Things are looking up for this year’s Spring Pilgrimage, Natchez Pilgrimage Tours Director Dr. Jim Coy said.

“Our group tour bookings are up about 15 percent from last year,” Coy said.

Pilgrimage took a hit after hurricanes Katrina and Rita devastated New Orleans and other spring tourist destinations, he said. After the storms, many travelers canceled their tours to the area, which left out Natchez as a stop along the way.

“Because group tours plan their trips six to nine months out, a lot of those people planned their tours in 2005, and then the hurricanes came,” Coy said.

This year, however, travelers know the state of New Orleans and plan accordingly, which means fewer cancellations, he said.

“Also, I think Natchez has done a fairly decent job of getting out to the public that they can come here and spend two or three days and have a nice tour without having New Orleans as a final destination,” he said.

This year marks the 75th anniversary of Pilgrimage, which plays a part in the boost in buses, too, Coy said.

“We’re expecting a better crowd this spring than last because of all those reasons,” he said.

But it’s not always easy to forecast the exact numbers of visitors in group tours turnout.

“It’s hard to say,” Coy said. “Some of the houses are getting 20 buses, then we’ll have a house getting three buses. And on those buses can be anywhere from 20 to 50 people. So that’s a wide variation.”

Still, group tours are easier to count than individuals, who rarely register in advance.

“As far as individuals, we’ll have to wait and see,” Coy said.

This year’s Spring Pilgrimage, with eight tour schedules, will start Saturday and last through April 14.

Peach Tour

from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on March 10, 14, 18, 22, 26, 30; April 3, 7, 11

Stanton Hall, Texada, Hawthorne, Longwood

Yellow Tour

from 1:30 to 5 p.m. on March 10, 14, 18, 22, 26, 30; April 3, 7, 11

Rosalie, The Parsonage, Richmond

Blue Tour

from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on March 11, 15, 19, 23, 27, 31, April 4, 8, 12

Magnolia Hall, Shields Town House, Routhland, Longwood

Purple Tour

from 1:30 to 5 p.m. on March 11, 15, 19, 23, 27, 31; April 4, 8, 12

Auburn, Elgin, Fair Oaks

Orange Tour

from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on March 12, 16, 20, 24, 28; April 1, 5, 9, 13

Monmouth, Linden, The Banker’s House, Longwood

Pink Tour

from 1:30 to 5 p.m. on March 12, 16, 20, 24, 28; April 1, 5, 9, 13

Cherokee, Landsdowne, House on Ellicott Hill, Bontura

Red Tour

from 9 a.m. to 12:30 pm. on March 13, 17, 21, 25, 29; April 2, 6, 10, 14

Cottage Gardens, Elms Court, Glenburnie, Longwood

Green Tour

from 1:30 p.m. to 5 p.m. on March 13, 17, 21, 25, 29; April 2, 6, 10, 14

Montaigne, Oakland, Green Leaves, Hope Farm