Visit Lake Charles + Golden Nugget LC Earn Louey Awards; VLC Wins HSMAI Adrian Awards
Feb 20, 2025 03:37PM ● By Kelsey Swire
Visit Lake Charles is proud to announce that Golden Nugget Lake Charles and Visit Lake Charles have been awarded Louisiana Travel Association Louey Awards. The awards were presented last night during the association’s Annual Meeting in Monroe. The Louey Awards honor individuals and organizations who have made exceptional contributions to the Louisiana tourism industry.
Visit Lake Charles won the Silver Louey Award for Tourism Campaign of the Year for its “As Much Joy As You Can Pack In” campaign, now in its third year. This award recognizes creative, innovative, and community-driven campaigns that capture travelers’ attention while delivering strong results. “As Much Joy As You Can Pack In” redefined Lake Charles’ appeal and continues to do so with bold visuals, compelling storytelling, and data-driven strategies, driving record engagement and overnight stays–making it a standout winner.
Additionally, Golden Nugget Lake Charles won Accommodation of the Year, an award given to a hotel, resort, campground, RV park, or bed & breakfast that excels in service and understands the value of marketing to visitors. The recognition is based on the casino’s commitment to hosting world-class entertainment, signature culinary events, and community-driven initiatives that continue to enhance tourism in Southwest Louisiana.
“These awards reflect the ongoing hard work of the Visit Lake Charles team in showcasing our destination and the joy visitors can experience in Southwest Louisiana,” said Kyle Edmiston, the president and CEO of Visit Lake Charles. “I’m also pleased to see Golden Nugget Lake Charles being recognized for its continuous commitment to top-notch service and hospitality.”
Visit Lake Charles Wins HSMAI Adrian Awards
The “As Much Joy As You Can Pack In” campaign received a Bronze Adrian Award for the second consecutive year. The campaign showcases the endless excitement and fun that make Lake Charles the ideal destination for adventurers, families, and leisure travelers alike. The creative initiative continues to inspire travelers to discover the JOY of Southwest Louisiana.
In addition to visually appealing creative, the campaign played a key role in driving tourism growth and supporting Visit Lake Charles’ goals of increasing overnight stays and visitor spending. During the 2023-2024 shoulder season—the period between a destination’s peak season and off-season—Southwest Louisiana experienced a 15% year-over-year increase in average visitor spend, a 23% rise in restaurant spending, 14% growth in retail spending, and a 57% boost in accommodations spend.
Media efforts consistently exceeded benchmarks, with display ads achieving a 51% engagement rate in 2023–a 125% increase from 2022. Additionally, the campaign successfully motivated travelers to explore beyond gaming, as website metrics showed increased engagement: a 19% rise in new users, a 22% increase in sessions, a 13% increase in average time spent on the site, and strong engagement across all brand pillars.
Visit Lake Charles’ Tripscout campaign was also recognized for its exceptional performance, winning a Bronze Adrian Award. The campaign reached millions of potential visitors by leveraging influencer partnerships and targeted email marketing, sharing the region’s attractions and cultural richness with key markets.
The Tripscout campaign, launched in March 2024, delivered 5.2 million impressions, surpassing its target by 10%. It included 35 engaging social media posts and 11 bonus reels and was featured in the Tripscout Travel Digest newsletter, reaching 448,217 subscribers with a remarkable 28.3% open rate. Ongoing efforts continue to amplify Southwest Louisiana’s appeal, using influencer content in social media advertising to attract new visitors.
“We are deeply honored to have two of our campaigns recognized by HSMAI,” said Timothy Bush, the chief marketing officer at Visit Lake Charles. “To be included amongst the stellar campaigns from so many sectors of the hospitality industry shows that Visit Lake Charles is not only delivering award-winning marketing but also campaigns that drive impactful results for our community.”
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Visit Lake Charles Wins HSMAI Adrian Awards
Visit Lake Charles was honored at the Hospitality Sales & Marketing Association International (HSMAI) Adrian Awards Celebration Wednesday in New York, receiving two awards for excellence in marketing. HSMAI is a global organization dedicated to advancing the sales, marketing, and revenue optimization disciplines in the hospitality industry.
The “As Much Joy As You Can Pack In” campaign received a Bronze Adrian Award for the second consecutive year. The campaign showcases the endless excitement and fun that make Lake Charles the ideal destination for adventurers, families, and leisure travelers alike. The creative initiative continues to inspire travelers to discover the JOY of Southwest Louisiana.
In addition to visually appealing creative, the campaign played a key role in driving tourism growth and supporting Visit Lake Charles’ goals of increasing overnight stays and visitor spending. During the 2023-2024 shoulder season—the period between a destination’s peak season and off-season—Southwest Louisiana experienced a 15% year-over-year increase in average visitor spend, a 23% rise in restaurant spending, 14% growth in retail spending, and a 57% boost in accommodations spend.
Media efforts consistently exceeded benchmarks, with display ads achieving a 51% engagement rate in 2023–a 125% increase from 2022. Additionally, the campaign successfully motivated travelers to explore beyond gaming, as website metrics showed increased engagement: a 19% rise in new users, a 22% increase in sessions, a 13% increase in average time spent on the site, and strong engagement across all brand pillars.
Visit Lake Charles’ Tripscout campaign was also recognized for its exceptional performance, winning a Bronze Adrian Award. The campaign reached millions of potential visitors by leveraging influencer partnerships and targeted email marketing, sharing the region’s attractions and cultural richness with key markets.
The Tripscout campaign, launched in March 2024, delivered 5.2 million impressions, surpassing its target by 10%. It included 35 engaging social media posts and 11 bonus reels and was featured in the Tripscout Travel Digest newsletter, reaching 448,217 subscribers with a remarkable 28.3% open rate. Ongoing efforts continue to amplify Southwest Louisiana’s appeal, using influencer content in social media advertising to attract new visitors.
“We are deeply honored to have two of our campaigns recognized by HSMAI,” said Timothy Bush, the chief marketing officer at Visit Lake Charles. “To be included amongst the stellar campaigns from so many sectors of the hospitality industry shows that Visit Lake Charles is not only delivering award-winning marketing but also campaigns that drive impactful results for our community.”
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