NEW ORLEANS – The New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau and the Louisiana Office of Tourism announced a new joint partnership in the selection of China-based firm East West Marketing Corporation to support tourism efforts in China.
East West Marketing Corporation will provide support for travel trade sales, public relations, consumer marketing and social media promotions. The Chinese travel market is the fastest growing inbound travel market to the United States and currently the third-largest overseas inbound market, projected to rank number one by 2021. This opportunity is crucial in contributing to the increase of international travel to New Orleans, the state of Louisiana and the Southern Region as a whole, CVB reps said.
“As part of our continued effort to market New Orleans to the world, we have identified China as an emerging source of increased visitation to New Orleans,” Stephen Perry, president and CEO of the New Orleans CVB, said. “This is the first step in a long-term strategy of cultivating this market and introducing New Orleans’ unique attributes to the people of China. We are excited about partnering with the Louisiana Office of Tourism to attract more Chinese visitors to New Orleans and Louisiana.”
East West Marketing Corporation’s offices in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Chengdu will educate key travel buyers about Louisiana and New Orleans through several resources, including the use of digital and online channels, such as WeChat and Weibo, and through direct sales to travel professionals and travel media outlets.
Traveling to Louisiana from China is much easier now, with direct flights from China to Houston and Dallas, growth of Texas and Louisiana travel packages and the increase in Travel Visa Validity to 10 years as of November 2014, CVB reps said. This partnership will also have a major economic impact on Louisiana tourism dollars, with Chinese visitors ranking number one in spending.
The addition of East West Marketing Corporation increases the visibility of Louisiana and New Orleans in key international travel markets. Currently, the New Orleans CVB and the Louisiana Office of Tourism have international representatives in Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom. Additionally, the state is represented in Australia, Japan, and Italy.
“International travel has increased 36 percent to the state and 37 percent to New Orleans over the last year,” Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser said. “That’s huge for our state because international visitors stay longer, see more, and as a result spend more money. Louisiana has a one of a kind experience to offer visitors and we need to continue putting our best foot forward and making sure people around the world know Louisiana is ready to help them pass a good time.”
“The number of Chinese travelers to the United States was 3 million for 2016,” said Assistant Secretary Kyle Edmiston. “That is expected to double to 6 million by 2021, moving China into the top spot for the number of long-haul inbound travelers to our country and exceeding the number of visitors from Germany, France, and Australia combined. Our goal is to ensure these travelers know about the wonderful food, music, culture, and history Louisiana has to offer inspiring them to make Louisiana their destination of choice.”
