Press Releases

Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou Honors Tourism Partners at 2023 Bayou Ambassador Awards Luncheon

Raceland, Louisiana (May 11, 2023) – Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou Tourism, the destination management organization for Lafourche Parish, honored five tourism partners with their Bayou Ambassador Awards in recognition of their dedicated service to the tourism industry in Lafourche Parish.

The Jean Lafitte Wetlands Acadian Cultural Center in Thibodaux was selected as Attraction of the Year, Grady V’s Restaurant in Thibodaux was selected as Restaurant of the Year, the 2022 French Food Festival in Cut Off was selected as Event of the Year, and Ms. Tiffany Dardar, Sales Manager at the Candlewood Suites in Cut Off was selected as the Hospitality Employee of the Year. The recipients were honored for their exceptional service and commitment to making Lafourche Parish a year-round tourism destination in 2022.

A special award, The Spirit of the Bayou Award, was given to the Cajun Music Preservation Society. This award was created to honor a tourism partner who embraces the true authentic brand of Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou as someone who whole-heartedly encompasses the spirit of the bayou. Members of the Cajun Music Preservation Society including Quenton Fontenot, Misty McElroy, Gary LaFleur, and Tysman Charpentier accepted the award.

Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou Tourism (LCBT) Board Chair, Marguerite Knight-Erwin, delivered a special welcome to guests that included the importance of the visitor economy in Lafourche Parish. Additionally, the President & CEO of LCBT, Cody A. Gray, provided an update on projects he and his organization are working on, including a parish-wide signage project, a new visitor’s center, and the announcement of a revamped Cajun Bayou Food Trail.

“Our Bayou Ambassador Awards and luncheon as a whole is our way of showing thanks and giving back to our tourism partners who show an unwavering support to our overall goal in making Lafourche Parish a premier tourism destination” said Cody A. Gray, President & CEO of Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou. “As we continue to recover from Hurricane Ida and the effects of Covid-19, we appreciate their support and we look forward to working with and supporting them in the future. Congratulations to all of our award winners on their much-deserved recognition.”

The 2023 Bayou Ambassador Awards Luncheon coincides with National Travel & Tourism Week, an annual celebration of the United States tourism industry.

Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou Tourism Celebrates National Travel and Tourism Week

This year marks the 40th anniversary of the annual industry celebration

Louisiana's Cajun Bayou Tourism Awards $60,000 in Tourism Investment Funds to Support Three New Tourism Projects in Lafourche Parish

Raceland, Louisiana (March 17, 2023) – Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou Tourism, the tourist commission for Lafourche Parish, announced on Friday the award of $60,000 in grant funds to support three new tourism projects in Lafourche Parish through their 2023 Tourism Investment Program (TIP).

Applications for this year’s TIP funding were accepted February 1 - March 1, 2023 with the goal of supporting the creation of new tourism projects and events aimed at driving increased visitation to the parish. The three projects were selected among a competitive field of applicants, and will help foster the development and growth of the visitor economy and enrichment of life in Lafourche Parish.

Beneficiaries of the 2023 Tourism Investment Program funding include:

Lafourche Arc, for the creation of a new event called the: “BBQ, Bourbon, and Blues Festival”

- The festival will be the first in Lafourche Parish to feature barbeque, bourbon and Blues and aims to make the event annual by attracting visitation and participation from outside of Lafourche Parish.

Nicholls State University Foundation, for the creation of a new men’s basketball multi-team event (MTE) called the “LA Cajun Bayou Tournament”

- The tournament is anticipated to draw teams, athletes, families, and visitors from outside of Louisiana and position itself as an annual sports tourism event.

Friends of E.D. White Historic Site, for the development of the E.D. White Historic Site bayou-side and creation of an immersive Cajun Day Experience Tour

- The bayou-side development will create an added recreational outlet to Bayou Lafourche, while the new engaging tour will highlight our authentic Cajun culture through partnerships with the Jean Lafitte Wetlands Acadian Cultural Center, Laurel Valley Village, and area restaurants. In addition, the tour will provide hands on activities for visitors to connect with our destination and work with area hotels to promote it.

“A common thread among the TIP submissions was the goal to make Lafourche Parish an incredible place to live and an essential one to visit. We feel that these projects embody Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou brand of authentic Cajun culture, and the spirit of our local people who make this area so unique,” said, Marguerite Knight-Erwin, Chair of the Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou Tourism Board of Directors.

