Just days after Louisiana announced a record breaking year for tourism, the president of the New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau fears there could be a rocky road ahead if the state passes the religious freedom bill.
Similar religious freedom laws have divided the states of Indiana and Arkansas in the last week and begun to impact tourism there.
In Indiana, several large scale conventions have been cancelled or move out of state, potentially costing tourism stakeholders millions in lost revenue.
"The adoption of certain types of overreaching, problematic and divisive legislation in Louisiana has the possibility of threatening our state’s third largest industry and creating economic losses pushing past a billion dollars a year and costing us tens of thousands of jobs," said Stephen Perry, president of NOCVB.
The bill’s author, state Rep. Mike Johnson has amended parts of the legislation to head off criticism, but Perry wants it completely scrapped.
"Our hospitality industry, like those in all other destinations, is extremely sensitive to perception and proper imagery and presentation as to not only our cultural product and attractions, but our attitudes and hospitality beliefs and welcoming standards."
"Discrimination is the antithesis of hospitality. Hospitality invites. It does not divide. Our huge industry and our economy depend on it.," Perry added
Opponents have called the various state bills a ‘license to discriminate.’
