With roughly 28.7 million visitors to the state last year, 2014 marked another record-breaking year for Louisiana tourism, says Lt. Gov. Jay Dardenne, who oversees the state Office of Tourism. Last year’s total number of visitors was 5% higher than the figure recorded in 2013.
Tourists spent an estimated $11.2 billion in Louisiana last year, which generated $836 million in taxes for the state. Dardenne says the revenue generated through domestic and international visitors represents a more than 38-to-1 return on investment of state funding.
“Tourism had yet another great year thanks to creative marketing, dedicated industry leaders throughout the state and an incredible product—the many passions Louisiana offers,” Dardenne says in a news release. “Tourism and hospitality was Louisiana’s fastest growing job sector in 2014 with 223,000 Louisianians employed in the industry.”
The tourism statistics are compiled by the University of New Orleans, whose complete Louisiana forecast report will be available on the Louisiana Office of Tourism website later this month, Dardenne says.
The lieutenant governor—who is among those running for governor this year—says tourism figures have set new records each year since he took office in November 2010. In 2011, 25.5 million visitors spent roughly $10 billion; followed by 26.3 million and $10.7 billion in 2012; and 27.3 million and $10.8 billion in 2013.
