STAYING BUOYANT IN LOUISIANA
While most areas of the United States have suffered some tourism decline in recent years due to the pandemic, COVID is just one element of the raft of difficulties that Louisiana has faced. The state has been hit by a torrent of hurricanes in recent years—the latest being Ida, which devastated communities, echoing 2005’s Hurricane Katrina. As other states are cautiously reopening to tourism, Louisiana is dealing with its latest natural disaster setback, rebuilding its communities and tending to its locals while trying to maintain its appeal to visitors. In short, the state is doing what its Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser says it does best: “Dig in. Fight. Endure. Survive. Rebuild. Thrive.”
Louisiana has long been a mainstay on the must-see lists of travelers from around the world, with its multicultural history, natural splendor and irrepressibly colorful culture. As COVID continued to affect travel, Nungesser declared 2020 the “Year of the Louisiana Road Trip,” and he is still encouraging travelers on wheels to point their GPS south and discover what life in Louisiana is all about, while helping local communities.
“Eating, shopping, and dining here will absolutely help our fishermen, as well as our local businesses and attractions across Louisiana,” Nungesser says. “Road trips play a big part in helping those businesses survive. If we don’t help these establishments make money, many of them will not survive.
