LOUISIANA TRAVEL PULSE
Office of Tourism Update
October 6, 2017
Lieutenant Governor Mission to Germany and UK Deemed a Success
As British Airways prepares to expand from four to five day-a-week direct flights between London and New Orleans, Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser, the Louisiana Office of Tourism, and 17 industry partners returned from a mission to the UK and Germany to promote international travel to the state.

During the mission, Lieutenant Governor Nungesser utilized the opportunity to meet with Consul General James W. Herman in Frankfurt, Germany, to discuss travel between Germany and Louisiana, ensuring Condor’s direct flight’s success and the influence of German culture on Louisiana.

During the delegation’s time in Germany and the UK, Lieutenant Governor Nungesser was a guest on more than a dozen radio shows. The group also hosted several events to promote Louisiana’s authentic experience to travel agents, media partners, and tour operators of several high-profile German and UK travel and tourism companies, including collaborating with the New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau and Travel & Tourism Marketing for pre-game festivities prior to the Saints victory over the Dolphins in Wembly Stadium.

View an album of participant photos from the mission
Chef Cory Bahr to Join “Sights, Sounds & Tastes of Louisiana” Culinary Trails Event in New York
Chef Cory Bahr is one of 10 chefs who will accompany Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser, the Louisiana Office of Tourism, and nine tourism partners to New York City for the 2017 Culinary Trails mission. This year’s event is titled “Sights, Sounds & Tastes of Louisiana” and will be held at 404 NYC on Tuesday, November 7. Through a partnership with Hoffman Media, the two-hour reception for approximately 200 guests will showcase Louisiana’s destinations through the best of their culinary offerings. The raw event space will be transformed into a Louisiana-themed experience, with attendees taking a full tour of the state as they move through the space and taste each dish. In addition to the single event on Tuesday night, the CVBs, LTPA and LOT will work all day on Monday and most of the day on Tuesday with desk side media appointments discussing the elements of culinary tourism in the greatest culinary state, Louisiana!

Other chefs participating include: Isaac Toups, Toups Meatery/Toups South (New Orleans); Jeff Hansell, Oxlot 9 (Covington); Holly Goetting, Charlie G’s (Lafayette); Ryan Trahan, Dark Roux Restaurant (Lafayette); Lyle Broussard, Jack Daniel’s Bar & Grill at L’Auberge Casino Resort (Lake Charles); Justin East, Vic & Anthony’s Steakhouse at Golden Nugget (Lake Charles); Blake Phillips, Bayou Roux (Monroe); Jay Ducote, Government Taco (Baton Rouge); and, Bonnie Breaux, St. John Restaurant (St. Martinville).
Louisiana Seafood Promotion & Marketing Board – Kicking off Seafood Month with a Branding Contest
October is National Seafood Month. Anytime you’re enjoying Louisiana seafood during the month of October, share your experience with the Louisiana Seafood Board by tagging #LouisianaSeafood on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Starting Thursday, October 5, the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board began searching for a new look and feel for the Louisiana Seafood brand. In partnership with the Louisiana Department of Education, Lt. Governor Nungesser and the Louisiana Seafood Board are calling all high school students across the state to use their creativity and submit a design for the new logo. All final submissions will be accepted until Friday, December 15, 2017, at 5 p.m. For more information, visit www.louisianaseafood.com.
Louisiana Partners with Garden & Gun Magazine for Cast & Blast Event
On September 14 & 15, Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser and the Louisiana Office of Tourism partnered with Garden & Gun Magazine for a special sporting excursion at Grosse Savanne Waterfowl and Wildlife Refuge in Cameron Parish. The Louisiana Cast & Blast event offered people the chance to experience the best of the sporting life with an all-day fishing excursion off the Louisiana coast followed by a morning hunt on the opening day of teal season.

The first day included two separate fishing excursions followed by a culinary experience you can find only in Louisiana prepared by renowned Chef John Folse. The second day started bright and early, celebrating the opening day of teal season in Louisiana with a morning hunt.

