NEW ORLEANS – Tourism professionals from across Louisiana will gather in New Orleans Aug. 18-20 for the 2026 Louisiana Travel Summit as the state’s fourth-largest industry looks to build on a year in which visitor spending reached $19.5 billion.
The Louisiana Travel Association’s annual statewide conference will be held at the JW Marriott New Orleans, bringing together tourism and hospitality professionals for educational sessions, industry discussions and networking focused on trends and issues affecting the state’s travel industry.
“Louisiana’s greatest tourism opportunity is the momentum being created across our state,” said Chris Landry, president and CEO of the Louisiana Travel Association. “Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser, the Louisiana Office of Tourism, and our convention and visitors bureaus are doing tremendous work to attract visitors and showcase the authentic experiences that make Louisiana unlike anywhere else.”
Landry said continued growth in occupancy and new tourism and economic development projects is also increasing the need for skilled workers.
“As occupancy continues to grow and new tourism and economic development projects come online, our greatest challenge will be developing the skilled workforce needed to support that growth,” he said. “We have to ensure that our hospitality infrastructure keeps pace with demand so we can continue delivering the incredible experiences our visitors expect and deserve.”
Louisiana Tourism Spending Reaches $19.5B
Louisiana welcomed 45 million visitors in 2025, up about 254,000 from the previous year, according to the Louisiana Office of Tourism. Visitor spending increased 5.4% to $19.5 billion, about $1 billion more than in 2024, while the tourism and hospitality sector supported 225,600 jobs statewide.
The Louisiana Travel Summit draws participants from across Louisiana’s tourism industry. The Louisiana Travel Association represents more than 800 members, including hotels, attractions, restaurants, casinos, convention and visitors bureaus, municipalities, tour operators and other tourism-related businesses and organizations.
This year’s summit will also include three familiarization tours Aug. 18 designed to introduce tourism professionals to New Orleans attractions and experiences. The tours will focus on the city’s neighborhoods and history and include a visit to one of the nation’s leading museums, according to the association.
The statewide summit comes as New Orleans prepares to host another major tourism industry gathering next year. More than 6,000 tourism professionals are expected for the U.S. Travel Association’s IPW 2027, an international travel trade show scheduled for May 2-6.
The Louisiana Travel Summit
The Louisiana Travel Summit is expected to generate more than $5 billion in future bookings, according to New Orleans & Company. The Louisiana Office of Tourism plans to work with tourism organizations across the state to encourage international tour operators and travel journalists attending IPW to visit destinations beyond New Orleans.
New Orleans was selected to host the 2026 Louisiana Travel Summit, a decision New Orleans & Company President and CEO Walt Leger revealed during last year’s Louisiana Travel Summit in Lake Charles.
