When we talk about economic development, we often talk about jobs, business recruitment, infrastructure and investment. Those things remain essential, but increasingly, communities are competing for something just as important: people’s desire to be here.
At Visit Shreveport-Bossier, we believe tourism is one of the tools that can help us build a stronger place to live, work, visit and invest. Our 10-Year Destination Master Plan was created with that broader purpose in mind. Our six strategic priorities include placemaking, supporting creative entrepreneurs, sports tourism, meetings and conventions, outdoor recreation and community collaboration. The goal is not simply to attract more visitors, but to use tourism to generate investment, opportunity, civic pride and a better quality of life.
The 2025 DestinationNEXT Futures Study from Destinations International describes a new era for destination organizations. The traditional role of marketing a community is expanding into destination stewardship, development, advocacy, community engagement and policy. In fact, Destinations International reports that 84% of destination organizations are now engaged in destination development. That evolution is reflected in our own organization.
This year, Visit Shreveport-Bossier renewed our Destination Marketing Accreditation Program, or DMAP, accreditation through Destinations International. DMAP is an internationally recognized program that establishes standards for performance and accountability among destination organizations. For us, accreditation reinforces that our responsibility extends beyond promoting Shreveport-Bossier. Two of our recent initiatives speak to our desire for collaboration and being intentional about how we manage, develop and advocate for our destination.
Through the Destination 318 Tourism Business Challenge, in partnership with the Entrepreneurial Accelerator Program, a division of BRF, we are empowering and investing directly in local entrepreneurs who are creating new experiences and expanding what visitors (and residents) can do here. The program was intentionally designed to enhance the visitor experience while also improving quality of life for the people who call this region home.
In partnership with the Shreveport Regional Arts Council and the Caddo Parish Commission, nine artistic gateway signs were installed along the National Scenic Boom or Bust Byway. With support from a National Endowment for the Arts grant, the project uses art and storytelling to celebrate the distinct identity of rural communities along Hwy 2 and invites travelers to slow down, explore and discover communities that might otherwise be passed by.
These investments create visitor experiences, but they also create something for residents: reasons to be proud of where we live, opportunities for local entrepreneurs and artists, stronger connections between communities, and places worth exploring in our own backyard.
In 2025, visitors generated an estimated $998.1 million in spending across Caddo and Bossier Parishes and supported 19,825 jobs. Tourism is already a significant part of our economic engine, but our opportunity is bigger than the numbers. We aren’t simply trying to get more visitors. We’re committed to creating a place people want to experience, invest in and call home. When we improve the destination, we improve the community. And when we improve the community, we strengthen the destination. That is why quality of place belongs in the economic development conversation and why Visit Shreveport-Bossier is committed to being part of that conversation.
Stacy Brown, President/CEO at Visit Shreveport-Bossier