Visit Lake Charles awarded 2019 Outstanding Convention and Visitors Bureau of the Year

Kathryn Shea Duncan, Media/Public Relations Manager

Visit Lake Charles

(337) 436-9588

 

 

 

 

CHARENTON, La. (Jan. 30, 2020) –  The Louisiana Travel Association (LTA) introduced Visit Lake Charles (VLC) as the winner of the 2019 Outstanding Convention and Visitors Bureau of the Year during its Annual Meeting in Charenton, La. This year, LTA presented 19 “Louey Awards” to honor and showcase individuals and organizations who have made outstanding contributions to the Louisiana tourism industry.

 

“Visit Lake Charles set the bar high in 2019 and elevated Louisiana onto the world stage with the 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials in Boxing—not to mention—hosting or securing an impressive amount other national and international events for Southwest Louisiana. We have so much to be proud of in this great state, and it’s always rewarding to see our culture, food, music and natural outdoor offerings through the eyes of visitors who are experiencing Louisiana for the first time. Hats off to Visit Lake Charles for the tremendous impact that these events have on the state from both an economic standpoint and a public relations perspective,” said Jill Kidder, President/CEO of LTA.

 

In 2019, four national sporting events were announced including Pro Watercross National Championships (three-year agreement), PGA Tour Korn Ferry Lake Charles Championship (five-year agreement), USA Boxing National Championships and Olympic Trails for Boxing, and New Balance Future Stars Series (NBFSS) National Championships (four-year agreement). In addition to sports, VLC secured the first international conference in Southwest Louisiana’s history, The 18th CWC World LNG & Gas Series: Americas Summit & Exhibition, to be held in November of 2020.

 

“Over the past year, the team at Visit Lake Charles broke records by securing an incredible amount of business along with taking the creativity of marketing Southwest Louisiana to new heights with the rollout of the Louisiana’s Playground brand. These successes are largely due to passionate tourism professionals at Visit Lake Charles working alongside strong partners and tourism advocates across the hospitality industry in Southwest Louisiana and beyond,” said Kyle Edmiston, President/CEO of Visit Lake Charles. “We are humbled by this recognition as destination marketing organizations across the state do exceptional work, making vast contributions to the tourism industry in Louisiana.”

 

This past October, VLC revealed a new brand for the destination, highlighting the intriguing juxtaposition with the tagline “Louisiana’s Playground.” Miles Partnership, a strategic marketing company focused exclusively on travel and tourism, conducted an extensive research study to determine the brand essence of Southwest Louisiana. VLC also partnered with the City of Lake Charles on several initiatives including the successful branding of downtown Lake Charles with the #GetDownTownLC campaign and the www.GetDownTownLC.com microsite, as well as funding the new Interstate 10 attraction of Port Wonder. The Lake Charles Area will also host the 2020 Lt. Governor’s Travel Summit this August.

 

VLC showcases Southwest Louisiana as a premier leisure and convention destination, working alongside economic development and community organizations to improve and highlight local attractions generating exponential economic impact. For more information about Southwest Louisiana, log onto www.visitlakecharles.org. To learn about LTA, visit www.LouisianaTravelAssociation.org.

 

About the Louisiana Travel Association, LTA
LTA is a trade association leading and strengthening Louisiana’s vibrant tourism industry through promotion, education and advocacy on behalf of our members. Tourism generated $1.9 billion for Louisiana in 2018 and employs more than 237,200 people throughout the state.

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