Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/1503289
B M & T ••• July/August ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 7 to move into a growth phase for tourism by significantly increasing our advertising spend", said Cleo Battle, President & CEO of Louisville Tourism. "Since first positioning Louisville as a 'Gateway to Bourbon Country' in 2007, the hospitality industry has thoroughly embraced the city's Bourbon heritage with a record number of Bourbon related experiences available. Doubling down as 'Bourbon City' is a way to leverage a powerful brand that has set Louisville apart from vast competition. While the Bourbon culture might be the inspiration to travel, once here visitors are able to explore Louisville beyond Bourbon and all the city has to offer" said Michael Fetter, Director of Marketing for Louisville Tourism. Battle adds, "Louisville Tourism's role is to inspire travel; In 2019, Louisville hosted 19 million annual visitors, and mar- keting efforts like this campaign will further support the des- tination's goal of increasing to 25 million visitors by 2030. And we know our hospitality industry is ready to deliver on our brand promise." Local agency Doe-Anderson coordinated the production and placement of this new Bourbon City campaign. VISIT LAKE CHARLES LAUNCHED JOY CAMPAIGN As Much Joy As You Can Pack In Visit Lake Charles recently launched its new campaign "As Much Joy As You Can Pack In" to highlight the authentic joy that can be experienced in Southwest Louisiana through culinary traditions, luxury travel, arts and culture, the great outdoors, and music. "Oftentimes, when visitors come through Lake Charles, they say that the 'people' made their visit so much fun, and they were treated like family. When looking deeper into this idea, it's the joie de vivre or joy of living that we collec- tively experience through sharing our culture with others. The campaign is lighthearted and showcases the personali- ty of the destination. Genuine connection through joy is what's truly at the heart of the campaign, and we're looking forward to leading with the spirit of this idea to promote Southwest Loui-siana," said Timothy Bush, CMO at Visit Lake Charles. In addition to campaign assets, the marketing team produced five videos that focus on locals who talk about how they experience and share joy in their daily lives. These stories are sen- sory in nature so that the viewer can imagine what it's like to feel joy through being in nature, relaxing in luxury, eating a delicious meal, soak- ing in culture, or dancing to a Zydeco band. The campaign officially launched with an interactive event as part of the Pecan Street Festival in Austin, Tex., May 6-7. The goal of the event was to increase awareness from Austinites, Austin media, and Austin social media influencers to grow interest in one of the top emerging markets for Southwest Louisiana. Visit Lake Charles showcased Zydeco musician and 4- time Grammy nominee, Sean Ardoin to headline at the festival on Saturday night. In addition, Austinites enjoyed delicious food prepared by Executive Chef Stephen Coblentz of Chart House at Golden Nugget, brews from Crying Eagle Brewery and a host of other ways to experi- ence the joy found in Southwest Louisiana through games and a complimentary VIP Lake Charles Experience. Festival goers who participated in a Luggage Stacking Challenge and a Pack the Mini Cooper Challenge were able to vie for a chance to win one of eight vacation get- aways to Golden Nugget, L'Auberge Casino Resort, Horseshoe Lake Charles, or Delta Down Racetrack Casino & Hotel. The campaign also launched at the start of National Travel & Tourism Week (NTTW), which ran now through May 13 with destinations across the country celebrating the impact of travel on local economies. To learn more about the campaign and the impact of travel on Southwest Louisiana, log onto www.visitlakecharles.- org/nttw.