MEMPHIS, Tenn. (WTVA) — Recently, a new exhibit opened at Graceland highlighting Tupelo's most popular native son, Elvis Presley.
The exhibit is expected to be a driving force to attract more people to the All-America City.
That's why members of the Tupelo Convention and Visitors Bureau were at Graceland Thursday.
The exhibit showcases posters and memorabilia from every Tupelo Elvis Festival and features a movie entitled "Tupelolove."
"By showing them a little bit of Tupelo in Memphis, we're hoping that will encourage them to take the trip down to actually visit the birthplace," said Angie Marchese, director of archives for Graceland. "[They can] learn about Elvis' upbringing and learn why Tupelo became so much of who Elvis was."
"That's what the exhibit is all about," added Neal McCoy, the executive director of the Tupelo Convention and Visitors Bureau. "About educating that hardcore Elvis fan or the casual Elvis fan, about their trip to Memphis is not complete without a trip to Tupelo to see his humble beginnings and how he ultimately lived out this very famous plush lifestyle here in Graceland."
Each year, Graceland draws anywhere between 600,000 to 650,000 people a year. In comparison, the Elvis birthplace in Tupelo draws anywhere between 40,000 to 45,000 people a year.
With more people hopefully bound for Tupelo, that means the city will see a positive impact in the local economy.
"By educating them in Memphis, letting them know what we've got available, that's more folks to come stay in our hotels, more folks to eat in the restaurants," said Jennie Bradford Curlee, who handles public relations and international sales for the Tupelo CVB. "[We can] just build tourism in Tupelo, build your own Elvis Presley."
The history of Elvis' Tupelo at Graceland is expected to run through September 2015.
