JCVB 2023 Annual Report

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2023 ANNUAL REPORT

A Letter From the President & CEO

Dear Industry Partners & Community Stakeholders,

Looking back, we recognize the accomplishments of 2023 and are incredibly grateful for your support of our tourism industry in Jefferson Parish. As you read this annual report, you will see that we have aggressively pursued those initiatives that would increase business for the Jefferson Parish travel industry. Initiatives such as bringing travel writers and influencers to Jefferson Parish, highlighting in-person familiarization tours to group and event planners and increasing our digital marketing and marketing partnerships.

You continue to be our greatest asset. You are creating unique experiences each and every day, one visitor at a time. Each time you recommend a restaurant, take time to share an attraction with a guest, marvel at a swamp tour, comment favorably on a restaurant or share your positive experience in Jefferson Parish, you are acting as an ambassador for our thriving parish.

We are proud to announce that tourism in Jefferson Parish is now a $2 billion industry that employs over 21,000 people in Jefferson Parish, and collectively they earn over $650 million a year. Visitor spending, hospitality employee earnings and revenue derived from tourism-related state and local taxes have lifted Jefferson Parish to the 2nd largest tourism center in Louisiana, only behind New Orleans. Visitors to our parish contributed nearly $198 million in state and local tax revenues for Jefferson Parish and that saves every Jefferson Parish household over $1,150 each year!

We genuinely believe that when you build a place where people want to visit, you have built a place where people want to live. It all starts with a visit. As we share this report, we express our most sincere gratitude for your support. In partnership with you, Visit Jefferson Parish continues to thrive, and we look forward to continuing our growth and impact in 2024.

All the best,

Jefferson Convention & Visitors Bureau, Inc. | President & CEO

2023 Board of Directors

OFFICERS

CHARLENE MARTINEZ

Chair | Hampton Inn & Suites

New Orleans - Elmwood

TODD LOUP

Vice Chair | DoubleTree by Hilton New Orleans Airport

KEVIN BARONI

Treasurer | Pontchartrain Convention and Civic Center

GENE SAUSSE

Secretary | Destination Network

SHANNON HAMM

Member-at-Large | Hotard Coaches, Inc.

DARREN MARTINO

Member-at-Large | Crescent City

Coca-Cola Bottling Company United

VIOLET PETERS

President & CEO | Jefferson Convention & Visitors Bureau, Inc.

DIRECTORS

TROY ALDRICH

General Manager | Country Inn & Suites by Radisson, Metairie

BRETT BARES

Director of Sales & Marketing | Airboat Adventures LLC

DAVID BARRECA

Owner | Barreca's Food Services, LLC

KRISTINA BENNETT-HOLMES

Deputy Director of Aviation-Commercial Development | New Orleans International Airport

BRET CHITTENDEN

Executive Vice President of Operations | Expotel Hospitality

RYAN FAVRET

General Manager | Alario Center

BRETT GAUDET

Vice President | Loft18

JOSEPH SPINATO

President | Spinato Management

BROOKE ZAR

Owner/Operator | Restaurant des Familles

COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVES

DONNA RUSSO

Director | Jefferson Parish Citizens' Affairs

OUR MISSION

The mission of the Jefferson Convention & Visitors Bureau, Inc. (JCVB) is to actively partner with the tourism and hospitality industry by marketing and selling the destination brand experience, resulting in additional spending by leisure and group travel visitors, leading to enhanced community economic vitality and resident quality of place.

OUR VISION

As a brand-driven destination leader, the JCVB is innovative and influential in attracting new visitor business to the parish tourism/hospitality industry and host communities.

OUR PROMISE

Jefferson Parish, with its key getaways of Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport and Interstate 10, offers unique and affordable family-oriented dining and shopping and immersive nature-based recreational and group event experiences. Comprised of the Mississippi East and West Banks and the Gulf Coast, the area showcases lively suburban business districts and historic neighborhood communities, espousing a distinct character of friendliness, fun and relaxation. Jefferson Parish is assuredly the real connection to the Louisiana family entertainment lifestyle.

ACCREDITATED

The Visit Jefferson Parish team successfully completed the re-accreditation process for the Destination Marketing Accreditation Program (DMAP) by Destinations International.

