LA TOURISM ECONOMY – The Louisiana tourism economy has been hurt by the pandemic but it’s showing signs of a slow comeback. The state had over 53 million visitors in 2019, the last year before the pandemic and those visitors pumped almost $2 billion into the state's economy. But according to Lt. Billy Nungesser whose office is over Louisiana tourism, 2020’s figures aren’t available yet, however he did say that some of Louisiana’s outdoor tourism venues did do well during the pandemic.
"State parks, rural communities have done, some of them, better than 2019 because people were not going to the big cities," Nungesser explained. "They were going to eat and shop in less populated areas and we've seen actually an increase in some areas."
"State parks, rural communities have done, some of them, better than 2019 because people were not going to the big cities," Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser of Louisiana
Nungesser spoke earlier this week before the Baton Rouge Press Club. One concern he shared was the new Coronavirus surge and what it could do to the tourism economy.
"We're praying that we won't have to shut nothing down because not only with the plans we have for tourism; (New Orleans) JazzFest, all the festivals that have invested so much around this state. I can't imagine if we'd have to have another shutdown." Nungesser said.
Nungesser a Republican, said he would support whatever it takes to turn the pandemic around and encouraged everyone to wear masks when in public. He said all Louisiana Welcome Centers and Museums offer free face masks to visitors.
