” which highlights the role tourism plays in powering the economy.

“Our travel industry frontline people are what make our city grow and tick from our desk clerks to our housekeepers to our event coordinators. Everyone has to come together to play a part to make sure that we present the city in a great way,” said Frank James III, general manager of Courtyard Marriot of Hattiesburg & chairman of the Hattiesburg Tourism Commission.

The city’s tourism department said more than 2 million people traveled to the Hub City in 2023.

“Our hotels on the weekends are full. We know that that’s good for a lot of our attractions and our restaurants and our hotels. We also know and understand it’s not always the best for traffic for some people, but we’re thrilled because this is a job creator,” said Marlo Dorsey, executive director for Visit Hattiesburg.

The city is expecting an influx of tourists this summer.