National Travel and Tourism Week 2020 Celebrates "Spirit of Travel"

National Travel and Tourism Week (NTTW), the annual celebration of the contributions and accomplishments of the U.S. travel industry, will spotlight resilience and hope in the face of the coronavirus pandemic with this year’s theme: the Spirit of Travel.

While in-person rallies and events that have been hallmarks of NTTW in years past are not an option this year, Visit Jackson is engaging the community virtually through social media.

Mayor Chokwe Antar Lumumba will issue a proclamation; a virtual crowning of the 2020 Miss and Little Miss Jackson Hospitality will be held; President of Visit Jackson, Rickey Thigpen, will deliver a video message; and the Travel Rally Day dance party, hosted live from Offbeat by local DJ and business owner, Philip Rollins, will take place.

“There is no doubt this has been an incredibly challenging time for Visit Jackson and the entire tourism and hospitality industry,” Thigpen said. “But we see National Travel and Tourism Week as an opportunity to remind our visitors and our residents of the incredible spirit and resiliency of the industry and our workforce. It’s only a matter of time before we all get moving again, and the City With Soul will be more ready than ever to welcome travelers with open arms.”

The 37th NTTW (May 3-9) arrives at an opportune moment to unite the industry, celebrate its indomitable spirit and elevate the role it will play in America’s economic recovery.

“Through every hardship, I find myself in awe of the travel industry’s ability to join together, adapt, and emerge stronger than before,” said U.S. Travel Association President and CEO Roger Dow. “This is our toughest challenge yet, but what I’ve seen is that the spirit of travel has not been shattered.”

Celebrated the first full week in May, NTTW was created by Congress in 1983 to underscore the economic power of travel in the U.S.