New Cultural Heritage Tourism Supervisor at Go to Natchez
Roscoe Barnes III has joined Visit Natchez as Tourism Heritage Manager.
- Barnes will fill a newly created position to further the goal.
- Cultural tourism can play a huge role in marketing Natchez to visitors.
- The aim is to authentically portray the stories and people of Natchez in both the present and the past.
Haven’t you heard from Natchez, Mississippi? It attracts over 670,000 visitors from around the world annually. Located 80 miles north of Baton Rouge, Natchez is fast becoming a coveted cultural tourism destination, known for its culture and history, with more historic features than any other location in the United States. Natchez is the “Bed and Breakfast Capital of the South” and the “Biscuit Capital of the World”.
Barnes will be responsible for promoting, improving, developing and expanding cultural tourism in Natchez, under the leadership of Executive Director Devin Heath.
In this new role, Barnes will work to have a positive impact on Natchez’s economic and social growth, and to contribute to a more diverse and shared story that authentically portrays the traveler’s stories and people from the past and present.
“This is a very important role in today’s cultural climate and we felt it was necessary to create this position for our destination,” said Devin Heath, Executive Director of Visit Natchez. “Roscoe brings a wealth of experience and a diverse background and we are confident that he will have a positive impact on Visit Natchez in many ways.”
Most recently, Barnes served as the Public Information Officer at the Wilkinson County Correction Facility in nearby Woodville, where he also served as the facility’s chaplain since 2013. Barnes has worked with various community organizations, in public relations and as a journalist throughout his career. In 2010, Barnes received a Ph.D. in Church History and Community Affairs at the University of Pretoria in South Africa, and he is also a published author.
“I am honored to take on this new role and join the Devin Heath team at Visit Natchez,” said Barnes. “I look forward to using my unique background to make a positive impact on this amazing destination and promote cultural tourism unique to Natchez.”
