Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou Honors Tourism Partners at 2026 Bayou Ambassador Awards Luncheon
Raceland, Louisiana (May 5, 2026) – Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou Tourism (LCBT), the destination marketing organization for Lafourche Parish, honored its tourism partners during the 2026 Bayou Ambassador Awards Luncheon held Tuesday at its newly opened Visitor Center in Raceland. The event marked LCBT’s recognition of the local hospitality and tourism industry in celebration of National Travel and Tourism Week, an annual initiative organized by the U.S. Travel Association.
In addition to recognizing its partners, LCBT presented awards to those who went above and beyond in supporting Lafourche Parish’s tourism industry in 2025:
- Attraction of the Year: Airboat Tours by Arthur (Des Allemands)
- Restaurant of the Year: Kajun Twist & Grill (Lockport)
- Event of the Year: Y’Allstars Southern Skate Showdown (Thibodaux)
- Hospitality Employee of the Year (selected through a nomination process): Jeffery Markel, Cinclare (Thibodaux)
- Spirit of the Bayou Award (presented to a partner that embodies the true spirit of Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou): Thibodaux Chamber of Commerce
The tourism office also introduced its new President/CEO, Jay Schexnaydre, shared updates on an upcoming wayfinding signage project, announced the relaunch of the Cajun Bayou Food Trail featuring a new map, passport, and T-shirt, and presented the below data highlighting the impact of travel and tourism in Lafourche Parish:
- 1,390 jobs supported by travel and tourism
- $137 million in visitor spending
- $54 million in direct economic impact
- 16th largest visitor economy in Louisiana
- $423 saved annually in taxes for Lafourche Parish households
LCBT encourages residents and visitors to join in celebrating National Travel and Tourism Week by supporting local tourism partners and experiencing all that the region has to offer.
