A study commissioned by the Louisiana Office of Tourism shows record-breaking numbers for tourism spending in St. Tammany Parish.
In 2021, visitors to the Louisiana Northshore spent $1,024,770,000. This is the first time the parish has achieved billion-dollar tourism spending. This reflects a 16 percent growth compared to 2019 pre-pandemic numbers and is the second-highest tourism spend growth rate in the state.
Donna O’Daniels, president and CEO of the St. Tammany Parish Tourist & Convention Commission said many destination marketing organizations’ goals were to return to pre-pandemic numbers. She said to not just meet those numbers but exceed them, is certainly exciting and encouraging for the economic impact of tourism. O’Daniels added that the tax dollars collected from visitors saves each St. Tammany household more than $1,000 each year.
The Louisiana Parish spending report for 2021 was conducted by UNO Hospitality Research Center.
St. Tammany Parish continues to have the fourth-largest visitor economy in the state of Louisiana.
St. Tammany supports 13,800 hospitality related careers. $370 million in employment earnings (a 14.3% increase over 2019) were generated by visitor spending.
The St. Tammany Parish Tourist and Convention Commission promotes the Northshore’s events, festivals, culture, cuisine, and encourages people to visit the Northshore and support local businesses.
Louisiana Northshore continues to entice visitors to the area through programs such as the annual Tammany Taste of Summer campaign. Tammany Taste runs August 1-September 15th this year and highlights discounts on dining, attractions and stays on the Northshore. More information can be found at www.TammanyTaste.com.
