August was a month of impactful meetings and events for Visit Lake Charles. Our team strengthened relationships, built partnerships, and worked strategically to showcase Southwest Louisiana as a premier destination, supporting the ongoing growth of the region’s tourism economy.
Visit Lake Charles Impact
Louisiana Travel Summit Showcases Power of Meetings in Southwest Louisiana
Lake Charles took center stage Aug. 26–28 as more than 400 travel and tourism professionals from across the state gathered for the Louisiana Travel Summit, held at Golden Nugget Lake Charles. This annual event, presented by the Louisiana Travel Association and supported by the Louisiana Office of Tourism, is the state’s largest educational opportunity for the tourism industry, bringing together leaders, innovators, and partners for three days of learning, networking, and inspiration.
This year, Visit Lake Charles was selected to host the annual event which featured keynote remarks by Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser to workshops on industry trends, marketing, artificial intelligence, and global insights, the summit gave attendees the tools and ideas needed to strengthen tourism across Louisiana. Leaders such as William Pate, president and CEO of the Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau, and entrepreneurs like Lauren Haydel of Fleurty Girl, delivered insights that sparked conversations about the future of the industry. Familiarization tours hosted by our team showcased the best of Louisiana’s Playground, from food, music, art, and natural beauty.
For Visit Lake Charles, hosting an event of this scale is both an opportunity and a testament to the work of its team. Building relationships with meeting planners and industry partners throughout the year creates the momentum needed to secure conventions, trade shows, and summits like this one. It is these connections, often made at trade shows such as the World Education Congress and Destination Southeast, that open the door for Lake Charles to be selected as a host city.
That work is paying off. Since July, and continuing through the coming months, Visit Lake Charles is set to welcome more than 45 meetings and conventions. Strategically scheduled, many of these events overlap or follow one another closely, creating valuable market compression. This deliberate approach boosts hotel occupancy, strengthens average daily rates, and drives more spending at local businesses. Several major meetings this season alone are projected to generate millions in economic impact.
Large-scale meetings bring immediate benefits when attendees stay in hotels, dine in restaurants, and shop at local businesses. Just as important, they create opportunities for new relationships and future bookings that drive long-term economic growth.
The success of the Louisiana Travel Summit highlights the vital role meetings play in strengthening Southwest Louisiana’s economy.
Visit Lake Charles on the Geaux
Aiming to Score Big at Connect Sports
And it’s those very connections the Visit Lake Charles team works year-round to build and foster that fuel future growth. In August, Eric Zartler, the senior vice president of sports and executive director of the Lake Charles Regional Sports Authority, traveled to Tampa for Connect Sports at Connect Marketplace. The conference is designed around one-on-one marketplace appointments, giving destinations like Visit Lake Charles the chance to meet directly with event organizers and decision-makers. These face-to-face conversations are often the starting point for securing future tournaments and competitions, underscoring why it is essential for our team to travel, show up, and represent Southwest Louisiana on the national stage.
Education at ESTO
Kyle Edmiston, president and CEO; Timothy Bush, chief marketing officer; Kathryn Shea Duncan, senior director of social media/communications; and Candy Rodriguez, director of communications, represented Visit Lake Charles at this year’s U.S. Travel Association’s Educational Seminar for Tourism Organizations (ESTO). The conference provided opportunities to learn about the latest industry trends, connect with peers, share solutions to challenges and gain new perspectives. The team brought that knowledge back to share with the team, strengthen strategies and continue driving growth for the destination.
In the News
Latest Headlines
The Advocate: “Louisiana Travel Summit Brings Statewide Industry Leaders to Lake Charles”
The Advocate highlighted the impact of the Louisiana Travel Summit hosted in Lake Charles and the importance of meetings and events. Read More
CBS Lake Charles: “Louisiana's Playground Welcomes 2025 Louisiana Travel Summit”
CBS Lake Charles highlighted the impact of the 2025 Louisiana Travel Summit hosted in Lake Charles, noting the conference as a key gathering for tourism professionals from across the state. Read More
