Description
The Washington Parish Tourism Commission was created by Washington Parish Police Jury (now Parish Council) Ordinance #46 on May 26, 1992. All tourism commissions were officially established by Acts of the Louisiana legislature. The mission of the Washington Parish Tourism Commission is to promote Washington Parish attractions and events in order to encourage visitors to our area; to increase knowledge of the resources available throughout our community, region, and state; to create an awareness of the impact of tourism on the local, regional, and state economy. The second largest industry in Louisiana is the travel and tourism industry.
The Washington Parish Tourism Commission business office is located at 908 Mill Street in Franklinton. The office is open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 9 am until 4 pm. Washington Parish holidays are observed. The phone numbers are local: 985-839-5228; toll-free: 1-888-827-7118; fax: 985-839-7950. E-mail addresses are wptour@bellsouth.net and wptour@washingtonparishtourism.com. Our web site is www.washingtonparishtourism.com. The Office manager is Kathi Mayor.
The tourism office maintains brochures, flyers, maps, and other informational items from the local area, as well as surrounding parishes and state-wide information such as literature from the Louisiana Office of State Parks, the Louisiana Office of Tourism, etc. Examples of these are Louisiana State highway maps, Washington Parish maps, the official Louisiana Tour Guide, and our own locally-produced brochure, Scenic Byways and Backways. Our local brochure is made available to State Welcome Centers and other visitor's centers across the state, and it is available through order at the Louisiana Office of Tourism and the local web sites. It is the primary fulfillment piece sent to anyone who requests a visitor's packet for Washington Parish.Tourism information is also available at the Bogalusa Chamber of Commerce 608 Willis Avenue, and on weekends at the Varnado Store Museum 936 Pearl Street in Franklinton. Through these cooperative agreements, tourism information is available seven days a week in the parish. However, it is the long-range plan of the Tourism Commission to have our own full-service, full-time visitor's center in the future.
The Washington Parish Tourism Commission meets on the third Thursday of each month at 5:30 pm. In Franklinton the meetings are held at the office on Mill Street. Meeting notices are submitted to both local newspapers to be published in advance of the meeting. Variation in place and/or time of the tourism commission meetings will be noted. The Tourism Commission makes an effort to convene at other locations around the parish in order to allow attendance by those members of the public who may not be able to travel to Franklinton, and to allow the Tourism Commission to become knowledgeable regarding our local attractions, events, and hospitality-related businesses. As a public body, the State-defined open meeting law must be observed.
Tourism Commissioners are appointed by the Washington Parish Council for three-year terms. Below is a list of the current Tourism Commission, their offices, term expiration dates, and brief biographical remarks.
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