Staff Report
St. Landry Parish Tourism Director Celeste Gomez plans to retire at the end of this year from the job she had held for 21 years.
Gomez, of Eunice, guided St. Landry Parish tourism from days when there was no website to today where a new site has been unveiled, one of many sites in her two decades at the helm.
“We’ve worked really hard and become a major player in the tourism industry for the state,” she said Thursday at LSUE after a monthly tourism meeting.
The retirement was announced in an email Oct. 12.
St. Landry Parish Tourist Commission Chairwoman Suzanne LaHaye said, “We will miss her leadership as the tourism spokesperson for St. Landry Parish and are truly grateful for her years of dedication.”
The announcement cited the following accomplishments by Gomez.
— Over the last 10 years the St. Landry Parish Tourist Commission has helped to increase the St. Landry Parish hotel tax revenue by 51 percent.
• In 2011, the parish tourism commission was named “Outstanding CVB/Tourist Commission” with a budget of $250,000 to $749,999 by the Louisiana Travel Association.
• The tourism commission expanded its working relationship with francophile and francophone communities in an effort to promote the French and Creole communities of St. Landry Parish. The commission continues to support this effort by publishing content and advertorials in French.
• In 2011, the commission opened an award-winning, state certified visitor information center. Visitors from all 50 states and internationals from various countries have been greeted by staff.
Gomez said the commission’s budget has grown from about $50,000 to about $450,000 in two decades.