Despite welcoming a record-breaking 46.7 million tourists in 2016, the Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism officials warned Tuesday that the department will not be able to sustain that volume of visitors if its budget is cut further.
As the Manship News Service reports, Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser, who also serves as commissioner of the department, said his office has been cut more than 50% in the last decade. The department also has laid off 120 people since 2015, with only seven of the office’s 24 employees remaining.
In addition to budget cuts, the department lost significant revenue last year as the August flooding affected some of its most profitable sights. Any additional cuts to the department’s budget could cause great harm, Nungesser said.
Mark Antoon, a budget analyst for the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, said he understands the need for reductions across state agencies, but he believes the tourism office would not be able to operate if new cuts emerge.
Additional budget reductions would “absolutely devastate the Tourism Department,” he said.
