BATON ROUGE, La. (AP) – Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser is boosting Louisiana’s outreach to international visitors and seeking private investment in state parks, trying to bolster a tourism industry that is one of the state’s largest employers.
Nungesser is Louisiana’s chief tourism official, overseeing the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism.
While he’s competing with states that have much larger marketing budgets, Louisiana’s lieutenant governor says his state is a natural draw, with its food, diverse culture, music and events like Mardi Gras.
Nungesser recently traveled to China, looking to tap into one of the world’s largest pool of potential tourists. He said Monday that he promoted Louisiana’s film and TV show locations, saying those are a big draw for Chinese tourists.
International tourists are sought after because they typically spend more money on trips.