This esteemed global recognition signifies the JCVB meets the performance standards in destination marketing and management. We are committed to upholding these standards and to being effective leaders in our industry.

Table of Contents Jefferson Tourism by the Numbers ........ 2 Destination Sales & Services ........ 4 Marketing the Destination ........ 6 Social Media ........ 10 Website & Digital ........ 12 PR & Media Marketing ........ 14 JCVB Member Partnerships ........ 17 Advocacy & Community ........ 18

Jefferson Tourism by the Numbers

Louisiana welcomed 43 million total visitors, who generated $18.1 billion in tourism spending in 2023. Those visitors generated a total of $1.94 billion in state and local tax revenue through travel and tourism activities in Louisiana in 2023, which is equivalent to $1,098 in tax savings per Louisiana household. Tourism supported 220,500 leisure & hospitality jobs statewide, remaining the 4th largest employer in the state.

JCVB EFFORTS RESULTED IN

48 ARTICLES PUBLISHED ABOUT JEFFERSON PARISH THAT REACHED

229,473,199 POTENTIAL VISITORS DIGITAL MARKETING REACHED

PEOPLE ON

Source: Louisiana Office of Tourism 2023 Visitor Spending Report
FROM A
VISITOR INDUSTRY
JEFFERSON PARISH GENERATED $1
STATE
LOCAL TAXES
JEFFERSON PARISH VISITOR INDUSTRY IS RESPONSIBLE FOR NEARLY
THAT EARN $ 658 MILLION COLLECTIVELY
YEAR
JEFFERSON PARISH BENEFITS
$2 BILLION
TOURISM IN
98 MILLION IN
AND
$1,159 SAVED BY EVERY HOUSEHOLD IN JEFFERSON PARISH
20,500 JOBS
LAST
4
VISITORS
SOCIAL
OUR LEISURE PROGRAM IS A SIGNIFICANT PART OF OUR OVERALL MARKETING STRATEGY TOP LEISURE MARKETS 1. Dallas 2. Chicago 3. Mobile 4. Houston 5. Atlanta QUALITY OF LIFE EVENTS LIKE FAMILY GRAS BENEFIT RESIDENTS AND TOURISM HOME OF GATOR TOWN U.S.A. EXPANDING IN 2025 GROUP SALES GENERATED AN ECONOMIC IMPACT OF $10 MILLION (9,580 ROOM NIGHTS) HOME OF THE LOUISIANA OYSTER TRAIL & TASTE OF THE TRAIL EVENT 2023 Economic Impact Report, LOT 2023 Economic Impact Report, LOT 2023 Economic Impact Report, LOT 2022 Economic Impact Report, LOT Page 2
OVER
MILLION POTENTIAL
WE COMMUNICATE WITH OVER 50,000
MEDIA

DESTINATION DEVELOPMENT

Wrapping up a multi-year analysis of the destination in partnership with DC Consultancy Group and in cooperation with Jefferson Parish councilmembers, stakeholders, community/civic meetings and surveys were conducted to garner insights and opinions in overall destination development from a tourism perspective. The JCVB presented the five Jefferson Parish districts with a Destination Development Plan, determining priority projects for advocacy support and current/future funding.

2023 ushered in new and renewed business:

• Hotels:

• Hilton New Orleans Airport began renovating the public spaces. Renovations will continue through 2024.

• Brent House started on their guestroom renovations in 2023 with a goal of fully renovating the property by mid 2024.

• Holiday Inn New Orleans Causeway reopened a renovated property in February of 2023 after a closure due to damages by Hurricane Ida.

• HI Express Kenner opened its 105-room property.

• HI Express Harvey completed full property renovations.

• Sheraton Metairie completed renovations of guestrooms.

• Country Inn & Suites by Radisson installed new carpeting in all guestrooms, upgraded to HS internet, and renovated the courtyard.

• Lafreniere Park broke ground on the much-anticipated food pavilion. Slated to include four food kiosks, beverages, a picnic area and a stage for entertainment.

