Lake Charles was featured on NBC’s TODAY as part of travel expert Mark Ellwood’s segment, “Travel ‘Outside the Box’ With These Underrated Destinations,” placing the destination in front of one of the country’s largest morning television audiences and an online audience through the show’s digital feature.
NBC’s TODAY Show averages more than three million viewers, and its accompanying digital feature reaches more than 13 million unique monthly visitors. The national spotlight also generated local media coverage, further extending the reach of the story and giving Southwest Louisiana residents another opportunity to see their community recognized on a national stage.
During the segment, Ellwood highlighted Lake Charles as a destination that offers many of the same amenities travelers seek in Las Vegas while delivering an experience all its own.
“So, Vegas is one of my favorite places in the world,” Ellwood said. “But I’m going to send you to Lake Charles, Louisiana, which has that same format. Resort pools, tall towers, entertainment, name-brand restaurants like Gordon Ramsay Steak. You’ve got everything you have in Vegas, plus this sort of Cajun, bayou, Creole overlay.”
The segment showcased the destination’s blend of resort experiences, gaming, dining, entertainment and outdoor recreation, along with the culture and hospitality that make Southwest Louisiana unique.
“The comparison to Las Vegas resonated because people immediately understand the quality of resort experiences available in Southwest Louisiana,” said Kyle Edmiston, president and CEO of Visit Lake Charles. “We have world-class gaming, entertainment, dining and resort amenities, but what makes our destination stand out is everything beyond that. You can spend the morning fishing, the afternoon at a resort pool and the evening enjoying our Cajun and Creole cuisine. That’s a combination visitors can’t find just anywhere.”
Visit Lake Charles appreciates Mark Ellwood and the TODAY team for including Lake Charles and helping share the story of Southwest Louisiana with travelers across the country.
National coverage like this is one example of how tourism works for Southwest Louisiana. These opportunities do not happen overnight. They are the result of year-round public relations efforts to build media relationships, respond to opportunities and connect journalists with the people, places and experiences that make the region unique.
Through the work of Visit Lake Charles, including its Director of Public Relations Devan Corbello, earned media helps introduce Louisiana’s Playground to new audiences, inspire future trips and support the hotels, restaurants, attractions and local businesses that benefit from visitor spending.
“As director of public relations, my job is to earn media coverage through pitching stories that highlight Lake Charles as a must-visit destination,” Corbello said. “At a public relations conference last week, I connected with Mark Ellwood and casually spoke with him about Lake Charles. That conversation, combined with a media pitch I worked on with our PR agency, helped secure Lake Charles's inclusion in Mark’s TODAY Show segment. Being featured means our small city is now in front of millions of potential visitors. That feature has the potential to bring in those visitors that will buy from local shops, stay at area hotels, and will share about their fun experience they had in Louisiana’s Playground.”
