Record number of tourists in Louisiana for the 6th consecutive year

Louisiana Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser presented the 2017 tourism results with a record 6th consecutive year of visitors to Louisiana. The state welcomed 47.1 million visitors in 2017, an increase of 1%, or about 500,000 more people compared to 2016 (46.7 million). These visitors spent $17.5 billion during their stay.

Investing in tourism to promote Louisiana creates thousands of jobs for the state. In late 2017, data from the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics showed that visitor spending in Louisiana generated 236,000 jobs. Since 2007, the tourism sector has been the second fastest growing sector in Louisiana.

In 2017, thanks to the launch of direct international flights from London and Frankfurt to Louis Armstrong International Airport in New Orleans (MSY), the State recorded an increase in the number of passengers at Louisiana airports. Last year, a total of 14.3 million passengers travelled in and out of the state by air. This represents an increase of 6.7% compared to 2016 (13.4 million passengers).

According to Lieutenant Governor Nungesser, the year 2018 seems well underway to break a new visitor record. In January 2018, the state unveiled its new brand: « Louisiana: Feed Your Soul », which reminds the world that Louisiana is the only state that can offer this abundance of good food, music, history and culture.

The year 2018 is all the more important as it is the year of New Orleans’ 300th anniversary, founded in 1718 by French settlers and celebrated by numerous events throughout the year, including the official inauguration of a new terminal at Louis Armstrong International Airport. http://2018nola.com/