Louisiana Office of Tourism

Louisiana Office of Tourism
Name	Louisiana Office of Tourism
Formation	1966
Type	State agency
Headquarters	Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Region served	Louisiana
Leader title	Executive Director
Parent organization	Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism

Louisiana Office of Tourism is the state-level agency charged with promoting Louisiana as a destination for leisure travel, business meetings, and cultural events. It operates statewide from offices in Baton Rouge and coordinates with parish and municipal tourism bodies, cultural institutions, and event organizers to increase visitation and travel spending. The office collaborates with New Orleans, Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport, Lake Charles, Shreveport, Lafayette, Louisiana, Alexandria, Louisiana, Houma, Louisiana, and other localities to develop campaigns, events, and research.

History

The agency was established amid mid-20th century efforts to boost travel to New Orleans and the Gulf Coast following expansions of Interstate 10, Interstate 12, and the postwar aviation boom centered on hubs like Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport. Early programs capitalized on attractions such as the French Quarter, Mardi Gras, Louisiana State University, and natural resources including the Mississippi River and the Atchafalaya Basin. In the 1970s and 1980s the office partnered with organizations like the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival and venues including Riverwalk Marketplace to promote music tourism tied to figures such as Louis Armstrong, Fats Domino, Professor Longhair, Mahalia Jackson, and Dr. John. Responses to disasters shaped operations: the agency engaged with recovery efforts after events including Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Rita (2005), and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill to restore visitation to communities such as St. Bernard Parish, Plaquemines Parish, and Cameron Parish. More recent history includes digital transitions aligning with platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram (service), and partnerships with industry groups including the U.S. Travel Association and the American Hotel & Lodging Association.

Organization and Governance

The office is administratively housed within the Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism and overseen by a commission or advisory board appointed by the Governor of Louisiana. Leadership typically includes an Executive Director who liaises with state agencies such as the Louisiana Department of Economic Development, the Department of Transportation and Development (Louisiana), and the Louisiana Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness. Governance models reference statutes enacted by the Louisiana State Legislature and budget allocations approved through the Louisiana State Budget. Regional tourism promotion bureaus and parish-level convention and visitors bureaus such as Visit Baton Rouge, New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corporation, Visit Lake Charles, and Visit Alexandria coordinate with the office through memoranda of understanding and grant agreements.

Marketing and Promotion

The office deploys destination branding campaigns to highlight assets including Cajun culture, Creole cuisine, New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park, Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve, Oak Alley Plantation, Tabasco (brand), Poverty Point National Monument, and sporting events at venues like Tiger Stadium and Smoothie King Center. Campaigns have targeted feeder markets served by carriers such as Southwest Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, and American Airlines and have leveraged partnerships with Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions (MICE) planners, trade shows like International Association of Exhibitions and Events, and destination management companies. Digital advertising, earned media placements in outlets covering Bourbon Street nightlife, culinary coverage featuring chefs associated with Emeril Lagasse, Paul Prudhomme, John Besh, and festival promotion for events like Essence Festival of Culture and New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival are central tactics. The office coordinates seasonal calendars around Mardi Gras, Bayou Country Superfest, and high-season beach travel along the Louisiana Gulf Coast.

Programs and Initiatives

Initiatives include grant programs for parish convention and visitors bureaus, cooperative marketing funds with hospitality providers such as hotel brands represented by the American Hotel & Lodging Association, and disaster recovery tourism strategies in coordination with Federal Emergency Management Agency and National Park Service sites in the state. Cultural heritage programs connect with institutions like the Historic New Orleans Collection, Ogden Museum of Southern Art, Backstreet Cultural Museum, and Avery Island attractions. Outdoor recreation promotion highlights the Atchafalaya Basin],] fishing access at Grand Isle (Louisiana), birding along the Mississippi Flyway, and hunting seasons regulated by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries. Business travel and film production outreach interfaces with the Louisiana Entertainment office and incentive structures connected to state tax credit programs enacted by the Louisiana Legislature.

Economic Impact and Statistics

The office publishes metrics assessing visitor spending, tax receipts, and employment supported by travel and hospitality sectors in collaboration with research partners such as the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the U.S. Travel Association, and academic units at Louisiana State University and University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Reports track indicators including hotel occupancy in markets like New Orleans Central Business District, average daily rate comparisons with cities such as Houston, Atlanta, and Nashville, Tennessee, and corridor performance along Interstate 10 and U.S. Route 90. Economic recovery analyses after events such as Hurricane Katrina and the Deepwater Horizon oil spill quantify impacts on coastal parishes and seafood industries tied to companies like Louisiana Seafood processors and platforms associated with offshore energy firms.

Partnerships and Funding

Funding streams include state appropriations approved by the Louisiana State Legislature, lodging taxes remitted through parish authorities, cooperative advertising agreements with private sector partners such as cruise lines calling on Port of New Orleans, and grants from federal entities like the National Endowment for the Arts for cultural tourism projects. Strategic partnerships extend to chambers of commerce such as the Greater New Orleans, Inc., trade associations including the U.S. Travel Association, regional airports like Shreveport Regional Airport, and major festivals and institutions including Mardi Gras World and New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corporation to amplify promotion and deliver visitor services.

Category:Tourism in Louisiana Category:State agencies of Louisiana