Baton Rouge is working on elevating its international image as a tourist destination through sports, arts, music, recreational activities and museums, among other local attractions.
That’s according to 10 local industry professionals who spoke during two separate panels Tuesday, at Visit Baton Rouge’s Travel & Tourism Forum. Panelists pushed for increased partnerships among hospitality entities as the Capital Region aims to make a name for itself on a global scale on several fronts.
Perhaps chief among them is the city’s food scene, which is seeing more ethnic cuisine enter the market, said Stan Harris, president and CEO of the Louisiana Restaurant Association. Another sign of expansion: More chef-driven concepts are popping up, such as Rouj Creole and K Street Grill.
“We’re connecting ourselves to the rest of the world, pulling others into our conversation,” said Renee Chatelain, president and CEO of the Arts Council of Greater Baton Rouge.
In the coming months, tourists will see large trolls made out of recyclable wood at some BREC parks, Chatelain said. The trolls—created by a Danish artist—appear in other parts of the world and are becoming recognized as a travel marker.
The Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport is continuing to see an increase in leisure travel, said aviation director Mike Edwards. However, expanding air service options remains a work in progress.
“It’s certainly not, ‘If you build it, they will come,’” Edwards said. “The airlines want to see those passenger numbers, so conferences and expositions go a long way when we’re presenting our research to them.”
Meanwhile, 12% of visitors to the LSU Rural Life Museum are international travelers, said director David Floyd. The museum offers both personal and electronic tours in Spanish, French, German, Italian and Cantonese, occasionally reaching out to LSU’s international student community for additional help.
Patrick Coogan, president and CEO of SportsBR, outlined challenges the region currently faces as it tries to attract more sporting events, saying “we need to grow our facilities at the same pace we’re growing these events.”
Among other key updates:
• BREC is in the preliminary stages of expanding Memorial Stadium.
• The American Queen Steamboat Company is adding one more boat to its fleet—The American Countess—which will fit 260 passengers and 100 crew members.
• The Baton Rouge Film Commission is working to increase Baton Rouge’s visibility among large studios.
• The River Center announced a January 2021 target date for completion of its theater.
Panel discussions took place after an international expert-recommended strategies to attract more visitors to Baton Rouge, and a speech by Walk-On’s founder Brandon Landry.
