Anyone who spends more than a few minutes in Natchez quickly should see the importance of tourism on the city.

Tourism drives much of Natchez’s economy. It has for a number of years, but it became increasingly important after heavy industry began moving away in the early part of this century.

Because the tourism industry encompasses all sorts of different types of businesses, it has just about as many critics as it has members.

So does the city entity that’s charged with marketing Natchez to potential tourists.

The Natchez Convention Promotion Commission, formerly known as the Convention and Visitors’ Bureau, operates on tax money derived from a variety of sources. The group has been controversial, at least in the minds of its critics, for years.

Sifting through the facts and fiction surrounding the CPC is difficult.

Judging the group’s effectiveness is even more difficult.

Over the next several weeks, our staff plans to publish a series of articles looking at how the CPC operates.

Hopefully, by breaking down the complex details of its funding and operations, we can dispel some myths and perhaps uncover some unknown truths about one of the most important and least understood departments in city government.