British Chef Records Five TV Shows in Louisiana
British Celebrity TV Chef James Martin is currently touring the United States to film twenty episodes of his travel and cooking show called “American Adventures.” The international television crew spent one week in Louisiana to tape five episodes.

Last week, the London-based television crew traveled to New Orleans for two days, followed with a stop at Houmas House in Darrow. The second half of the Louisiana tour included Lafayette with stops at Johnson’s Boucaniere, Borden’s Ice Cream Shoppe and even a swamp tour at McGee’s Landing in nearby Henderson. Other stops included the Tabasco Factory Tour at Avery Island and they capped off their week capturing the excitement of LSU tailgating last Saturday in Baton Rouge.

British national television network ITV will premiere “American Adventures” early next year. “The winter airing of the show could help boost state tourism, as it coincides when folks in the U.K. tend to go on vacation,” series producer Andy Clarke said to Lafayette newspaper, The Daily Advertiser.

Baton Rouge Hotel Tax Heading to the November Ballot
Voters in East Baton Rouge Parish will again decide the fate of a proposed extra 2 percent tax on hotel rooms in the city of Baton Rouge. The proposed increase is part of the November 18 election. The tax is expected to generate more than $3.3 million annually and would only affect visitor staying in hotels in Baton Rouge. Hotels in the cities of Baker, Central, Zachary, and the Baton Rouge North Economic Development District would be excluded from the tax.

Money generated from the proposed 2 percent hotel tax would be used to fund the Visit Baton Rouge marketing efforts to attract sporting and entertainment events to the city as well as improvements and upgrades to the Raising Cane’s River Center.

Breaux Bridge in Top 15 Charming Overlooked Cities in the South
CNN has recognized Breaux Bridge as one of the 15 charming cities overlooked in the American South. Known as the “Crawfish Capital of the World,” Breaux Bridge is famous for its annual Crawfish Festival in May, Zydeco style dining experiences and its Cajun-kicking good times at Whiskey River. Down in Breaux Bridge, there is always something to do. Coming up on Oct. 21, Bayou Teche will host its free annual Shake Your Trail Feathers music festival to celebrate the 130-mile-long national paddle trail. For more information on Breaux Bridge and Shake Your Trail Feathers, check out The Teche Project website
Natchitoches Christmas Spirit Recognized; Time to Gear Up for the Holiday Trail of Lights
Natchitoches was recently named one of Southern Living’s Best Small Towns for Christmas in the South. This north Louisiana city’s glittering beauty is home to the annual Festival of Lights during the holiday season. Running for 40 days, this Christmas celebration attracts visitors from all over the country, who come to experience firework shows, carriage tours, Christmas Tour of Homes and over 300,000 shimmering lights. The downtown district and Cane River Lake truly light the holiday spirit all throughout Natchitoches, as it is a part of the Louisiana Holiday Trail of Lights. For more information on the Holiday Trail of Lights and a Louisiana-style Christmas, please visit Holiday Trail of Lights
Baton Rouge Named One of Five Underrated Food Cities in the South
USA TODAY has named Baton Rouge one of the five underrated food cities in the South. Typically renowned for restaurants with a Cajun flare, Baton Rouge is beginning to mix it up with new restaurants specializing in modern foods, while providing a very relaxed atmosphere. New places, such as Cocha and Kalurah Street Grill, are getting much applause for their contemporary approach to a one-of-a-kind dining experience. Aside from just restaurants, Baton Rouge is also trending in pop-up spots. Runner up on Season 1 of Food Network Star and local radio talk show host, Jay Ducote, owns and operates his own pop-up called Gov’t Taco.

Baton Rouge Bicentenntial Postcards Now Available
During the latter half of 2017, Baton Rouge’s Bicentennial year, Visit Baton Rouge in collaboration with the Louisiana Office of Tourism and 225 Magazine are releasing the Baton Rouge Bicentennial Postcards. The postcards, which include the required postage will be available in the latest edition of 225, are available now.
 
