Harlan Kirgan
Tourism professionals in St. Landry Parish gather monthly to network and on Thursday the meeting was held at the Prairie Acadian Cultural Center.
Celeste Gomez, St. Landry Parish Tourism Commission executive director, started the meeting by stating the parish is fortunate to have the National Park site.
The meeting was held in the demonstration kitchen area where on Saturdays Cajun and Creole foods are prepared for visitors. Elsewhere in the center visitors dance and learn about the local culture.
Angelle Bellard, park guide, also noted the Saturday events include the Rendez-vous des Cajuns show at the Libertry Theater.
The show is 30 years old and needs people going to it to keep keep it alive, she said.
St. Landry Parish’s tourism industry ranks 17th among the state’s 64 parishes, Gomez said. Domestic travel spending was more than $97 million in the parish in 2014.
Among those attending the meeting:
— George Marks, director of the NUNU Arts and Culture Collective at Arnaudville, spoke about the French Immersion project involving the former St. Luke Hospital.
— Suzanne LaHaye, of Eunice, was introduced as a new member of the parish tourism commission.
— Felicia Wiggins spoke about the Le Village Guest House and other event facilities in Eunice.
— Ginger Fontenot and Annette Parker discussed tourism-related places and events in Washington.
— Dwight Jodon, of Eunice, said the Eunice Community Concert and Choir is planning its Christmas performance and the Experience Louisiana Festival is scheduled Oct. 28 and 29.
— Robert Johnson, director of the Eunice Recreation Department, explained sports events draws visitors to Eunice and the area.
— Jerilyn LaVergne, of Sunset, said on the second Saturday of the month there is a Sunset Jam from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sibille Street. There is also a Saturday morning farmers market depending on the growing season. A French Immersion elementary school is also planned in Sunset to open in August or September 2018.
Gomez said One Acadiana, a regional chamber of commerce that represents Acadia, Evangeline, Iberia, Jeff Davis, Lafayette, St. Landry, St. Martin, St. Mary, and Vermilion parishes, recently adopted a brand of “South Louisiana.”
The brand adds descriptions such as “Real Cajun” and “Real Business.”
One Acadiana plans a tour of St. Landry and Evangeline parishes on Nov. 9, she said. The tour is to begin at LSUE, continue to Ville Platte, Opelousas, Sunset and end at Arnaudville.
Gomez also discussed the hotel-motel occupancy tax, which, along with a base tax of 10.75 percent, adds 14.75 percent to the cost of a room in Eunice and other locations in St. Landry Parish except for Opelousas where the total is 17.75 percent.
The parish hotel-motel occupancy tax is 4 percent. Opelousas added another 2 cent to the tax.
In New Orleans and Baton Rouge, the occupancy tax is 13 to 14 percent, she said.