Loralei Gillian – Bayou Lafourche Area Convention and Visitors Bureau – September 23
The Rotary Club of Thibodaux was honored to have Loralei Gillian speak to us about tourism in Lafourche Parish. Loralei is the Executive Director of the Bayou Lafourche Area Convention and Visitors Bureau. Loralei has recently been named the Executive Director and wants everyone in the area to appreciate what tourism brings to our region.
Many visitors come to our region where we have so much to offer. Visitors have come to our area from as far as Asia. We have swamp tours, fishing, music and even whiskey. Her office does many things to promote tourism such advertising in print media, on television, radio, the internet and social media. Some of the magazines in which The Bureau has advertised are Audubon, Texas Monthly, Southern Life and even a French magazine.
Loralei encouraged all of us to be tourist in our own area. There are so many things to enjoy that many locals have never experienced.
She spoke about the importance of funding the efforts of the visitors; bureau citing what is called the “Colorado Effect.” In 1993, the state of Colorado eliminated the twelve million dollar budget of the visitors’ bureau. Over the next seven years, the state of Colorado lost an estimated two billion tourism dollars. The budget was reinstated in 2000, and in 2007, twenty-eight million people visited the state. The promotion and advertising that the visitors’ bureau does is extremely important.
The importance of tourism cannot be overstated. Tourism effects jobs, culture, business development and revenue. One major push by Gillian is in the film industry. So, the visitor’s bureau is trying to reach out more to the film industry. Louisiana has now passed the state of California in the number of film production companies. Louisiana is now known as the “Hollywood of the South.”
October is a big month in Lafourche because of the number of festivals that are held. Loralei asked that we all support and promote tourism in this area. We are Real Cajun, Real Close.
