ABiz Columns

Keeping Pace

by Shelley Johnson

As industry expands in Southwest Louisiana, so too does our tourism industry.

The wide range of offerings in Southwest Louisiana is a striking quality for many travelers, event planners, groups and media professionals. The sheer breadth of what can be experienced is delightfully surprising, from world-class hunting/fishing and the great outdoors to luxurious casino complexes and Cajun culture that is celebrated through food, festivals, music and language. It is a destination that honors its past and traditions, the land and its beauty as well as new horizons that the future holds.

We are about to experience one of the largest economic upswings in the history of Southwest Louisiana, as well as in the history of the United States. We are about to experience one of the largest economic upswings in the history of Southwest Louisiana, as well as in the history of the United States, when looking at the largest single investment that Sasol is making in the region being unprecedented. Along with this, there is major movement in the tourism industry with new properties and attractions opening. We are working closely with partners in the hospitality industry as we move into this time of growth. It's exciting to see everyone in the community preparing for the opportunities coming our way.

Golden Nugget Lake Charles is scheduled to open in December. The number of restaurants, entertainment options and accommodations will be a tremendous boost in Southwest Louisiana, adding to our standing as the premiere gaming destination of the South with this $600 million dollar resort property. The CVB will promote the new addition along with L'Auberge Casino Resort, the Isle of Capri and Delta Downs to amplify the area's popular casino entertainment message.

Another major component to the destination is the great outdoors. The Creole Nature Trail All-American Road has been celebrated for many years by those interested in reconnecting with nature, adventure tourism, anglers and outdoors people, as well as photographers and birders. To complement the outdoors and the trail, the CVB will be opening Creole Nature Trail Adventure Point in the spring of 2015. The interactive, hands-on exhibits housed inside Adventure Point will spark the imagination and bring to life not only wildlife, flora and landscapes found along the trail, but also the culture, food, music and history of Southwest Louisiana as a whole. For example, there will be a kitchen with spices and displays explaining the differences between Cajun and Creole cooking, as well as a music stage where people can experience first-hand the variations between Cajun and zydeco music.

We are looking forward to Creole Nature Trail Adventure Point opening in order to share our traditions, culture as well as improve understanding of the natural environment that people experience along the Creole Nature Trail. The exhibits will be perfect for groups and students as well as individual travelers interested in learning more about our culture and landscape.

Along the shores of Lake Charles, there is the prospect of having a world-class $65 million National Hurricane Museum & Science Center. The fundraising efforts are well under way, and the interest of the public is increasing as milestones are met. The center will focus on education, the science behind hurricanes, the impact of hurricanes as well as a historical view, paying homage to communities that have survived the devastating blows delivered by storms over the years.

As progress continues in the private sector through major corporate investments, the CVB is also seeing growth in the hospitality community with new accommodations as well as restaurants and shops opening and all gearing up for more temporary and permanent residents in Southwest Louisiana. To keep the community and travelers informed, the CVB developed an Events App that will launch in the next few months, as well as a responsive design website that will maximize the online experience that consumers have on any mobile device. The Charpentier Historic District App will also launch later this year.

The CVB's staff is looking forward to the opportunities and challenges ahead and continuing to position the destination as a dynamic, authentic experience for everyone to enjoy.

For more information, photos and videos on Lake Charles/Southwest Louisiana and #VisitLakeCharles, log onto www.visitlakecharles.org or contact the staff at the convention and visitors bureau at 800-456-7952.

Shelley Johnson has been the executive director of the Lake Charles/Southwest Louisiana Convention & Visitors Bureau since 1988. She is a certified destination management executive and serves on the Louisiana Tourist Development Commission as the Southeast Tourism Society vice chair as well as on the STS policy council. She is a board member for the Louisiana Tourism Coastal Coalition, Louisiana Travel Promotion Association and the Creole Nature Trail National All American Road District. She was the founding chairman of the National Scenic Byway Foundation.