NATCHEZ — A Natchez tourism professional took home one of the state’s top tourism honors this week at the Governor’s Conference on Tourism in Vicksburg.

Lyn Fortenbery was recognized as the Mississippi Tourism Association Member of the Year for her service to the association and tourism industry. Fortenbery is an MTA board member and assistant general manager of Dunleith Historic Inn.

Fortenbery said the award took her by surprise and said she was grateful to accept it on behalf of Natchez and Dunleith.

“I’m very honored to receive the award because it’s just one person chosen,” she said.

Fortenbery has

been with MTA for nine years. She was formerly president and serves on the executive board. She has also served on a number of boards locally and participated in many community events.

Fortenbery’s experience has provided her a unique opportunity to meet a lot of people.

“I’ve been able to have connections, friendships, relationships with people all over the state in different facets of tourism,” Fortenbery said.

MTA Executive Director Rochelle Hicks said Fortenbery is very deserving of the the MTA Member of the Year award, one of the ceremony’s most prestigious awards.

“She has always been very involved and active in the association,” Hicks said.

The Natchez Convention and Visitors Bureau was also honored at the conference as one of six organizations selected by state department of tourism for a Research-in-Action award.

The CVB received the award for its “What does tourism do for Natchez?” informational campaign and its distribution to area businesses as part of May 2015 National Travel and Tourism Week.

During the campaign, Natchez Convention and Visitors Bureau CEO Kevin Kirby said, the CVB’s staff climbed aboard a city trolley with balloons and flyers with information about tourism.

“We circled through the entire community as we could during the course of the day, and stopped at all the businesses we could and congratulated everyone for their part and their role in tourism,” Kirby said.

Kirby said the CVB is honored to be acknowledged for its creative approach to research in action.

“It is that type of strategic thinking that we are integrating into the development and future execution of our branding initiative, which will be launched at the onset of the tricentennial in 2016,” he said.

Kirby said the tourism industry brought in approximately $108 million, 660,000 visitors and $903 in tax relief per household to Natchez in 2014.

Kirby said numerous businesses are connected to tourism, and not just hotels and attractions, but also retail businesses.

“We all, as a result, end up benefiting by virtue as being as hospitable as only Natchezians can be to visitors,” Kirby said.