Summer rush for Mississippi Coast tourism businesses sparks job hiring frenzy as approached
Mississippi's Summer of Staffing Shortages
Commercial Casinos Labor Samuel Hughes, Roy Howard Community Journalism Center
As beach towels and coolers start to fill up, Mississippi's tourism industry braces itself for the predictable predicament - a lack of hands on deck. From seafood shacks to museums, employers along Mississippi's Gulf Coast are grappling with the familiar problem of filling short-term and seasonal positions, crucial for the busiest months of the year.
According to a 2023 report from the National Federation of Independent Business, 55% of small businesses in the tourism industry struggle to find qualified workers during peak seasons. In an attempt to stay competitive, many employers are adjusting their policies, offering flexible schedules and higher wage rates, with 60% reporting wage increases or signing bonuses.
Looking beyond the numbers, it's evident that the situation is far from unique to Mississippi. Nationwide, hospitality and tourism industries grapple with workforce retention issues and seasonal labor shortages. In fact, such trends suggest that this storm is brewing further afield.
For one, businesses in these industries faced high quit rates, particularly in lower-wage, in-person roles, across the nation. The leisure and hospitality sectors recorded the highest hiring rates, yet were plagued by turnover issues, indicating a cyclical challenge.
These seasonal tourism peaks often put a strain on staffing, and current reports highlight accommodation shortages during high seasons in other regions. The struggle to attract workers to rural areas, as evidenced by Mississippi's 2025 legislative efforts to address professional shortages in healthcare and education through county-based programs, points to the same pattern affecting tourism areas.
Moreover, nations' hospitality sectors often depend on foreign workers. Changes in immigration policies, such as the ongoing litigation involving Temporary Protected Status for Haitian and Venezuelan workers in 2025, could potentially exacerbate seasonal staffing issues if similar workforce dependencies exist in Mississippi.
Although specific 2023 data for Mississippi’s tourism sector remains limited, the available information strongly aligns with these national patterns of high turnover and recruitment difficulties in hospitality roles. For detailed, state-specific data, consultation with Mississippi’s tourism agencies or the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ state-level reports is recommended.
In an effort to remain competitive during the busiest season, commercial casinos in Mississippi might consider offering seasonal bonuses to attract staff.
As part of the tourist lifestyle, travelers visiting the state during peak seasons might encounter challenges in finding accommodation, due to the current staffing shortages throughout Mississippi's hospitality and tourism industries.
Foreign workers, who often contribute to nations' hospitality sectors, may play a significant role in resolving seasonal staffing issues in Mississippi's casinos, as potential changes in immigration policies could have an impact on the availability of workers in this sector.
