Tourism Day at the State Capitol

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New Orleans is able to not only survive but also thrive because we are a city of passionate, loyal, dedicated people. As we continue to work for our city, playing to our strengths can help us focus our efforts and energies. Ignoring the power of our leading industry – tourism – would be foolhardy, as our city gains so much from it. Tourism Day is April 19, but tourism deserves so much more than a single day of recognition, especially in New Orleans. Here’s why:

Tourism is our economy’s largest source of fuel, benefitting not only our city but also our state in so many different ways. From generating huge amounts of revenue ($6.81 billion in 2014 with 2015 numbers expected to exceed that!), to providing stable jobs and fulfilling careers, to generating sales tax revenue that our city uses to improve streets, safety, and schools, every ounce of success that our tourism industry sees is a success for our entire city.

night skyline nola

Tourism Day at the State Capitol recognizes our state’s and the city of New Orleans’ efforts to attract tourists and employ locals with careers in the tourism industry. (Photo courtesy Flickr user Todd Carr)

We’ve got a culture so unique and so rich, and we are a community so welcoming and so vibrant that it only makes sense that our tourism industry would flourish. Taking advantage of tourism and benefitting from our culture in an authentic way helps us to retain and preserve many of the best things about it that are ingrained in our way of life, from our food and traditions to our music, architecture and joie de vivre. And we can see it’s paying off. Just take a look at a few recent accolades from the first quarter of 2016:

  • Tripadvisor.com named new Orleans one of the “2016 Traveler’s Choice Top 25 U.S. Destinations
  • Tripadvisor.com gave New Orleans the No. 1 spot for its “7 Best Family Getaways in America”
  • Travel + Leisure named New Orleans among its “Best Places to Travel in March”
  • Travel + Leisure named New Orleans one of the “Best Cities in North America”

As we continue to be ourselves — authentic and welcoming — combined with making the conscious choice to support tourism in our city, our future will know no bounds. Although Tourism Day at the State Capitol in Baton Rouge happens on April 19, truly every day is tourism day in this bright and bountiful city.

The Louisiana Travel Promotion Association (LTPA) is hosting Tourism Day at the State Capitol to advocate the importance of the industry to Louisiana as a major economic driver.