• Severn Avenue, a major retail and dining corridor of the Parish, saw the completion of a drainage project, the incorporation of bike lanes and more pedestrian-friendly sidewalks & crosswalks.

• The installation of The Mardi Gras Tree sculpture by artist Christy Boutte was installed at the corner of Veterans & Severn, celebrating Metairie and Jefferson’s many passions, from oysters to crawfish, crabs, and Mardi Gras!

• Game on Social Hub opened in Kenner. An indoor entertainment center featuring laser tag, bowling, axe throwing, dining and more.

• Pigeon’s Catering & Events opened its headquarters in old Jefferson. The facility houses Pigeon’s Catering, Carnival Culinary Solutions, and the Le Provisions gourmet market.

• Parc des Familles opened a 100-foot fishing pier and a wheelchair-accessible small boat launching dock, which offers easy boarding of kayaks and canoes.

• Dining:

• Ground Pat’i opened its new home in Kenner’s historic Rivertown. A welcomed family indoor and outdoor dining, and live music venue.

• Metairie Road welcomed Felipe’s Taqueria, Garrison Kitchen & Cocktails, TANA Italian and nearby, Las Cruces Tex-Mex.

• Gretna welcomed Dough Nguyener's Vietnamese Bakery.

• Restaurant des Familles reopened in time to celebrate its 30th anniversary! Nestled along Bayou des Familles, in Crown Point, a culinary & visual delight!

2023 DESTINATION INFLUENCES

• Allstate Sugarbowl Prep Classic

• Mardi Gras

• Family Gras

• Gretna Heritage Festival

• Lucky Bags National Cornhole Tournament

• Elite Redfish Series

• Grand Isle International Tarpon Rodeo

• Lafitte Seafood Festival

• Louisiana Fire Juniors Soccer

• First Robotics

• Disabled American Veterans

• Top Taco Fest

• Gator Classic Soccer Tournament

• New Orleans Champions Cup Soccer Tournament

• National Collegiate Rugby

• Uncle Sam Jam

• U.S. Open Netball Championships

• Zurich Classic

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Destination Sales & Services

The promotion of the destination to meeting planners, group tour operators, sporting events organizers and conference planners proved successful as the JCVB sales team achieved commendable growth in 2023 with 9,580 room nights booked for a $10 million economic impact!

Print and digital marketing, with an emphasis on the top-producing sports and military markets, were placed in over 15 outlets/publications, including but not limited to the Sports Events Annual Planners Guide, Sports Destination Guide, Convention South, Meetings Today and the Military Reunion Network and Disabled American Veterans Annual Conference Guides.

2023 HIGHLIGHTS

JANUARY Allstate Sugar Bowl National Prep Classic - 3,500 Attendees / 880 Room Nights U.S. Jr. Chamber & Int'l Jr. Chamber - 350 attendees / 900 Room Nights

FEBRUARY U.S. Marine's - 400 attendees / 3,000 Room Nights

APRIL Louisiana Fire Soccer Big Easy Invitational - 2,500 Attendees / 1,350 Room Nights

MAY Disabled American Veterans - 300 Attendees / 325 Room Nights

SEPTEMBER Louisiana Fire Soccer - 500 Attendees / 300 Room Nights

NOVEMBER Louisiana Fire Juniors Soccer New Orleans Champions Cup - 3,000 Attendees / 300 Room Nights Disabled American Veterans - 300 Attendees / 325 Room Nights

As one of the premier destinations for mid-sized tournaments and events, Jefferson Parish offers diverse venues for an array of sports. The JCVB Sports Venue Guide is a valuable resource for planners. The guide is promoted online, at conferences, and distributed during site visits.

