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LA Tourism Officials Concerned Over New Covid Surge

Some rural areas showed an increase in tourism in 2020 during the pandemic. 
Courtesy: La Tourism / St. Martin Parish
Some rural areas showed an increase in tourism in 2020 during the pandemic. 
Some rural areas showed an increase in tourism in 2020 during the pandemic. 
Credit Courtesy: La Tourism / St. Martin Parish
/
Courtesy: La Tourism / St. Martin Parish
Some rural areas showed an increase in tourism in 2020 during the pandemic. 

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."

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.

Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser spoke to the Baton Rouge Press Club on 8.02.21.
Credit Courtesy: LPB
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Courtesy: LPB
Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser spoke to the Baton Rouge Press Club on 8.02.21.

"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.

 Louisiana's tourism is trying to rebound from the pandemic but officials are concerned what the recent surge Covid could mean for the industry.

Copyright 2021 Red River Radio

Chuck Smith brings more than 30 years' experience to Red River Radio having started out as a radio news reporter and moving into television journalism as a newsmagazine producer / host, talk-show moderator, programming director and managing producer and news director / anchor for commercial, public broadcasting and educational television. He has more recently worked in advertising, marketing and public relations as a writer, video producer and media consultant. In pursuit of higher learning, Chuck studied Mass Communications at Southern Arkansas University in Magnolia and motion picture / television production at the University of California at Los Angeles. He has also taught writing for television at York Technical College in Rock Hill, South Carolina and video / film production at Centenary College of Louisiana, Shreveport.