NEWS RELEASE

Contact: David West (west@nsula.edu )
News Bureau
Northwestern State University
Natchitoches, LA 71497
(318) 357-6466

9/22/2004

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NATCHITOCHES - Tourism means more to the Natchitoches area than a trip to the Historic District, the Cane River Plantations, a meal in a restaurant and a stay in local hotels. It is one of the forces driving growth in the Natchitoches area.

A summit on the economic impact of tourism in Natchitoches Parish will be held at Northwestern State University Monday, Oct. 4. The event will be at Magale Recital Hall and is co-sponsored by NSU, the Cane River National Heritage Area and the Cane River Creole National Historical Park.

Lt. Gov. Mitch Landrieu will be the featured speaker at a noon luncheon at the Ramada Inn located on the Highway 1 Bypass in Natchitoches.

Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. with the seminar starting at 9 a.m. Dion Boyett, director of NSU's Small Business Development Center, will provide data and analysis on the economic impact of tourism in Natchitoches. A session on heritage tourism and its value will also be held along with a roundtable discussion on planning and issues in Natchitoches tourism. The closing speaker will be Carole Summer, former head of
Heritage Tourism in Kentucky, and now with Hand Made in America. Summer will discuss what heritage tourism can mean to the area.

"Tourism is important to the local economy, more than I anticipated seeing," said Boyett. "I hope people come out of the summit realizing the impact tourism has.

"Tourism has a broader impact than just the dollars generated. The things that attract tourists to the area are also attractive to retirees who may want to settle here. Natchitoches is becoming a retirement mecca. A lot of people who visit here as tourists fall in love with the location and retire here. Some have come here for the Christmas Festival and have moved their business here."

Boyett said the charm of the Natchitoches area has also been a factor in the growth of Northwestern State University.

"Those same assets which draw tourists and retirees also help attract students to Northwestern," he said. "Prospective students and their families like the community and feel safe here."

One area of tourism growth is heritage tourism. Many visitors are attracted to the Cane River Creole National Historical Park and the unique history in the area.

According to a economic impact study conducted by the Cane River National Heritage Area, visitors to the region spent an estimated $7.2 million in sales. In addition, economic impact of Heritage Area attractions and programs is approximately $3.2 million in wages and salaries and the creation of about 250 jobs.

Of those surveyed, 73% rated hospitality in the area as excellent, 80% rated tours as good or excellent, and 74% rated exhibits as good or excellent. The Cane River National Heritage Area Commission plans to use the study to guide future projects and programming.

The fee for the seminar is $10 which includes lunch. To make reservations, call the Cane River National Heritage Area at (318) 356-555 or send a check to: Cane River National Heritage Area, P.O. Box 1201, Natchitoches, LA 71458.

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