Sports Planning Guide @SportsPlanGuide #SportsPG 2 JEFFERSON PARISH IS DIVERSE IN ITS LANDSCAPE AND COMMUNITIES. ADVENTURE AND EXPERIENCES ABOUND, A TREAT FOR THE SENSES Pontchartrain Center MMA, volleyball, cheer, multipurpose This 4,600-seat multipurpose arena in Kenner is a hotspot for indoor tournament play. The center features 46,080 square feet of floor space for exhibitions and over 11,000 square feet of meeting rooms, making it ideal to host smaller indoor events and competitions. Opened in 1991, the center can seat 3,600 for sporting events, 3,700 for concerts and 3,228 for conventions. The center played host to LHSAA volleyball and cheer and dance competitions Jefferson Parish, LA and was the host site for the Gumbo Dance Sports Championships for four days in late June. It has also hosted the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s UFC 16 and UFC 18 events. Alario Center Basketball, boxing The John A. Alario Event Center is a tournament planner’s dream when searching for an indoor, multipurpose venue. With 105,000 square feet spread throughout the facility across three main exhibition halls, two meeting rooms, a boardroom and a lobby, the center is conveniently located, A diverse community sprawling the southern shore of Lake Pontchartrain and ending 60 miles later on the beaches of the Gulf of Mexico, Jefferson Parish offers a variety of attractions, activities, cuisines and experiences. Jefferson Parish is an enticing mix of night life, historic districts, coastal cuisine and Mother Nature galore. FACILITY SPOTLIGHT PLANNER PERSPECTIVE “We have been hosting our All-Star High School basketball game at the Alario Center in Jefferson Parish for over 15 years. The combination of a great facility, friendly staff, and all of the efforts from the Jefferson Convention & Visitors Bureau keep me coming back.” — Ed Daniels, Allstate Sugar Bowl National Prep Classic Pontchartrain Center NOLA Gold Rugby Alario Center offers sports planners at SportsPlanningGuide.com It’s in to be out competing 504.731.7083 TOLL FREE 1.877.572.7474 VISITJEFFERSONPARISH.COM
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In partnership with local organizations, the JCVB was able to successfully secure key future events:

ALLSTATE SUGAR BOWL NATIONAL PREP CLASSIC

Returning to the Alario Center January 3-6, 2024, with 749 room nights and 7,200 attendees

FIRST ROBOTICS

Returning to the Pontchartrain Center April 2-7, 2024, with 800 room nights and 4,000 attendees

POWER LIFTING AMERICA HIGH SCHOOL CHAMPIONSHIPS

At the New Orleans Hilton Airport April 18-21, 2024, with 1,000 room nights and 4,000 attendees

In partnership with the Jefferson Parish Parks & Recreation Department (JPRD), we worked on bidding for the Louisiana Parks & Recreation Associations, and together with the Greater New Orleans Sports Foundation (GNOSF), the JCVB worked several new leads for the region, including Bass Fishing, Iron Man, Flag Football, Beach Soccer, Softball, Bicycle Races, and Beach Volleyball. A marketing and sponsorship partnership with Tulane University Athletics exposes the destination to visiting teams and their families, providing the opportunity to offer housing and unique brand experiences. The sales team assisted the Jefferson Economic Development Commission (JEDCO) during the Spring Investor familiarization tour. These alliances afford the JCVB and its hospitality industry partners opportunities for growth across all markets.

The JCVB represented its partners and the destination at select tradeshows and conferences, attending 14 group tradeshows and confirming 260 appointments with more than 1,300 event planners.

CLIENT COMMUNICATIONS

6,000

DEFINITE ROOM NIGHTS

TOTAL LEADS GENERATED

195

9,580 GROUPS WELCOMED

37

FAMILIARIZATION TOURS HOSTED

2

CLIENT SITE TOURS

12

HOSTED TELEMARKETING EVENTS WITH HOTEL PARTNERS SPANNING

2 Weeks

Trade Shows

ASSOCIATION:

• Louisiana Society of Association Executives

CORPORATE:

• Small Market Meetings

• Smart Market Meetings

SOCIAL, MILITARY, EDUCATION, RELIGIOUS, FRATERNAL:

• Religious Conference Management Association

• Military Reunion Network

TOUR & TRAVEL

• American Bus Association

• Travel South Domestic

• US Travel Association, IPW

• Southeast USA Spotlight

• Student Youth Travel Association

SPORTS

• Sports ETA Conference

• SPORTS, the Relationship Conference

• TEAMS

• US Sports Congress

SALES MISSION IN PARTNERSHIP WITH LOUISIANA OFFICE OF TOURISM:

• National Collegiate Athletic Association

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Marketing the Destination

LEISURE MARKETING

The JCVB’s objective is to increase the number of visitors traveling to Jefferson Parish through print, digital, broadcast, search engine optimization, social media, influencer, cooperative marketing, tradeshows, sales missions, and familiarization (FAM) trips.

