ABiz Columns

A Win for All of Us

by Ben Berthelot

We will benefit from the Lake Charles expansion - just how much remains to be seen.

Tourism is a business, providing more than 17,500 jobs in Lafayette Parish and adding significantly to the economy of our region. And business is good, with a record $79 million in hotel-motel receipts in Lafayette Parish in 2013. All indications are that 2014 will be another record breaking year for hotel-motel receipts, with the months of February through July already setting records for each of those six months.

Like all businesses, tourism is always looking toward the future to attempt to predict what is on the horizon, and we certainly always pay attention to what is happening around the state and country.

Along those lines, much has been written regarding the upcoming economic boom from construction in the chemical industry in the Lake Charles area.

For years tourism officials have been leaders in practicing regionalism, recognizing that visitors to our area don't know or care about parish lines.

While the prospect of a significant increase in hotel occupancy is a wonderful thing for the economy of any community, I'm sure it has been an interesting time for tourism officials in Lake Charles, as they attempt to prepare for what all of this means for the future of the hospitality industry there.

Photo courtesy LCVC

Festivals Acadiens et Créoles

But what can we expect here in Lafayette Parish as a result? It's hard to predict. Travel from fellow Louisianans has always been a part of marketing efforts in our area. Being able to get in the car from another part of the state, and come experience our great food, music and culture, or be a part of the many great festivals such as Festivals Acadiens et Créoles or Festival International, are easy things for visitors from other parts of the state to do. With a projected increase of 10,000 or so new temporary and permanent residents just an hour or so away from Lafayette Parish, it opens up a potential new market for visitors to our area. Once they are done exploring around Lake Charles, it's a new audience to expose our great food, music, culture and festivals to.

Regionalism is a buzz word that is bantered about all the time, with people talking about the importance of working together as a stronger force. The recently announced Campaign for One Acadiana is an exciting endeavor for our area, one that the Lafayette Convention and Visitors Commission is committed to being a key partner in.

For years tourism officials have been leaders in practicing regionalism, recognizing that visitors to our area don't know or care about parish lines. At LCVC, in addition to marketing our great Lafayette Parish product across the world, we also promote Tabasco, Café des Amis, Bayou Teche Brewery and many other great attractions outside of the parish. It's important that the product of our entire region is thriving, giving our visitors more things to do when they stay in our area.

These sorts of partnerships expand outside of the region as well, into areas like Lake Charles, particularly for the enticement of international visitors. Just recently, the Southwest LA Convention and Visitors Bureau joined forces with LCVC and several other convention and visitor bureaus to be a part of the Congrés Mondial 2014 in Canada and Maine. Together, we are working closely with Louisiane-Acadie to promote travel to the entire South Louisiana region for the Grand Reveil Acadien 2015 that will culminate with Festivals Acadiens et Créoles in October.

With the future growth expected in the Lake Charles area, it could open the door to even more partnerships, and more opportunities for us to encourage visitors to stay longer in our state, spend more money in our state and see the variety of experiences available.

And when that happens, we all win.

Ben Berthelot is the president and CEO of the Lafayette Convention and Visitors Commission. He is vice president of the Louisiana Association of Convention and Visitors Bureaus and was recently named to the boards of both the Louisiana Travel Promotion Association and the Southeast Tourism Society.