January was a busy and momentum-building month for Visit Lake Charles, marked by industry recognition, leadership engagement and strategic promotion of Southwest Louisiana as a premier destination. From statewide tourism awards and professional development to culinary events, sports tourism outreach and national industry meetings, the month reflected a strong focus on driving visitation, strengthening partnerships and elevating the stories that define Louisiana’s Playground.
Visit Lake Charles Impact
Visit Lake Charles released its 2026 business plan outlining a strategy to drive visitation and increase economic impact through sports tourism, meetings and conventions, data-driven marketing and destination development. Sports tourism is a central focus, with eight major events in a seven-week span to start the year and dozens more scheduled, plus a team restaurant program designed to push visitor spending beyond the playing field.
Marketing and storytelling remain key to growing tourism. The As Much Joy As You Can Pack In campaign continues as the primary visitor message while Visit Lake Charles will add AI-driven trip discovery with MindTrip, expand digital content including podcasts and short-form video, and support infrastructure projects such as lakefront improvements, an indoor sports complex and the Mardi Gras Museum to turn visitation into lasting community benefits.
View the Business Plan online and watch videos featuring team leaders on the Visit Lake Charles YouTube channel.
Visit Lake Charles on the Geaux
Louisiana’s Playground Takes Home Three Louey Awards
Visit Lake Charles announced that Louisiana’s Playground earned three Louey Awards on Jan. 22 in Lafayette. The recognitions underscore the region’s growing tourism momentum and the role of events, hospitality and leadership development in driving visitation and economic impact.
Restaurateur of the Year: Eric Avery
Eric Avery of Sulphur was honored for his work with Crying Eagle Brewing Company, which attracts more than 200,000 visitors annually and expanded in 2025 with the waterfront Crying Eagle Lakefront. Avery’s restaurants and events serve as major tourism draws, strengthening the local culinary scene and encouraging extended stays.
Tourism Event of the Year: Smoke & Barrel
Smoke & Barrel has grown from a small gathering into a multi-city festival organization producing three annual events that blend food, spirits and culture. The 2024 events generated more than $700,000 in business sales and contributed $30,000 to local philanthropy, demonstrating how high-quality festivals boost visitation and local economies.
Will Mangham Tourism Lifetime Achievement Award: Anne Taber Klenke
Anne Taber Klenke was recognized for more than 35 years of contributions to tourism in Southwest Louisiana, including work on the Creole Nature Trail and international partnerships. Her legacy of destination development and community-centered projects highlights tourism’s long-term value to the region.
Visit Lake Charles also celebrated two staff members who graduated from the Louisiana Tourism Leadership Academy.
Emily Treme, director of association sales, and Toni Chapman, digital content manager, were among more than 20 LTLA graduates celebrated at the LTA annual meeting on Jan. 22 in Lafayette. Visit Lake Charles now counts 15 LTLA graduates, reflecting an ongoing investment in building tourism leadership that supports meetings, events and destination growth.
Destination Board Leadership
Kyle Edmiston, president and CEO, and Timothy Bush, chief marketing officer, represented Louisiana’s Playground at the Board Leadership for Destinations symposium in Irving, Texas, alongside board member John Hamati. The program brought together destination leaders from across the country to focus on best practices in governance, strategy and leadership within the tourism industry.
The multi-day immersion provided an opportunity to collaborate with peers, exchange ideas and explore emerging trends impacting destination marketing organizations. Participation in programs like Board Leadership for Destinations supports Visit Lake Charles’ commitment to strengthening board engagement, refining long-term strategy and ensuring sustainable tourism growth for Southwest Louisiana.
American Bus Association Marketplace
Earlier in the month, Brandi Smith, sales manager - meetings & motorcoach, traveled to Reno, Nevada for this year’s American Bus Association Marketplace. The event provided an opportunity to connect with motorcoach tour operators and receptive partners while sharing how Lake Charles offers memorable, group-friendly experiences rooted in food, festivals, culture and hospitality.
Face-to-face conversations helped strengthen relationships and create future tour opportunities and Visit Lake Charles was proud to represent the destination alongside a strong Louisiana delegation at ABA Marketplace 2026.
