Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou Tourism Welcomes Two New Members to Its Staff
Raceland, Louisiana (April 14, 2020) - Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou Tourism announces that two new employees have joined its team of professionals dedicated to positioning Lafourche Parish as a regionally, nationally and internationally recognized, year-round tourism destination. Bree Plaisance, a resident of Lockport, began working for the tourism office last month as its Office Manager and Administrative Assistant; Cody A. Gray, who relocated from central Florida, joined the team in mid-April as its Director of Sales and Marketing.
“It’s an interesting time to be working in the travel industry, but we were in the midst of growing and developing our internal team prior to the COVID-19 outbreak and decided to stick to our original plans,” said Timothy Bush, President & CEO of Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou Tourism. “We had some big ideas in the works as 2020 began, and those have become even more important in light of the decrease in travel due to the coronavirus. I think we’ve assembled a team that can truly rise to the occasion and meet the new challenges that face tourism, our state and our parish.”
Gray has worked in Florida’s travel industry for the past six and a half years, first for the Columbia County Tourist Development Council and then as the Director of Sales and Marketing for a Tru Hotel by Hilton. He received his TMP (Travel Marketing Professional) certification via the Southeast Tourism Society’s Marketing College in 2018 and is eager to put his knowledge and expertise to work promoting Lafourche Parish.
When he was looking for candidates for the office’s sales and marketing posts, Bush was most impressed by Gray’s solid tourism background, working first at a travel bureau for a rural destination that’s similar to Lafourche Parish and then within the hotel industry. He brought a great combination of skills to the table, which allowed Bush to consolidate various job descriptions into one position rather than multiple roles. In short, Gray can walk the walk and talk the talk in a job that requires him to relate to tourism partners up and down the bayou.
Plaisance, a lifelong resident of the parish, holds two degrees from Nicholls State University and has spent more than 10 years managing offices and organizing finances for an array of businesses. Bush says that Plaisance’s deep roots in Lafourche Parish and knowledge of and passion for the region will serve her well in her new role, which requires significant interaction with people who make use of the parish’s visitor center in Raceland. Plaisance and her mother have both worked at local restaurants that are part of the Cajun Bayou Food Trail, an initiative the tourism office unveiled two years ago and that has earned the parish local, regional and national media attention.
