August gave us a lot to talk about. New research showed Calcasieu Parish welcomed 7.5 million visitors in 2025, generating approximately $900 million in visitor spending, while our latest Resident Sentiment Study found 91% of residents believe tourism is good for Southwest Louisiana. Those figures set the tone for a month that also included national and statewide industry leadership, community engagement, major events, and earned media that continued to elevate Louisiana’s Playground. Together, these stories offer a clear picture of tourism’s reach and the value it continues to bring to our region.
Visit Lake Charles Impact
Tourism Growth Backed by Residents
Southwest Louisiana’s visitor economy continues to gain momentum, delivering meaningful economic impact while earning strong support from the people who call the region home. Calcasieu Parish welcomed 7.5 million visitors in 2025, up 6.7% from 2023, while visitor spending climbed 12.9% to approximately $900 million. Those dollars flowed throughout the local economy, including approximately $227 million spent on restaurant food and beverages, $281 million on recreation and entertainment, and $174 million on lodging. The research also found strong visitor satisfaction and loyalty, with nearly eight in 10 overnight visitors returning to the destination and overall trip satisfaction averaging 4.4 out of 5.
That growth is matched by overwhelming community support. Visit Lake Charles’ 2026 Resident Sentiment Study, conducted by Longwoods International, found 91% of residents say tourism is good for Southwest Louisiana, 90% support continued tourism growth, and 86% believe tourism’s positive benefits outweigh its negative impacts. Residents also recognize tourism’s role in strengthening the region, with 80% saying it encourages investment in the local economy, 81% saying it supports the preservation of local culture and community authenticity, and 84% saying they welcome visitors, 25 percentage points higher than South and U.S. benchmarks. Together, the findings tell a powerful story: tourism is creating economic opportunity while helping build a community residents are proud to share.
Watch our conversation with Visit Lake Charles President and CEO Kyle Edmiston and Longwoods International President and CEO Amir Eylon for a closer look at what the research tells us about tourism’s momentum, resident support, and the opportunities ahead for Southwest Louisiana.
Visit Lake Charles on the Geaux
VLC & CFSWLA Showcase Just Imagine SWLA at ESTO
For several years, Visit Lake Charles has worked alongside the Community Foundation of Southwest Louisiana to support the vision behind Just Imagine SWLA, an effort that grew out of the region’s recovery following the devastating 2020 hurricanes. Since then, our role has been to help connect people to that work through storytelling, while the Community Foundation and its partners continue leading the broader community vision. It is a partnership built over time, shaped by the needs of Southwest Louisiana and rooted in a shared belief that a stronger place to live also creates a stronger place to visit.
That years-long collaboration was the focus of a session at this year’s U.S. Travel Association’s ESTO 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. President and CEO Kyle Edmiston and Director of Communications Candy Rodriguez presented alongside Community Foundation President and CEO Sara Judson during a standing-room-only session for destination leaders from across the country. The session offered a look at what we have learned through years of working together, including how destination organizations like Visit Lake Charles can support community priorities, contribute communications and marketing expertise, and remain focused on their core mission. The strong turnout underscored how relevant that conversation is across the industry while giving Southwest Louisiana a national platform to share lessons developed through years of collaboration here at home.
Kyle also represented Louisiana’s Playground in a second leadership role throughout ESTO as a member of the ESTO Planning Committee. In addition to helping shape this year’s conference, he took the stage several times during the week to recognize and announce ESTO award winners, celebrating outstanding work across the tourism industry. His involvement expanded Southwest Louisiana’s presence beyond our team’s presentation and placed local leadership directly within one of the industry’s leading national gatherings.
A special thank you to Sara Judson for joining us in Philadelphia and sharing her expertise, perspective, and experience from our work together through Just Imagine SWLA. The partnership continues to demonstrate how tourism, community leadership, and strategic communications can complement one another while keeping the community’s long-term vision at the center of the work.
Representing Louisiana’s Playground at ESTO gave our team the opportunity to share what Southwest Louisiana has learned, gain new perspectives from peers across the country, and bring ideas and insights back home that can strengthen our work moving forward.
VLC Team Connects, Shares Insights at Louisiana Travel Summit
Several members of the Visit Lake Charles team joined tourism professionals from across the state for the 2026 Louisiana Travel Summit in New Orleans, an annual opportunity to exchange ideas, strengthen industry relationships, and bring new perspectives back to Southwest Louisiana. The summit also gave our team a chance to contribute to the statewide conversation, including a packed session led in part by Chief Marketing Officer Timothy Bush.
Timothy presented alongside Katie Guasco and Serena Gray on “The Pull Effect: How Destinations Win Visitors from Big Cities,” exploring how destinations can use always-on marketing, strong data, and consistent storytelling to stay visible throughout the traveler decision-making journey and attract high-value visitors. The session drew a standing-room-only crowd, with some attendees even sitting on the floor. President and CEO Kyle Edmiston also joined Brian Haldane on 107.3 during the summit for a conversation about tourism and economic development. Together, the week provided opportunities for our team to learn from peers, share perspectives from Louisiana’s Playground, and strengthen the strategies and relationships that help keep Southwest Louisiana competitive as a visitor destination.
