4TH LARGEST EMPLOYER IN LA. - Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser is reaching out to international visitors, seeking private investment in state parks and proposing the construction of a resort on Lake Pontchartrain. It’s all part of an effort to bolster Louisiana’s tourism industry. Nungesser is Louisiana's chief tourism official, overseeing the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism. Yesterday while speaking at the Press Club of Baton Rouge, he explained the value of supporting Louisiana tourism’s promotional efforts.
“It is big business, the fourth largest employer in the state, $1.8 billion dollars generated in taxes last year
that you and I didn’t have to pay," explained Nungesser. "And that’s a little over a thousand dollars per family. So when you’re fighting for the tourism budget in Baton Rouge, you got to think about, it shouldn’t rank above healthcare, education, and fixing our roads; but it is an important part of our economy. And I’ve learned very quickly that if we don’t do more to promote it and keep it in the forefront, your state will suffer.”
According to the latest data available- an estimated 47 million visitors came to Louisiana in 2017.
