Impact of Tourism in Southwest Louisiana

Celebrating The Joy of Travel

Communities across the country are celebrating the 40th anniversary of National Travel and Tourism Week (NTTW), May 7-13, 2023, to shine a spotlight on the power of the tourism industry and its direct economic impact on local businesses through leisure, business, and group travel. In addition to honoring outstanding Southwest Louisiana hospitality employees, this NTTW, Visit Lake Charles, is launching a new campaign designed around igniting emotion in the travel experience of visiting Louisiana’s Playground called “As Much Joy As You Can Pack In.” 

The new campaign underscores the idea of joie de vivre or the authentic joy of living that people can experience here through an emotional connection to outdoor adventures, luxurious resorts, music, culinary traditions, and arts and culture. We invite everyone to hear the colorful stories of how locals experience joy in Southwest Louisiana, and we hope this inspires you to explore too!

Below is an example of a commercial for the "As Much Joy As You Can Pack In" campaign. Simone checks off quite a bit from her vacation bucket list, but how does her vacation end? 

Simone's Weekend in Lake Charles

2021 BY THE NUMBERS

  • Calcasieu Parish was the 5th largest Parish in Louisiana by visitor expenditures of $682 million.
  • $79 million generated in direct state and local tax revenue from visitor spending in Calcasieu Parish.
  • 9,018+ Hospitality and Tourism related jobs were employed by Southwest Louisiana community members.

2020 BY THE NUMBERS

  • Calcasieu Parish was the 5th largest Parish in Louisiana by visitor expenditures of $617 million.
  • $55 million in state and local tax revenue was generated from visitor spending in Calcasieu Parish.
  • 6,320+ Hospitality and Tourism related jobs employed Southwest Louisiana community members.

*Data provided by the University of New Orleans Hospitality Research Center on behalf of the Louisiana Office of Tourism

The R.O.S.E. and Legacy Awards are an opportunity for Visit Lake Charles to highlight community members who are championing the hospitality industry with their excellent service to Southwest Louisiana.