Southwest Louisiana Represented at U.S. Travel Summer Summit
Visit Lake Charles President and CEO Kyle Edmiston represented Louisiana’s Playground at the U.S. Travel Association’s Summer Summit in San Diego, an invitation-only forum that brings together top travel industry executives to discuss the issues shaping tourism today and in the years ahead. This year’s conversations focused on the political and economic forces affecting travel, changing consumer behavior, evolving destination and brand strategies, and the challenges and opportunities influencing the industry’s competitiveness.
Having Southwest Louisiana represented in conversations at this level gives Visit Lake Charles an opportunity to hear directly from national industry leaders, exchange ideas with peers, and bring valuable insight back to our destination. As the travel landscape continues to evolve, staying connected to the discussions shaping the industry helps ensure our strategies remain informed, competitive, and responsive to the trends affecting both visitors and the businesses and communities that depend on a strong visitor economy.
Around the Destination
VLC Joins Future Louisiana Conversation
Visit Lake Charles Senior Director of Community Engagement Matt Young represented Louisiana’s Playground at the Future LA Conference, held Aug. 19 at L’Auberge Lake Charles. The statewide gathering brought together national thought leaders, business and community leaders, and other stakeholders for conversations about issues shaping Louisiana’s future, including workforce development, community development, energy, impact investing, and economic growth. The conference was part of an expanded series of policy-focused events surrounding LegisGator, developed through a partnership among the Southwest Louisiana Economic Development Alliance, Louisiana Association of Business and Industry, and Leaders for a Better Louisiana.
For Visit Lake Charles, being part of conversations like these helps ensure tourism remains connected to the broader priorities influencing the communities we promote. Matt’s work focuses on building relationships with civic, business, and nonprofit partners and identifying opportunities where community development and tourism can complement one another. Participating in Future LA provided another opportunity to strengthen those connections, hear new perspectives on the challenges and opportunities facing Louisiana, and bring those insights back to our work in Southwest Louisiana.
Thunder Over Louisiana Brings Community Together
Thunder Over Louisiana Air Show Presented by Kia of Lake Charles brought an exciting weekend of aviation and community spirit to Southwest Louisiana Aug. 29-30. Visit Lake Charles partnered with Lake Charles Regional Airport to host a chalet during the airshow, welcoming partners, stakeholders, family, and friends to experience the event together and celebrate one of the region’s major community attractions.
Events like Thunder Over Louisiana create memorable experiences for residents and visitors while showcasing the assets, partnerships, and hospitality that make Southwest Louisiana a destination worth experiencing. We are grateful for our continued partnership with the airport team and for another opportunity to support an event that brings people together and puts Louisiana’s Playground on display.
Visit Lake Charles Serves Up a Story for The Local Palate
Visit Lake Charles Director of Public Relations Devan Corbello hosted writer Beth D’Addono Aug. 17-18 for a media visit focused on Southwest Louisiana’s culinary scene and new visitor experiences. D’Addono is working on a feature for the December edition of The Local Palate and spent time with local chefs, restaurant owners, and staff learning how family recipes, regional traditions, and the people behind the food shape the flavor of Louisiana’s Playground.
The visit also included newer attractions such as Port Wonder and the Mardi Gras Museum, giving D’Addono a broader look at Lake Charles’ continued recovery and the new experiences that have opened since Hurricanes Laura and Delta. Hosting travel journalists like D’Addono helps connect Southwest Louisiana’s businesses and attractions with highly relevant audiences through trusted third-party storytelling and keeps our destination in the conversation with travelers looking for their next culinary getaway.
In the News
Devan Corbello Joins Keep Louisiana Beautiful Foundation Board
Visit Lake Charles Director of Public Relations Devan Corbello has been appointed to the Keep Louisiana Beautiful Foundation Board of Directors, bringing his experience in destination marketing, tourism, community engagement, and economic development to the statewide organization. His perspective will help strengthen the connection between environmental stewardship, quality of place, and Louisiana’s tourism industry.
The Keep Louisiana Beautiful Foundation supports statewide efforts focused on litter prevention, waste reduction, recycling, beautification, education, and environmental stewardship. Devan’s service provides another opportunity for Visit Lake Charles to contribute to conversations about protecting and enhancing the places residents call home and visitors come to experience.
American Press: Resident Support for Tourism
The American Press shared findings from Visit Lake Charles’ 2026 Resident Sentiment Study, including that 91% of residents say tourism is good for Southwest Louisiana. The story also featured perspectives from Kyle Edmiston and Longwoods International President and CEO Amir Eylon on continued tourism growth and community engagement. Read More
KPLC-TV: Tourism Support Remains Strong
KPLC-TV highlighted Visit Lake Charles’ 2026 Resident Sentiment Study and the strong community support behind Southwest Louisiana’s visitor economy. Kyle Edmiston and Amir Eylon discussed what the findings mean for tourism’s future and the importance of continuing to engage residents as the destination grows. Read More
Taste of the South: Lake Charles Culinary Feature
Taste of the South featured Lake Charles in a five-page spread following an April familiarization tour hosted by Visit Lake Charles. The September/October issue highlights 14 local partners and 12 attractions and experiences, giving readers a taste of the food, culture, and experiences found across Southwest Louisiana. Read the full feature in the September/October 2026 issue.