Digital, broadcast and social advertising efforts garnered more than 4 million impressions, and we acquired 2,748 inquiries from advertising leads. Visit Jefferson Parish maintained an in-market presence with GEO fencing display ads, garnering 1,820,790 impressions, and through in-guestroom broadcast television via Destination Network's NOTV, where our Outdoor Family Fun commercial ran 7,446 spots in 23,972 hotel rooms in the metro area.

It’s in to be out connecting

Jefferson Parish was promoted at the following leisure-oriented tradeshows and conferences:

• IPW Conference

• LTA Lt. Governor's Travel Summit

• Travel South Domestic

• Travel South International

• Travel Unity Summit

Fall brought the launch of our new marketing campaign ... It's In to be Out through vibrant print and digital advertising. The campaign's playful approach is designed to encourage visitors to get out and experience Jefferson!

It’s
504.731.7083 1.877.572.7474 VISITJEFFERSONPARISH.COM 504.731.7083 1.877.572.7474 VISITJEFFERSONPARISH.COM
in to be out on the bayou
It’s in to be out onthebayou 504.731.7083 1.877.572.7474 VISITJEFFERSONPARISH.COM It’s in to be out dining 504.731.7083 TOLL FREE 1.877.572.7474 VISITJEFFERSONPARISH.COM It’s in to be out on an adventure 504.731.7083 | VISITJEFFERSONPARISH.COM Page 6

FAMILIARIZATION (FAM) TOURS

Visit Jefferson Parish hosted Ken Perrotte, writer, editor and photographer, with more than 2,300 published outdoors, travel and wild game cooking articles, as our guest to 'Eat & Play Like a Local' while exploring our great outdoors. Ken's article entitled, Outdoor Paradise, can be read in the 2023 Visit Jefferson Parish Annual Visitors Guide. His experience included airboating, birding, kayaking, and, of course, fishing! Additionally, Ken featured Jefferson in The Free Lance-Star with his article, 'Chasing Bayou redfish adds some spice to a trip.' As an added bonus, he captured the beauty and playfulness of our destination through his lens.

MARKETING PARTNERSHIPS

• Louisiana Office of Tourism (LOT)

• Louisiana Travel Association (LTA)

• Louisiana Tax Free Shopping

• Gulf Alliance of Tourism (GATOR)

• Louisiana Culinary Trails

• TEAM Louisiana

• Elite Fishing Series

• Krewe of Argus

• Tulane Sports

• NOLA Gold Rugby

• NOTV, Destination Network

Visit Jefferson Parish Visitors Guide is an annual inspiration guide highlighting the destination, its events and the JCVB membership. This lifestyle magazine featured articles encouraging visitors to 'Eat & Play Like a Local' as told by travel writers. The guide is the main response piece for potential visitors requesting information on Jefferson Parish. With a print distribution of 35,000 along with 50+ thousand of its rack card companion piece, it is distributed throughout Louisiana Welcome Centers, Jefferson and Orleans parish hotels, and to attendees of conferences and events.

JEFFERSON PARISH VISITORS GUIDE
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LOUISIANA OYSTER TRAIL

The Louisiana Oyster Trail is comprised of Jefferson Parish oyster experiences, each boasting a 3-foot-tall poly resin oyster sculpture hand-painted by a local artist. The trail spans the coast of Grand Isle, the banks of the Mississippi and the shores of Lake Pontchartrain, offering travelers a tasty journey wherever they may visit in Jefferson. The dedicated website, LouisianaOysterTrail.com, provides a map with a complete listing of participating restaurants, as well as artist profiles and sculpture images.

RHYTHM ON THE ROUTE

This annual initiative enables Mardi Gras krewes in the district of Metairie to entice local, regional, and out-of-state marching bands to participate in their parade by incentivizing the bands with a Battle of the Bands contest. The procurement of regional and/or out-of-state bands means overnight housing and revenue to our restaurants and storefronts. A robust carnival season means more visitors to Jefferson Parish, resulting in higher occupancy and a stronger economic impact.