Connections Beyond the Diamond
Sam Moore, director of sports relations for Visit Lake Charles, attended the American Baseball Coaches Association Convention, the world’s largest baseball convention, bringing nearly 8,000 coaches and more than 400 exhibiting companies together each year. The event serves as a premier networking and education opportunity for baseball leaders at every level of the game.
Moore’s participation supported Visit Lake Charles’ ongoing sports tourism efforts by building relationships with coaches and industry partners while promoting Southwest Louisiana as a destination for tournaments, training and future baseball events.
Around the Destination
Staff updates: New Hire & Promotions
Visit Lake Charles announced staff changes aimed at strengthening tourism promotion, including the hire of Devan Corbello as director of public relations to lead media relations and familiarization efforts that generate state, regional, national and international coverage. Corbello’s background includes measurable visitation and social media growth, which Visit Lake Charles expects to leverage to boost awareness and visitation.
Two internal moves further target tourism growth. Matt Young becomes senior director of community engagement to build partnerships that attract meetings, sporting events and cultural visitors and to advance projects such as the Creole Nature Trail, Mardi Gras Museum and the Just Imagine SWLA plan. Aubrey Caldwell was promoted to sports events and marketing manager to lead sports-focused campaigns that support the continued sports tourism growth.
New VLC Board Leadership
Visit Lake Charles announced the appointment of Tiffany Celestine, general manager of SpringHill Suites by Marriott Lake Charles, to its board of directors. Celestine brings more than 16 years of hospitality leadership experience and was appointed by the Southwest Louisiana Lodging Association to serve a three-year term. Her role on the board supports Visit Lake Charles’ mission to strengthen industry partnerships, enhance the visitor experience and drive economic impact through tourism across Southwest Louisiana.
Chuck Eats Restaurant Week Celebrated Four Years of Flavor
Chuck Eats Restaurant Week ran Jan. 22–Feb. 1, featuring prix fixe menus across breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner at 36 Southwest Louisiana restaurants. In its fourth year, the 11-day event celebrated local flavor and encouraged diners to explore the region’s culinary offerings.
Restaurants serving American, Cajun, seafood and Latin cuisine offered specially curated multi-course menus at set prices, helping drive restaurant traffic and tourism. The campaign was supported by a robust marketing effort that included KPLC-TV Midday Show features, radio spots and digital promotion throughout the month. Chuck Eats helps highlight the creativity and hospitality of local chefs and teams, reinforcing Louisiana’s Playground as a must-visit food destination and supporting the local economy.
Honoring Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Visit Lake Charles team members attended the annual MLK Memorial Breakfast as Southwest Louisiana gathered to honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. The event brought together community leaders, families and organizations in a spirit of unity, reflection and service.
Dr. King’s legacy continued throughout the weekend with additional community events, including a Sunday celebration and the MLK Parade and festivities at the Lake Charles Event Center.
In the News
Latest Headlines
Visit Lake Charles Leaders Appointed to Destinations International Committees
Five members of the Visit Lake Charles team were selected to serve on Destinations International committees and task forces, contributing their expertise to initiatives shaping the future of the destination marketing industry. Their appointments reflect Visit Lake Charles’ continued leadership and influence within the global tourism community.
Edmiston, was named chair-elect of the Destinations International Association for 2026 and will also serve on the Finance Committee and the Governance and Nominating Committee as co-chair. Additional appointments include Taylor Beard Stanley, vice president of sales, on convention sales and alumni committees, Bush on marketing, accreditation and social impact committees, Kathryn Shea Duncan, senior director of social media/communications, on the 30 Under 30 Alumni Council, and Candy Rodriguez, director of communications, on the Public Relations and Communications Committee.
These leadership roles highlight Visit Lake Charles’ commitment to advancing best practices, collaboration and innovation within the destination industry while strengthening tourism efforts in Louisiana’s Playground.
The Advocate: “Lake Charles restaurants band together for annual Chuck Eats Week”
The Advocate highlighted the return of Chuck Eats Restaurant Week in Lake Charles, featuring 36 Southwest Louisiana restaurants offering prix fixe menus across breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner to celebrate local flavor and support area eateries. The annual dining event encourages diners to explore diverse culinary offerings from American and Cajun to seafood and Latin cuisine while strengthening the region’s tourism and local economy. Read More
