Nathan Stubbs

State launches culinary trails Web site

by Nathan Stubbs

The Louisiana Office of Tourism has launched a new Web sited devoted to navigating the state’s many rich culinary landmarks. The Web site, www.louisianatravel.com/culinary was launched on Friday along with its companion culinary trails guidebook. The guide breaks Louisiana down into five regions and seven different culinary trails, developed with input from Louisiana travel writers and Convention and Visitors Bureaus across the state. Independent staff writer Mary Tutwiler contributed two of the guidebook’s articles, for the “Bayou Bounty” Acadiana region and the “Prairie Home Cooking” central Louisiana region. According to the Office of Tourism’s press release, the stops listed in the guide are all places locals frequent, and include “mom and pop cafes, upscale restaurants, hole in the wall hideaways, farmers’ markets, sandwich shops, seafood joints, roadside stands, local grocery stores bakeries, food festivals and more.” The Web site also includes a feature that allows visitors to custom design their own culinary trail.

Both the guidebook and the Web site are the are part of a three-year marketing campaign in which the state has invested $300,000 and partnered with Tabasco’s McIlhenny Co., and the Louisiana Seafood Promotion and Marketing Board. The official Louisiana Culinary Trails Guide is available by calling in a request to 1-800-29-GUMBO. It will also be distributed at in-state Louisiana festivals, travel trade shows and will be available at State and LTPA certified Welcome Centers in May.