Travel Matters to Lafayette - 05/07/2009

Contact:  Kelly Strenge, 337-232-3737, kstrenge@lafayettetravel.com

LAFAYETTE, LA – Lafayette Convention and Visitors Commission (LCVC) joins the rest of America to celebrate the 26th Annual National Travel and Tourism Week, May 9-17, under the banner theme “Travel Matters.”

With business, meetings and event travel facing steep declines across America, nationwide events throughout National Travel and Tourism Week emphasize the economic benefits of this industry to local workers and communities and demonstrates the importance of travel.

“Travel and tourism plays a key role in the economy of Lafayette and all of Acadiana,” said Gerald Breaux, LCVC Executive Director. “During National Tourism Week, we hope to raise awareness and showcase why travel matters to Lafayette.”

Travel is an extremely diverse and complex industry that comprises airlines, restaurants, hotels, bed and breakfasts, campgrounds, travel agencies, gift shops, auto rental and a host of businesses, which may not even recognize their dependence on travel and tourism because travelers are usually indistinguishable from local customers.

Travel and tourism is one of America’s largest industries, with $740 billion in direct travel expenditures by domestic and international travelers. The industry also represents one of America’s largest employers with 7.7 million direct travel-generated jobs and $189 billion in travel-generated payroll.
In 2007, domestic travel in Louisiana recovered rapidly from the devastating impact of Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita, but has not reached the 2004 level. Domestic travelers directly spent $8.7 billion in 2007, up 35.7 percent from 2006, but still down 8.6 percent from 2004. Domestic travel expenditures directly generated about 100,800 jobs in Louisiana, an increase of 16.4 percent over 2006. Travel industry employees in Louisiana earned $1.8 billion in payroll income during 2007, up 18.2 percent from 2006 and down 7.6 percent over 2004. Additionally, domestic travel generated almost $1.1 billion in tax revenue for federal, state and local governments in 2007, up 30.5 percent from 2006 and down 9.3 percent from 2004.

In Lafayette Parish the travel industry employs 3,390 people (up 10.71 percent from 2004) with a total payroll of more than $64.6 million (up 16.34 percent from 2004). Domestic travel expenditures in 2007 for Lafayette Parish were nearly $378 million (up 12.74 percent from 2004), which generated $18 million in state tax (up 9.87 percent from 2004) and $7 million (up 14.28 percent from 2004) in local tax revenues.