More than 2 million people visited Vicksburg in 2018, a 20 percent increase over 2017, according to reports from the Vicksburg Convention and Visitors Bureau, also known as Visit Vicksburg.

The past year also saw revenue from the 1 percent hospitality tax on food and beverage and lodging generate $1.26 million in revenue for Visit Vicksburg, a 5.7 percent increase over 2017.

During the same period, hotel occupancy rates in 2018 increased by 5 percent and Vicksburg’s hotel inventory increased 7 percent, according to the report.

The year also saw five businesses open and contribute to tourism: the Cottonwood Public House, El Paso Mexican Restaurant, Los Parrilleros, Margaritaville Resort, and Mississippi Barbecue Company.

“Our strategic placement of new and traditional media, our sales efforts at industry market places and our team of dedicated destination marketers have brought us to the top of our game,” said Bill Seratt, Visit Vicksburg executive director.

“None of our efforts would be successful without the support of our elected officials, and most importantly our industry stakeholders. Vicksburg delivers our visitors an experience that keeps them coming back.”

With the opening of Sports Force Parks on the Mississippi and more scheduled riverboat dockings Visit Vicksburg officials anticipate tourism to increase in 2019.

Mayor George Flaggs Jr. called the report “awesome. It validates that we’re still going in the right direction as it relates to how we promote the city of Vicksburg, and how we’re marketing our tourism better than ever. I’m not surprised.”