NATCHEZ &045;&045; A consultant hired by the chamber’s Tourism Council to conduct a comprehensive study of the city’s tourism marketing efforts said Thursday he’s still on track to finish the study by the end of August.

A meeting will then be held to brief members of Natchez’s tourism community on the study’s findings, although a date has not yet been set for that meeting.

The study will then be presented to Mayor Phillip West and the Board of Aldermen, Barash told those gathered at a meeting of the Chamber of Commerce’s Tourism Council.

The study will recommend changes in the city’s tourism marketing efforts and operations.

Such recommendations won’t necessarily increase personnel changes, Barash said.

He added that the study will recommend ways to increase funding used for tourism market.

A possible solution to funding challenges is to have the Tourism Council conduct fund-raisers to help match the city’s funding, Barash said.

The key is teamwork among all the players.

Those include the city, the Convention and Visitors Bureau, private tourism-related business owners and other involved in the tourism included, he said.

&uot;People are passionate about Natchez … and its future,&uot; Barash said.

&uot;Now, that needs to be expressed in a positive way.&uot;

Both West and Tourism Director Walter Tipton have said they will be glad to hear any recommendations Barash has to offer.

Since the first of June Barash, a New Orleans-based tourism consultant, met with several key people in the local tourism industry.

Those interviews were conducted to get their ideas of what could be improved and what is already working with regards to Natchez’s tourism marketing efforts.

The Isle of Capri Casino & Hotel donated $2,500 toward the $5,000 pledged for the tourism marketing study.