Visitors to be offered $50 gas vouchers

With prices at the pump soaring, the Mississippi Gulf Coast is doing its part to make summer travel a bit easier on the family budget.

Families visiting the Mississippi Gulf Coast between June 15 and Sept. 1 will receive a $50 gas voucher with a minimum two-night stay at participating hotels. Those interested should call 1-888-216-1552 to make reservations. At check-in, the visitors will receive a Kangaroo gas card valued at $50.

The promotion is a partnership between the Mississippi Gulf Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau and the Mississippi Hotel & Lodging Association.

“To make this promotion successful, we recognized the need to reach out to our community partners,” says Nicole Learson, director of marketing for the Mississippi Gulf Coast Convention & Visitors Bureau.

As gas prices top $4 a gallon, many families are planning a “stay-cation,” preferring to stay close to home and vacation in regional destinations in their “backyards,” tourism leaders say. In a national survey conducted by the Travel Industry Association earlier this year, 41 percent of respondents said rising gas prices would impact their plans. Of those respondents, 38 percent planned to drive a shorter distance.

“With all that the Coast has to offer, we believe that the gas voucher incentive will be the impetus for visitors to book their trip to the Mississippi Gulf Coast, where they will certainly return many times in the future,” said Linda Hornsby, director of the Mississippi Hotel & Lodging Association.

For visitor information,click here.