3 minute read
Business & Leadership: Visit The Northshore
DISCOVER THE NORTHSHORE: A CHAT WITH KATIE GUASCO
We recently sat down with Katie Guasco from Visit The Northshore, and the passion the team has for St. Tammany Parish is truly inspiring. They’re not just promoting our area to tourists; they’re sharing their love for our home and driving significant revenue into the local economy.
Just how vital tourism is to our community? In 2023, St. Tammany Parish saw $1.3 billion in visitor spending—a 1% increase over 2022. This remarkable growth has moved St. Tammany to 3rd out of 64 parishes in visitor spending, creating 13,907 jobs and generating $426 million in earnings. Nearly 3 million visitors came to St. Tammany, bringing in $127 million in state and local tax revenues for the Parish. Without these contributions from tourists, each household would pay $1,345 more in taxes.
CREATING OPPORTUNITIES AND DRIVING SUCCESS
Visit The Northshore is committed to making our area a top travel destination. Katie explained how their innovative marketing and events have helped create an easy and accessible escape for leisure travelers, business travelers and local residents alike. “The Wooden Boat Festival and the Hospice House Crawfish Cook-off were both named Signature Events of the Southeast by the Southeast Tourism Society in 2023. These events draw visitors from near and far, showcasing our unique culture and boosting local businesses.”
Since rebranding in June 2023, there’s been a palpable increase in Parish pride and greater regional recognition of Visit The Northshore’s impact. The new brand is influencing visitors and residents alike. Hats are donned in Instagram posts from out-of-state patrons and stickers are stuck on cars driving across the Causeway. The organization is currently working on five community murals, to enhance the aesthetic appeal of Covington, Mandeville, Madisonville, Slidell and Abita. They also created All The Waves, a destination podcast. Guasco said the goal of this podcast is to “deliver fun, vibrant and engaging stories from personalities that make The Northshore easy to discover and hard to leave.”
AWARD-WINNING GLOBAL RECOGNITION
Visit The Northshore operates like a close-knit family. Every success is a team effort. This collaborative spirit has led to impressive industry recognition. All staff members earned their Travel Unity Individual Certificates, underscoring their commitment to excellence. In 2023, the organization was reaccredited through the Destination Marketing Accreditation Program - a distinction that defines rigorous standards and quality for destination marketing and management.
Among the many accolades, the organization won three highly coveted awards for the Parish’s bi-annual visitor guide - the North American Travel Journalists Association’s 2023 Gold Award, the 2024 Award of Distinction from The Communicator Awards, and the 2024 Grand Award from the Awards for Publication Excellence.
These recognitions reflect the dedication and hard work of the individuals who make Visit The Northshore such a success.
FINAL THOUGHTS
Our chat made it clear that Visit The Northshore is changing the way St. Tammany is seen by its residents and its visitors. Through groundbreaking rebranding efforts, Parish-wide partnerships and impact-driven programs, Visit The Northshore is shaping a narrative not only around tourism but economic development and community pride.
So, the next time you’re looking for a new adventure or a local getaway, remember the Northshore. It’s not just a destination—it’s home.
68099 Highway 59 | Mandeville, LA 70471
800.634.9443
@VisitTheNorthshore
