Baton Rouge had 9.4M visitors last year. Nobody noticed.

In this episode of the Louisiana Business & Industry Show, Gordy Rush and Tim Johnson sit down with Jill Kidder, President and CEO of Visit Baton Rouge, to discuss one of the most underrated economic engines in Louisiana: tourism, a $1.3 billion industry supporting over 42,000 jobs in East Baton Rouge Parish alone.Jill breaks down how Visit Baton Rouge attracts millions of visitors to the capital city, from major conventions and youth sports tournaments to the bowling congress that brought 150,000 people through Baton Rouge in a single season. She explains why tourism is the first step in the economic development cycle, how Baton Rouge quietly earned its first listings in the Michelin Guide, and why sports tourism is the fastest-growing opportunity for the region.The conversation also covers the exciting developments on the horizon, including the redevelopment of the River Center, the new Sports Illustrated hotel coming downtown, and a bold plan to turn Baton Rouge back toward the Mississippi River as its front porch. If you care about the future of business, growth, and quality of life in Louisiana, this conversation is one you do not want to miss.Subscribe, like, and comment to help us spread the word about the future of Louisiana business.