Baton Rouge residents are encouraged to send the postcards to out-of-town family and friends and invite them to come and experience their hometown this fall or winter. Whether they visit some of their favorite places from their childhood or college days, we encourage residents to get out and explore Louisiana’s capital city and create new memories with their out-of-town guests. They can also get a head start and invite them to experience Mardi Gras or one of the many festivals next spring.
 
Postcards are available at area locations, including: East Baton Rouge Parish Libraries, the Baton Rouge Area Chamber, and Visit Baton Rouge. A full list of locations can be found on www.BatonRouge200.com.

Entries Sought for First-Quarter Events Calendar
The Office of Tourism is producing its first-quarter calendar of events, for events happening January through March 2018. To include an event in the printed calendar, submit event information to the online calendar via the submit event link at the bottom of LouisianaTravel.com by 5 p.m. on Friday, October 25. For additional information or assistance, please contact Lynne Coxwell at lcoxwell@crt.la.gov or 225-342-2876.
Louisiana Book Festival Just Around the Corner
The 14th annual free Louisiana Book Festival returns on Saturday, October 28, to downtown Baton Rouge’s Capitol Park. Featuring more than 250 authors and panelists discussing their books and more than 100 programs, the 2017 festival includes the Young Readers Pavilion, where children and parents can enjoy storytelling, book-related crafts, and performances; Teen HQ, featuring bestselling and award winning young adult authors and activities; live musical performances; cooking demos; scores of author and panel book talks and signings; and a wide variety of book-related activities and exhibitors.
 
Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser and State Librarian Rebecca Hamilton kick off the festival with the presentation of the Louisiana Writer Award to children’s author Johnette Downing. The festival will also feature MasterChef Season 7 winner Shaun O’Neale, and punk rock icon and former frontman of Black Flag, Keith Morris.
 
Pre-festival events on Friday, October 27, include half-day WordShops, which offer opportunities for aspiring writers of all levels to work in an intimate setting with renowned Southern authors.
 
For more information on events, registering for WordShops, purchasing tickets for the Authors Party, or on volunteering for the festival, please visit www.louisianabookfestival.org.
Baton Rouge Folklife Panels
Between 2013 and 2017, the Baton Rouge Folklife Survey documented the traditions and art forms of the Capital City. The survey produced an online book of essays by 21 folklorists and writers. This work will be placed into the LSU Library. To view the online book, Baton Rouge Traditions, please click here.

As part of the public presentation of the works, a series of folklife panels are being held throughout Baton Rouge. There are two panel events remaining in the series – Tuesday, October 10, at Jolie Pearl Oyster Bar; and, Saturday, October 28, at the Louisiana State Museum as part of the Louisiana Book Festival.

For more information on these folklife panels, please click here.
Upcoming Meetings & Events
  • October 9-11: Southeast Tourism Society fall meeting, Biloxi, MS
  • October 16: LACVB Advocacy Meeting, Opelousas, LA
  • November 5-8: Louisiana Culinary Trails Media Mission, New York, NY
  • November 10: LACVB Meeting, Lake Charles, LA
  • November 27-30: Travel South International Showcase, Charleston, SC
  • December 13: LTPA Board Meeting, New Orleans
  • January 22-23: LTPA Annual Meeting, Lafayette, LA
Department of Culture, Recreation, and Tourism - Employment Opportunities
 
The following positions with the Department of Culture, Recreation & Tourism are posted on the Civil Service LA Careers website.

  • Administrative Program Specialist B - Office of State Parks
  • Maintenance Repairer 1-2 - Office of State Parks
  • Administrative Coordinator 4 - Office of Management & Finance

For more information, please visit  http://www.crt.state.la.us/employment-opportunities/index
If you have comments or suggestions for future issues of  Louisiana Travel Pulse, contact Barry Landry at blandry@crt.la.gov or Charlie Whinham at cwhinham@crt.la.gov