Tourism Cares Announces Gulf Coast Clean Up

January 16, 2006

Tourism Cares Announces Gulf Coast Clean Up
January 16, 2006 – Tourism Cares for Tomorrow has announced that this year’s Tourism-Caring for America event will take place along the Mississippi Gulf Coast, March 16-19, 2006. This annual project brings together members of the tourism industry for a day of "giving back" to a tourism-related site in need of care and rejuvenation.

"There is no other area in the country that needs our industry’s help like the Mississippi Gulf Coast. It’s literally devastated," Executive Director of Tourism Cares for Tomorrow Bruce Beckham said.

This year, the event has been expanded to include two full days of work at various tourism-related sites that were damaged or destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. The cleanup work will be done along the Gulf Coast towns of Biloxi, Gulfport, Long Beach and D’Iberville, Mississippi. Examples of the work include removal of debris, raking, planting, painting and general cleanup.

"This is the single most important event that could take place in our region this year," Executive Director of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Convention and Visitors Bureau Stephen Richer said. "The industry’s physical as well as moral support will be incalculable."

All accommodations made through Tourism Cares will be for a three-night stay in "communal" housing. This type of housing – on cots in tent cities, military barracks and community centers – has been used by other volunteer organizations in this region. Volunteers will need to provide their own sleeping bags, pillows and towels.

Registration is open to all members of the travel and tourism industry. Be sure to mark your calendars as space is limited. Click here to learn more about this important event.