“Our organization was thrilled to welcome back the return of our Tourism Investment Program and the ability to financially assist in the development of new tourism assets for Lafourche Parish” said Cody A. Gray, President & CEO of Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou Tourism. “Our goal for this year’s program was to help organizations create new opportunities to increase our ability to attract more visitation, while also improving the quality of life for our residents.”

TIP was first implemented in 2016 and has awarded $483,000 in grants since its inception. The funds distributed to this year’s recipients were gained by a portion of the room tax revenues generated from overnight guests to the parish. The Tourism Investment Program allows for the reinvestment of that money back into the destination.

For more information on how the parish positions itself as a year-round tourism destination and our strategic plan for the future, click on our strategic plan HERE.

LOUISIANA TRAVEL ASSOCIATION HONORS LOUISIANA’S CAJUN BAYOU WITH 2023 LOUEY AWARD FOR TOURISM CAMPAIGN OF THE YEAR
Annual awards recognize best of the Louisiana tourism industry

Raceland, LA (January 23, 2023) – The Louisiana Travel Association (LTA) introduced Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou Tourism as the winner of the 2023 Louey Award for Tourism Campaign of the Year, Campaign Budget up to $29,000, for their historic cross-border partnership and virtual media event: From Acadian to Cajun: Two Countries; One Culture.

The campaign which officially launched in July 2022 was a joint effort between Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou Tourism, the Congrès de Mondial (CMA 2024), and the Yarmouth & Acadian Shores Tourism Association in Nova Scotia to reconnect two cultures forcibly split apart more than 250 years ago. The partnership launched a one-of-a-kind virtual media event that took place live from Le Ptit Robicheau restaurant in Saulnierville, Nova Scotia and the Chef John Folse Culinary Institute in Thibodaux, Louisiana. With help from local historians, chefs, and musicians from both destinations, 16 top-tier journalists from the United States & Canada were invited to learn more about the two separate, but uncannily similar communities.

“From Acadian to Cajun: Two Countries; One Culture was a culmination of many months of dedicated zoom calls (Most of which took place over 3 different time zones), in-depth research, and rehearsals prior to going live to the media” said Ian Wallis, Sales & Marketing Manager for Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou Tourism. “It is truly an honor to be recognized by the Louisiana Travel Association for 2023 Tourism Campaign of the Year. Our roots are a big part of our culture here in Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou, and we are excited to have this partnership in place to promote and educate people about the Acadian-Cajun connection.”

“I am thrilled and could not be any prouder of the recognition received for our organization and parish” said Marguerite Knight-Erwin, chair of Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou Tourism’s Board of Directors. “Through our strategic and innovative marketing strategy we continue to shine a spotlight on our authentic destination and our unapologetically Cajun culture that defines us.”

With the initial success of this partnership, further collaborations are planned between Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou Tourism and officials in Nova Scotia to promote the shared cultures.

To learn more about Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou, visit https://www.lacajunbayou.com/

Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou Tourism Wins Bid to Host the 2023 Y’Allstars Southern Skate Showdown

Raceland, Louisiana (November 16, 2022) – Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou Tourism, the destination management organization for Lafourche Parish, has successfully won the hosting rights to the 2023 Y’Allstars Southern Skate Showdown, a competitive roller derby competition made up of teams from across the United States.

The competition will take place at Warren J. Harang Municipal Auditorium on N. Canal Blvd in Thibodaux the weekend of February 24-26, 2023. It is expected to have a notable economic impact to Lafourche Parish with over 250 hotel room nights anticipated, an estimated 900-1,700 meals consumed at local restaurants, and additional visitor spend on trips to local attractions and shops in Lafourche Parish.

The event is hosted as part of a joint effort by Team Louisiana Roller Derby, the state’s all-star roller derby team, and Red Stick Roller Derby Juniors, the youth roller derby team based in Baton Rouge who put out the initial request for proposal to find a host in late August. Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou Tourism immediately worked with Warren J. Harang Auditorium, a venue that has hosted previous roller derby events, to submit a bid.

“We are very excited to welcome the Y’Allstars Southern Skate Showdown to Thibodaux” said Ian Wallis, Sales & Marketing Manager at Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou Tourism. “They have been an excellent group to work with thus far, and we are very thankful for the team at Harang Auditorium for helping us get this competition to Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou.”

In addition to Team LA and Red Stick Roller Derby Juniors, it has already been announced that Team Texas, Team Florida, Chicago Roller Derby, and Team Indigenous Rising, a group of skaters from across the United States with an indigenous background, have signed up to compete. Tickets to attend the competition can be purchased starting Friday, December 9th.

