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July 1, 2008

CONTACT:
Seth Harvey
225-342-8153

BATON ROUGE - Louisiana Lt. Governor Mitch Landrieu announced this week that Louisiana tourism will have a significant presence at this month's Beaches International Jazz Festival in Toronto.

The Louisiana Department of Culture, Recreation and Tourism - which Landrieu's office oversees - will operate a tourist information booth and host a backstage hospitality tent for tourist industry partners and the Canadian media during major segments of the two-week festival.

"The Beaches festival draws one million jazz music fans, and those who attend have strong potential to visit Louisiana," said Landrieu.

"We will tell them face to face that Louisiana is the birthplace of jazz music and that we're ready to deliver a world-class music and culinary experience," said Landrieu.

Components of the Beaches festival with a Louisiana presence include a media conference event July 3; concerts in Woodbine Park July 18-20; the festival's "StreetFest" concerts and events July 24-26; events in Kew Gardens July 26-27; and a fun run July 27.

Canada is Louisiana's most significant international tourist market, said Dawn Watson, Secretary of the DCRT. Louisiana shares historical ties with eastern Canada, and Toronto has been considered an emerging market in recent years.

"We share a French cultural heritage with Canadians, and they are prolific Louisiana travelers," Watson said.

Louisiana's hospitality tent will host and entertain prolific Canadian industry partners and members of the Canadian media. The state's sponsorship includes sign, banner and logo placement at the festival and in the festival's official program, press releases, advertising and all promotional materials.

The state will also be acknowledged verbally as a main sponsor at all events and be granted complimentary advertising space in the festival program.

The tourist information booth will offer tour guides, information brochures and staff who will promote the state's offerings, said Chuck Morse, Assistant Secretary of the Louisiana Office of Tourism.

"Our booth will make a Louisiana getaway as easy and convenient as possible to achieve for Canadian visitors," Morse said.