SNO-BALL BLITZ!

Created to celebrate this 'cool' Louisiana tradition and enhance patronage, the Jefferson Parish Sno-Ball Blitz featured nearly a dozen stands offering a specialty sno-ball. Patrons were encouraged to visit all participating stands and to vote for their favorite. The winner was bestowed the honor of 'Best in Sno'!

TASTE OF THE TRAIL

The Taste of the Louisiana Oyster Trail is an annual initiative providing the participating restaurants with a platform to showcase their fare to visitors and locals alike. Complimentary advertising and a 'checkin challenge' aid each restaurant's promotion and enhance patronage while stimulating the local economy.

S NO-BAL L BLIT Z ! JEFFERSO N PARISH
Only one trail is the pearl of Louisiana cooking! THE JEFFERSON PARISH LOUISIANA OYSTER TRAIL Whether you’re an oyster aficionado or you have an adventurous palate, the Jefferson Parish Louisiana Oyster Trail is an experience to savor. Feast your eyes on each restaurant’s life-size oyster sculpture, hand-painted by a local artist which marks the eatery’s recipe for oyster success! The trail spans the parish and features oysters prepared every which way imaginable. Try Oysters Bienville, Oyster Dressing, Fried Oysters, Charbroiled Oysters, or you can slurp the briny delicacy straight from our Louisiana waters. Our Oyster Trail gets more bountiful every day with new restaurants and dishes. So go to louisianaoystertrail.com, where we’ll tempt you to try the wild side of Louisiana cooking. Acme Oyster House Balcony Ballroom Boulevard American Bistro Colonial Bowling Lanes Deanie's Seafood, Bucktown Don's Seafood Drago's Seafood Restaurant Gattuso's Neighborhood Restaurant, Bar & Catering Grand Isle, Collection of eateries N.O. Marriott Metairie at Lakeway's Bistreaux Restaurant Perino's Boiling Pot Restaurant R&O's Restaurant Riccobono's Peppermill Restaurant Restaurant des Familles Short Stop Poboys The Galley Seafood Restaurant The Red Maple Restaurant Town of Jean Lafitte, collection of eateries Vincent's Italian Cuisine JEFFERSON CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU, INC. WWW.LOUISIANAOYSTERTRAIL.COM www.louisianaoystertrail.com Page 9

Social Media

Digital and social media marketing was a major factor in advancing brand awareness and exposing the destination across a variety of digital platforms.

FACEBOOK

Family Gras

Louisiana Oyster Trail

Visit Jefferson Parish

#VisitJeffersonParish

INSTAGRAM

@VisitJeffersonParish

#VisitJeffersonParish

X

@FamilyGras

@JeffersonLaFun

#VisitJeffersonParish

YOUTUBE

760,141 views

6,405.6 watch time

1,047,921 impressions

PINTEREST

@VisitJeffersonParish

SOCIAL AT A GLANCE

45,934 Facebook Followers

1,716,367 Total Impressions

1,850 X Followers 21,266 Total Impressions

3,741 Instagram Followers 236,179 Total Impressions

in to be out
It’s
competing Page 10
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Website & Digital

2,808,333 Impressions

5,792 total clicks on JCVB member Destination Travel Network ads

631,000 Page Views to Website 413,749 sessions and 2,892,935 event counts/user interactions

2:46 Average Time on Page 287,361 (86.9%) were new users

2,689 Booking Page Views on aRes booking engine

SNO-BALL BLITZ PROMOTION

Our Sno-Ball Blitz promotion required patrons to go to our website to vote for their favorite sno-ball. This 11-participant promotion garnered 5,165 votes on visitjeffersonparish.com, with the winning stand, Droopy's Snow Balls, receiving 1,577 votes!

VISITJEFFERSONPARISH.COM
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VISIT JEFFERSON PARISH APP

Visit Jefferson Parish App features a destination map, itinerary builder, calendar of events, accommodations, and more!

