Louisiana officials on tourism marketing mission in Canada

BATON ROUGE, La. – Louisiana tourism officials are in eastern Canada this week, hoping to draw international interest in their state for visitors.

The Office of Tourism announced Tuesday that a seven-person group is travelling to Toronto and Montreal for the sales and marketing mission, meeting with tour operators and travel agents. The trip started Monday, and the group returns Thursday.

In addition to state tourism office leaders, officials from tourism organizations in Ascension and Tangipahoa parishes and New Orleans are on the marketing trip.

A similar group travelled to western Canada in mid-March.

The travel plans were announced by Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser’s office. The lieutenant governor oversees statewide tourism efforts.

Nungesser’s office says Canada regularly ranks as the state’s top international tourism market, accounting for nearly 40 per cent of Louisiana’s international visitors.