ST. MARTIN PARISH — Out on the Bayou Teche, a new campground called Camping on the Bayou is beginning to take shape. Property owner Howard Ratliff has been working with the City of St. Martinville to turn his land into a tourism hub for campers in the parish.
“We want this to be an exclusive event to come visit St. Martinville, St. Martin Parish and Acadiana to enjoy a new kind of camping experience,” Ratliff said.
Ratliff explained that traditional campgrounds can often feel crowded, with heavy activity and little space for privacy. He believes his property offers a more relaxed alternative.
“Traditionally most campers go to camp grounds and they tend to be very crowded and a lot of activities going on, we think there’s a market for an alternative to that scenario,” he said.
Partnering with his son, Ratliff began using the booking platform Harvest Host about a year ago to invite visitors onto his property. As campers rolled in, he said he saw greater potential.
“As a private individual I have my investment in this particular property and so all we’re trying to do now is trying to figure out the feasibility, we think we’ve proven that we have the data,” Ratliff said.
Ratliff has brought that data to city officials in hopes of moving forward with a long-term partnership. Plans discussed include developing more campsites near the city’s festival grounds, with a possibility of expanding to other locations along the Bayou Teche.
“And we’re working closely with the city of St. Martinville on this development and we hope to expand it as well in the future, other locations along the Bayou Teche and maximize the impact, the tourist impact of having us all work together in certain niche markets so that we maximize tourism as a whole for the city and for the parish,” Ratliff said.
Campers who have already stopped by, such as Crow and Terry Thibodeaux from Texas, say they welcome the project and its potential for growth.
“Anything you can do to help your city grow, I’m all for that, especially one as adorable and quaint as this particular one is, it’s rich in history, you just can’t say enough about it,” Terry Thibadeaux said.
While Ratliff said this is only the beginning, he sees Camping on the Bayou as a project that could help bring more visitors to St. Martinville and highlight everything the city has to offer along the Bayou Teche.