635 Downloads

15,161 Page Views

2,815 Users

OYSTER TRAIL CHALLENGE

November 7-12, 2023, we garnered 120 Sessions with 1,192 pageviews and 23 participants checking in on our Taste of Louisiana Oyster Trail App Challenge. 6 participants won the challenge.

JEFFERSON PARISH INSIDER BLOG

12,535

Total Page Views

Top 3 Posts

"History of Bucktown" 1,292 page views

"Jefferson Parish 2023 Cinco de Mayo Celebrations" 1,038 page views

"Haunted Huey P. Long Bridge" 972 page views

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PR & Media Marketing

Travel media and Influencer outreach are significant to the destination's overall marketing. The JCVB partnered with its members to offer familiarization (FAM) tours to the travel media for a firsthand experience, which in turn, they provided the destination with exposure in digital and/or print travel trades.

Outreach is consistent through travel industry associations, media travel conferences/tradeshows, and through media partnerships. Direct media outreach through our partnership with Mindy Bianca Public Relations (MBPR) and the Louisiana Office of Tourism (LOT), North American Travel Journalist (NATJA), Society of American Travel Writers (SATW), and Travel Bloggers Exchange (TBEX) provided opportunities throughout the year to pitch story ideas and introduce the destination to travel writers and journalists and influencers.

Our partnership with Meltwater, an online media monitoring company, was forged in the 2nd quarter, allowing comprehensive media monitoring and analysis across online news, social media, print, broadcast, and podcasts.

The JCVB also attends media and PR conferences annually to grow our relationships and further our understanding of media and travel industry communication.

TRAVEL MEDIA/INFLUENCER CONFERENCES

The JCVB also attends media and PR conferences annually to grow our relationships and further our understanding of media and travel industry communication.

• Travel Bloggers Exchange (TBEX)

• Travel South Media Marketplace

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MEDIA MENTIONS

Visit Jefferson Parish enjoyed 48 media mentions in 2023, introducing the destination to 229,473,999 potential travelers through the stories and articles featured.

A sampling of those featured:

• "The Other Wild Side of New Orleans" | Gear Junkie

• "Fun things to do in the South" | AAA Explorer

• "Chasing Bayou Redfish" | The Free Lance-Star

• "Grand Isle’s Grand Return" | Louisiana Sportsman

• "Take A Trip To This Popular Southern US Tourist Spot For Your Next Camping Adventure" | Explore

• "10 airports across the US offer the best dining options" | USA Today, 10 Best

• "Celebrate The Holidays New Orleans Style" | Forbes

• "The Best Tourist Destinations in New Orleans, Louisiana" | Wander

MEDIA FAMILIARIZATION (FAM) TOURS

Visit Jefferson Parish hosted micro-influencer and travel and lifestyle blogger Mallory Lindsey as she rode in the Krewe of Argus parade live streaming much of her ride, inviting followers along for an experience of a lifetime and encouraging them to experience it for their selves in Jefferson Parish! In addition, Mallory wrote two feature blogs on Jefferson Parish.

In the fall, we hosted Louisiana native John Felsher, a professional freelance writer, photographer, editor, broadcaster and consultant who has published more than 3,300 bylined articles in more than 170 magazines, plus numerous newspapers and web articles. John experienced fishing and crabbing excursions in Grand Isle and shared his experience in the Louisiana Sportsman.

Local freelance writer, photographer and content creator Ashlea Kelly was a contributing writer for the 2023 Visit Jefferson Parish Visitors Guide with her article 'From the Water to the Plate,' sharing the journey of our bountiful seafood, from the fresh catch all the way to the plated dish!

TRAVEL MEDIA-ORIENTED MEMBERSHIPS

Membership in travel media-oriented associations is an important factor in marketing to media of specific or niche markets.

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MEMBER/STAKEHOLDER PROMISE

We pledge to facilitate business opportunities to members and partners through increased visitor exposure, advocacy & education.

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JCVB Member Partnerships

As a member-based organization, Visit Jefferson Parish is a resource and advocate for its over 200 members, partnering year-round through promotion and marketing initiatives and educational and professional development.

In 2023, we continued our partnership with Coca-Cola Bottling, UNITED distributing signage to our members that read "Another Jefferson Favorite." Our partners displayed their signs and encouraged others to partner with us to become "Proud Partners in Tourism."

