Memphis Touted as Tourist Destination

MEMPHIS, Tenn. - They might have been a little groggy considering it was early and they were coming off a weekend, but you can always count of the Peabody Hotel ducks to still perform on cue when need be.

Certainly, since they themselves comprise one of the foremost tourist attractions in the Bluff City, duty called for a special appearance by the famed fowl as National Travel and Tourism Week kicked off with a Monday morning "blue carpet" event on Beale Street.

On hand for the occasion, a buoyant Shelby County Mayor, A.C. Wharton, noted, "Memphis is Memphis. You have to come here to get it!"

Wharton and Shelby County Convention and Visitors Bureau CEO, Kevin Kane, were joined by an array of Bluff City tourism representatives from hotel employees to the costumed mascots of the Memphis Zoo, the Redbirds and the Grizzlies. The chilly gathering was intended to create awareness about the importance of the tourism industry, to not just Memphis, but nationwide.

Wharton stressed from Beale Street, to Graceland, to the ageless Mississippi River, Memphis has established, to over ten-million annual visitors, it's a one of a kind destination.

Wharton, in regards to the importance of tourism to the area, says, "Quit trying so much to replicate and be something that we're not. We're uniquely Memphis and build on that. The other things will fall in place."

But, while the tourism dollars keep rolling in, the idea that flow could be increased by creating more downtown hotel and convention space, remains economically and politically on a back-burner right now. However, the always optimistic Kane, say $3.1 billion a year reaped from tourist spending in town means the magnet of our attractions continue to be a powerful draw to the world.

Kane concluded, "Our tourism attractions and our unique one of a kind amenities literally help kind of overshadow that. Still in spite of our challenges, we're obviously still able to bring over ten million visitors here this year."