“As our local tourism industry continues to recover from a turbulent two years, we are thrilled to work with Team LA Roller Derby to bring their event to Lafourche Parish” said Cody A. Gray, President & CEO of Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou Tourism. “Events such as this bring in significant economic impact to our destination and directly support local businesses and jobs.  We look forward to welcoming these visiting teams to Thibodaux to experience our authentic Cajun culture.”

For more information about the Y’Allstars Southern Skate Showdown visit their website linked below. For vendor/sponsorship opportunities, contact Kaitlyn Estes, Tournament Organizer at [email protected].

Y'Allstars Southern Skate Showdown Website 

Louisiana's Cajun Bayou Remembers Hurricane Ida - One Year Later

Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou has seen its fair share of challenges over the past two years. As all of our hotels, restaurants, attractions and events grappled with the COVID-19 pandemic and the ever-changing path forward, Lafourche Parish was dealt a devastating Category 4 blow on August 29, 2021.

Hurricane Ida, the second-most damaging and intense hurricane to ever hit the state of Louisiana, made landfall near Port Fourchon on the 29th and quickly made its way up Bayou Lafourche. The destruction left in its wake was nothing short of catastrophic. The aftermath has been felt by every single resident of our beloved parish, with towns down the bayou being some of the hardest hit.

However, the story does not end there. You see, Cajuns are no strangers to adversity. Some of the first settlers along the bayou, the Acadians, faced severe uncertainty and challenging times. That same strength, grit, and determination has been passed down for generations. It shined brightly the morning of August 30th, the day after landfall, as neighbors helped neighbors, communities helped communities, and friends from around the country rushed to our aid.
As our residents emerged to begin picking up the pieces of their lives, what we saw was not shattered windows, splintered trees and destroyed homes. It was people opening their homes to those without one, community organizations distributing critical aid to families that didn’t know what tomorrow would bring, and business owners giving away whatever they could to aid the cause. In the hot, humid days that followed, the words “how can I help” echoed off the banks of the bayou.

As the weeks grew into months, things began to get better. Debris was cleaned up, supplies distributed, roofs tarped and lights turned back on. Hotels – even though many were running on generators with damage of their own – manned their front desks and housed linemen, work crews and those in need of shelter. Our restaurants continued to serve hot meals to workers and first responders… day in and day out. Our own tourism team did not stop working one day, even though Ida destroyed our visitor center and offices. Everyone selflessly did their part to begin putting our destination back together. Along the way, we collectively showed the world what it truly means to be Cajun.
One year later, here we are. Our doors are back open, the tables are set, the beds are made and our lively festivals have returned. We are welcoming visitors back to experience our unapologetically Cajun culture once again. Even though there is a still a long way to go, we have come so very far over the course of one year. We would not be where we are today if it were not for our residents, government officials, community organizations, volunteers, linemen and those who came from far and wide to help us put the pieces back together.

We invite you to come be part of our continued recovery. Come stay awhile at one of our local hotels or B&B’s, taste authentic Cajun cooking at our family-owned restaurants, take a ride into our unspoiled swamps, or party like a local at one of our many festivals and events. We often say that the Bayou Life isn’t for anyone … it’s for everyone. And we mean it. There is truly no other place like Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou in Lafourche Parish. We can’t wait to welcome you to our incredibly resilient family.

Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou Hosts

Louisiana Outdoor Writers Association Conference

Raceland, Louisiana (August 8, 2022) – Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou Tourism is pleased to announce that Thibodaux welcomed the 2022 Louisiana Outdoor Writers Association (LOWA) conference August 5-7, 2022. The conference brought an assemblage of lifetime anglers, hunters, environmentalists, tour operators, and radio and television broadcasters who share a common love ... the great outdoors!

Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou Crosses Country Borders for Historic Partnership

Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou Tourism Announces Collaboration with Acadian Regions of Nova Scotia

Thibodaux Voted One of the Best Small Town Food Scenes by USA Today 10Best

Raceland, Louisiana (June 17, 2022) – When people think of America’s great food cities, New Orleans often tops the list. But it’s not just big cities that know their way around a menu. Plenty of small towns are noted for their food scenes, too … but only one in Louisiana! For the third year in a row, Thibodaux – a tiny town located about 45 minutes outside of New Orleans, in Lafourche Parish – has once again been ranked one of the country’s best small town food scenes by USA Today 10Best.

Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou Tourism Honors Tourism Partners

Raceland, Louisiana (May 5, 2022) – Louisiana’s Cajun Bayou Tourism, the destination management organization for Lafourche Parish, honored five tourism partners with their Bayou Ambassador Awards in recognition of their dedicated service to the tourism industry in Lafourche Parish.