Louisiana’s tourism industry has bounced back from the COVID-19 pandemic quicker than initially anticipated, bringing in more than 41 million visitors during 2021, Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser announced Tuesday.
Before 2020, the state had five consecutive years of record-breaking tourism numbers, peaking at more than 53 million in 2019. Much of the state’s tourism industry shut down after Mardi Gras in 2020 as COVID-19 began spreading rapidly across the state.
While 2021’s numbers were still down significantly from 2019’s record-breaking year, there are signs that the industry is returning to normal, Nungesser said in a release.
“With a 29% increase over 2020, the announcement of increasing visitation again gives hope and encouragement to the tourism and hospitality industries who have persevered, once again ranking Louisiana in the top 10 desired destinations on many national travel sources,” Nungesser said.
Nungesser provided the update on the state’s tourism industry during the annual “State of Tourism” address that kicked off National Travel and Tourism Week, which runs May 1-7. The theme for the 39th Annual National Travel and Tourism Week is “Future of Travel.”
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To fit the theme, tourism industries across the nation are looking at how it can restore the workforce, help communities recover from COVID-19, increase sustainability, further innovate and reconnect travelers.
“The future of travel is opportunity,” Nungesser said. “It is the chance to rebuild our hospitality industry and welcome people from all over the world to enjoy our rich cultural heritage, unique and unforgettable cuisine, and music.”
Tourism is the state’s fourth largest industry by employment, with more than 250,000 Louisiana workers employed in the sector statewide.
The state is also on track for another solid year if web traffic is any indicator. The LouisianaTravel.com website had 9.7 million visits in 2021, up 162% from 2020. The website is on track to surpass that total in 2022.
Nungesser said many events in 2022 — such as Ponchatoula’s Strawberry Festival, the Scott Boudin Festival, French Quarter Festival, Lafayette’s Festival International de Louisiane, and the Jazz and Heritage Festivals in New Orleans — have seen record crowds.
“People are eager to travel again and we are ready to welcome our domestic and international visitors with open arms,” said Doug Bourgeois, Louisiana Office of Tourism assistant secretary. “Our continued success in attracting visitors to Louisiana requires coordinated teamwork between the Louisiana Office of Tourism and our tourism partners across the state.”
