LA will launch oil spill-related ad campaign to promote tourism in the state
by Ed Anderson - Times-Picayune (excerpt)

BATON ROUGE -- The state will launch a special summertime national ad campaign to let the public know that the BP oil spill has not paralyzed the state or shut down key tourist attractions, Louisiana's chief tourism officer said Friday.

Pam Breaux, secretary of the Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism, told members of the Senate Finance Committee that a recent survey commissioned by her office shows that 23 percent of tourists who had booked trips to the state have cancelled or delayed them because of the spill. "This is directly attributable to the oil spill," Breaux told lawmakers. "We have to combat it with aggressive marketing."

Breaux said she will use part of a $15 million grant from the oil company to launch the national ad campaign. She said she will have details on the campaign late next week. Breaux said the cost of the possible loss of tourism cannot be calculated now.

COMMENTARY: We are hoping Lt. Governor Angelle won't do something really stupid and hire an out-of-state Ad firm to do the campaign.