A membership/stakeholder survey specific to benefits and views on tourism advocacy is deployed annually. Partner networking and meetings were hosted throughout the year, encouraging members to partner on marketing opportunities, as well as providing industry updates and data.

The 2023 Annual Membership Meeting was held in October at NOLA Motorsports Park. During the meeting, the new and renewing board of directors were elected and attendees were presented with the state of our industry address by JCVB President & CEO Violet Peters. A presentation on Workforce Development by guest speaker Laura Roussel, Jefferson Parish Schools, was delivered, followed by the reveal of the 'In to be Out' print & digital marketing campaign, and the Virgie Ott Tourism Award was presented.

The 2023 Virgie Ott Tourism Award was presented to Joe Spinato for his outstanding leadership and enthusiastic dedication to the Jefferson Parish hospitality industry.

Virgie Ott Award

Recipient - Joe Spinato

Also pictured Charlene Martinez, JCVB Chair and Violet Peters, President & CEO

VIRGIE OTT TOURISM AWARD
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Advocacy & Community

A vibrant, diverse multi-cultural destination offering experiences for all the senses, it is a privilege to promote our great Parish, providing visitors the opportunity to sample our hospitality and explore our communities. The efforts undertaken by Visit Jefferson Parish play a vital role in supporting job creation, destination development, and driving growth. The JCVB acts as the liaison between meeting planners, tour operators, travel agents, and its member organizations to support Jefferson’s $2 billion hospitality industry.

Together with the U.S. Travel industry, we advocated for the hospitality industry during National Travel & Tourism Week May 7-13, 2023, a week nationally recognized to reflect on the value of tourism and its significance to the economy and health of the nation. On Travel Rally Day, the Visit Jefferson Parish team, joined by Jefferson Parish officials and JCVB partners, celebrated Jefferson Parish tourism with a crawfish boil and the presentation of the inaugural Jefferson Parish Tourism Ambassador of the Year award. We were honored to present the award to Risë Spinelli of the New Orleans Marriott Metairie at Lakeway.

Passionate about our state and staunch advocates for our communities, members of the Visit Jefferson Parish team joined the clean-up efforts during Love the Boot Week, sponsored by Keep Louisiana Beautiful. Our team was proud to participate in multiple efforts throughout the parish, including Kenner, Metairie, Grand Isle, Gretna, Marrero, and Lafitte.

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Members of the Visit Jefferson Parish team joined the cleanup efforts during the Love the Boot Week sponsored by Keep Louisiana Beautiful.

JCVB Team

Violet Peters, CDME PRESIDENT & CEO violet@visitjeffersonparish.com

Terrie Birkel, CDME

VICE PRESIDENT OF MARKETING & COO terrie@visitjeffersonparish.com

Allison Driscoll CPA

VICE PRESIDENT OF FINANCE & CFO allison@visitjeffersonparish.com

Angela Matherne

VICE PRESIDENT OF SALES & CSO angela@visitjeffersonparish.com

Faye Broussard-Dauzat

DIGITAL MARKETING & SOCIAL CONTENT MANAGER faye@visitjeffersonparish.com

Alex Clancy

FESTIVALS & EVENTS MANAGER alex@visitjeffersonparish.com

Charlene Hale DIRECTOR OF PARTNERSHIPS & TRAVEL MEDIA charlene@visitjeffersonparish.com

Ariana Muñoz SALES MANAGER ariana@visitjeffersonparish.com

Randall Michel

SALES MANAGER randall@visitjeffersonparish.com

Lauri Zeringue

EXECUTIVE ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES lauri@visitjeffersonparish.com

Erin Schneider

FINANCE & ADMINISTRATIVE SPECIALIST erin@visitjeffersonparish.com

Kristine Mejia PARTNER SERVICES COORDINATOR kristine@visitjeffersonparish.com

LOVE THE BOOT WEEK
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504.731.7083 | 877.572.7474 1221 Elmwood Park Boulevard, Suite 411, New Orleans, Louisiana 70123 WWW.VISITJEFFERSONPARISH.COM

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