RAYNE, La. — Community leaders, tourism professionals, municipal officials, and economic development leaders from across South Louisiana will gather Friday, September 25, 2026, for the OST Conference 2026, a regional summit focused on promoting the tourism and economic potential of the historic Old Spanish Trail (OST) Auto Highway.
Keynote speaker Karen LeBlanc — award-winning travel journalist, producer, and host of Louisiana Public Broadcasting’s acclaimed series LA64 — will headline the conference, according to a spokesperson for Acadia Parish Tourism. Through her work exploring the culture, history, food, and people of Louisiana’s 64 parishes, LeBlanc has become a leading voice in heritage and cultural tourism across the state. She also publishes DiscoverLouisianaTravel.com.
Her keynote presentation will focus on storytelling, regional identity, and the power of tourism partnerships to elevate communities along the historic Old Spanish Trail corridor.
The conference will be held in the Mural Room at the Rayne Civic Center (210 Frog Festival Dr., Rayne, LA) from 10:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., with registration beginning at 9:30 a.m.
The event will call together representatives from Louisiana’s eight Official OST Cities, along with tourism officials, civic leaders, and economic development stakeholders from communities along U.S. Highway 90 and Louisiana Highway 182.
Conference organizers envision a day of discussion, workshops, guest speakers, and collaborative planning aimed at increasing awareness, visitation, and investment throughout the Acadiana region and along the OST corridor, according to the spokesperson.
For more information about the Old Spanish Trail and conference participation opportunities, interested individuals and organizations are encouraged to contact: C. Eddie Palmer at epalme@bellsouth.net or 337-280-9228.
