Northshore leaders set 10-year tourism vision
The parish’s first 10-year Destination Master Plan was unanimously adopted after a year of public input and data collection.
By Ella Cox ·
St. Tammany Parish officials finalized the region’s first comprehensive long-term tourism strategy on Monday. The Tourist and Convention Commission voted unanimously to adopt the 10-year Destination Master Plan. The resolution was passed during a regularly scheduled meeting at the Visit the Northshore office near Mandeville on Oct. 27.
Donna O’Daniels, president and CEO of Visit the Northshore, described the document as the most impactful action of her more than 30-year career with the organization. She stated that the board completed the largest project in the 31 years since her arrival. The plan cost $325,000 and was funded by the commission’s special projects fund.
The commission hired international destination marketing firm MMGY Nextfactor to draft the plan. The process took more than a year to complete. MMGY Nextfactor gathered data through public gatherings, town hall meetings, digital surveys, and focus groups. The resulting document outlines five strategic goals for the next decade.
Those goals include investing in signature destination infrastructure and experiences. The plan also aims to activate and protect natural assets, express local culture, grow sports and family participation travel, and improve access and coordination. O’Daniels said the plan is designed for intentional growth to strengthen the local economy and support businesses.
Five work groups will now determine which projects to implement first. These groups align with the strategic goals identified in the master plan. O’Daniels said immediate priorities include research studies on hotels, amateur sports, and outdoor attractions. Additional funds are planned for 2027 to execute specific recommendations.
Early projects likely to proceed include expanding the Community Mural Project to additional towns. The organization also plans to add better wayfinding and signage to improve access between towns. O’Daniels noted that some recommendations, such as developing the northern part of the parish into an equestrian destination, will take several years to coordinate.
Marketing Director Sarah Hill announced that Visit the Northshore launched its newest brewery collaboration this week. Causeway Copper, a Vienna-style lager, is available at Chafunkta Brewing Co. in cans and on tap. The beer will be distributed to local grocery stores this month. Nate Bosley, the organization’s new digital content and creative manager, worked with Chafunkta on the label design.
The full Master Plan will be available at www.visitthenorthshore.com in the coming weeks. The next regular meeting for the Tourist Commission is set for Dec. 15 at 2 p.m. at the Visit the Northshore office, located at 68099 La. 59 near Mandeville.
