Visit Oxford receives accolades at annual conference

Published 3:49 pm Monday, October 7, 2024

Visit Oxford received statewide recognition at the Mississippi Tourism Association’s annual tourism awards program held during the Governor’s Conference on Tourism at the Lake Terrace Convention Center in Hattiesburg, last week.

Celebrating the destination’s impact on the state’s tourism industry, the awards presented to Visit Oxford were MTA Member of the Year to executive director Kinney Ferris and Best Overall Digital Media.

“Kinney Ferris goes above and beyond every single day when it comes to leading our Visit Oxford team,” said Mayor Robyn Tannehill. “She is a team player and is always ready to take on the next challenge. Kinney has a great vision for promoting Oxford and Mississippi, and I am so glad she is being recognized with this prestigious award. She is amazing and it is great to see we aren’t the only people who think so.”

The Member of the Year award is presented to an outstanding volunteer member who goes above and beyond for the betterment of the organization. Ferris joined Visit Oxford (formerly the Oxford Convention & Visitors Bureau) in 2009 as the office manager, and over the past 15 years, she has served in various roles, including being named deputy director in 2017, where she played a crucial role in managing public relations and sales efforts. In 2019, she was appointed executive director and has since focused on and succeeded at an outcome-driven approach to marketing Oxford as a premier destination in the Southeast.

“I am incredibly honored to receive MTA’s Member of the Year award,” Ferris said. “This recognition is a testament to the passion and dedication I have for promoting Oxford as a premier destination, which wouldn’t be possible without the Visit Oxford staff, community partners, and everyone who shares in the vision of making Oxford a welcoming place for visitors.”

Ferris currently serves as President of the Destination Marketing Organization Association of Mississippi, on the board of the Mississippi Tourism Association, the Mississippi Hills National Heritage Area, the Oxford-Lafayette County Economic Development Foundation, and is a co-founder of the Cities of the SEC.

The Best Overall Digital media award is given to the tourism entity that has effectively integrated digital media into their marketing and communications plan by developing relationships and building valuable users. In addition, this entity has analyzed, adapted and improved their strategy to perfect their overall digital media efforts.

The award recognizes Visit Oxford’s “A Place to … Your Story” campaign, which launched in July 2023 to differentiate Oxford’s offerings through engaging content. Capturing intent-driven audiences with short-form videos and tailored messaging, Visit Oxford leveraged creative storytelling and a strategic mix of digital channels.

The campaign successfully showcased Oxford as a unique destination for leisure and business travelers, driving over 60 million impressions, an increase of 144% in organic website engagement, and a 26% increase in revenue.