Louisiana targets India’s potential, records 15% surge in international travellers

Welcoming about 45 Mn visitors in 2023, Louisiana launches its first-ever mission in India, with India among top 5 source markets for tourism.

Louisiana, a southeastern U.S. state on the Gulf of Mexico, embarked on its first mission in India on September 23rd in Mumbai. The mission aimed to bolster Louisiana’s position as a sought-after tourism destination for Indian travellers, educate the market about its offerings, and enhance international visitation to Louisiana.

The mission was conducted in partnership with Sartha Global Marketing and saw the presence of notable figures such as Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser and the Office of Tourism, along with Doug Bourgeois, Assistant Secretary of the Department of Culture, Recreation & Tourism, and Sheema Vohra, Managing Director of Sartha Global Marketing LLP, amongst others.

Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser exclusively shared with T3, stating, “We have set records every year in tourism. In 2019, 53 million people visited Louisiana, which we are proud of. Tourism is the fourth-largest industry in Louisiana, with over 400 fairs and festivals happening throughout the year across the state.”

He further expressed that 2019 marked their fifth consecutive record-breaking year. “We were at about 45 million visitors last year, so we’re close to setting another record. We are way ahead of all our competitor states when we track how visitation has come back.”

Bourgeois echoed Nungesser’s statement, adding, “The goal is to get back to our 2019 numbers. We have surpassed that in international travelers. Last year, we saw a 15% increase in international travel over 2019, which is significant. Our domestic travel was down, but international travel was up. We know someone is talking about us outside the country, and that’s a good thing. We are now looking at making more investments and spending money in more of our markets.”

Bourgeois also spoke about priority markets, mentioning Canada as number one, with Germany and France in the top five. “Asia presents an opportunity for us, especially India. We’ve had those core markets such as Europe and Canada for a long time. Brazil is another important market for us, as it represents a friends and family market for Louisiana,” added Bourgeois.

He further emphasized that India is a key market for the U.S. as it has grown tremendously. “We still see India within our top five markets. We’re not the entry point; many Indians enter through gateways like Houston, Dallas, or Georgia. But there’s a lot of interest in our food, culture, and music, which will help us attract people to Louisiana,” Bourgeois expressed.

Regarding the strategy to position Louisiana in India, Bourgeois explained that the state is currently trying to understand the Indian traveler and their profile. He added, “It’s interesting to see younger travelers showing interest in going abroad and experiencing new things. This represents a travel segment that we want to attract to Louisiana.”

“With Sartha Global, we are going to start some training on the destination with the travel trade industry. We also want to train people on our side as well about Indian travelers. Next, we will identify how to reach the target profiles. Then, we will determine where we should be; we need to market to people in the way they want to hear the message, and we’re learning. Additionally, we’re exploring ways to work with the movie industry,” Bourgeois revealed.

Speaking about targeted segments, Bourgeois noted that the MICE market was the first to enter Louisiana. However, he is observing a shift in market profiles. “We have a new airport in New Orleans that was just built, and we’re renovating our convention centre. We’ve launched an entire campaign to attract more meetings to the city,” he added.

“But our biggest opportunity is in leisure, both high-end and mid-range leisure,” Bourgeois expressed. Louisiana has introduced a new road trip system, complete with signs, guides, and maps for adventurers. He emphasized the state’s rich outdoors, culture, and food scene, as Louisiana is known as the birthplace of jazz, cocktails, and Tabasco, and visitors can tour the plant where it’s made. “The overall visitors are the biggest crunches of leisure than MICE,” he added. Bourgeois also revealed that next year’s campaign will focus on food.

Speaking more about the sales mission, Bourgeois added, “We brought partners from different parts of the state for the first time. Our Lieutenant Governor is here, which signifies how important this venture is for us. Our mission is one of discovery, ensuring we take the right steps moving forward.”