Annual Report 2026
* Data and activities from the 2025 calendar year
Table of Contents
2 | Visit The Northshore
FRO M T H E PRES I D EN T & CEO D O N N A O ’DA N I EL S
04
WH O WE A RE
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V I S I T T H E N O RT H S H O RE T EA M
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WH AT WE D O & H OW WE D O I T
08
WH Y TO URI S M MAT T ERS
10
RES EA RCH TO ACH I EV E MEA S URA B L E S UCCES S
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MA RK ET I N G & CO MMUN I CAT I O NS
16
S A L ES & H O S PI TA L I T Y
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2026 Annual Report | 3
From the President & CEO
Donna O’Daniels In 2025, Visit The Northshore celebrated a year of momentum, innovation and meaningful partnerships. Our focus remained clear: creating economic opportunity through tourism while strengthening the quality of life for everyone who calls St. Tammany Parish home.
Tourism continued to be a powerful economic driver for our communities. Visitors supported local restaurants, shops, attractions, hotels and small businesses throughout the parish, reinforcing tourism’s role as one of our region’s strongest industries.
4 | Visit The Northshore
Our Shore to Be campaign continued to inspire travel, while new storytelling initiatives highlighted our culinary scene, outdoor recreation, arts, culture and the authentic experiences that make our destination unique. We strengthened our commitment to local businesses through collaborative marketing efforts, co-branded products, public art initiatives and expanded destination social content. Visit The Northshore earned multiple HSMAI Adrian Awards, including recognition for our All The Waves podcast, destination marketing campaign and visitor guide. These honors reflect the creativity, passion and collaboration of a team dedicated to telling The Northshore’s story in fresh and engaging ways. Behind every campaign is a commitment to serving our community, and showcasing The Northshore as an exceptional destination for meetings and leisure travel. From supporting local businesses and promoting hospitality workforce development through Shore & Tell University to advancing strategic partnerships and embracing new technologies, we are positioning The Northshore for long-term success in an evolving tourism landscape.
None of this would be possible without the dedication of our staff, Board of Commissioners, elected officials, hospitality partners and community champions. Thank you for believing in our shared vision and helping us showcase everything that makes The Northshore such a remarkable place to visit, work and live. As we celebrate our 50th anniversary throughout 2026, we are also focused on what comes next. This fall, we will unveil our updated Tourism Master Plan, charting a bold vision for the future of tourism in St. Tammany Parish. The next 50 years begin with the decisions we make today, and we are excited to lead that journey together.
DONNA O’DANIELS, CDME PRESIDENT & CEO VISIT THE NORTHSHORE
2026 Annual Report | 5
Who We Are The St. Tammany Parish Tourist and Convention Commission, operating as Visit The Northshore, is a public, quasi-governmental agency established in 1976. It is overseen by a seven-member board of directors appointed by the St. Tammany Parish Council and the Parish President.
Our Vision The vision of Visit The Northshore is to establish St. Tammany Parish as a premier travel destination.
Visit The Northshore Team DONNA O’DANIELS, CDME President & CEO
NATE BOSLEY Digital Content & Creative Manager
DEVAN RICHOUX, CPA Chief Financial Officer
NICOLE DAVIS, TMP Communications Manager
KATIE GUASCO, CDME Chief Marketing Officer
ROBERTA CARROW JACKSON, PDM Destination Programs Manager
TANYA LEADER, CDME Vice President of Sales & Services
VISITOR SERVICES REPRESENTATIVES: Annette Shurtz Christy Paulsell Sarah Carpenter Sheila Nolinske
ZONDRA WHITE JONES, CGMP, CDTP Senior Sales Manager SARAH HILL, TMP, PDM Marketing Director
Our Mission The mission of Visit The Northshore is to market and promote St. Tammany Parish as a highly desirable destination for visitors, thereby increasing the economic impact of tourism on the area.
6 | Visit The Northshore
Board of Directors PAT TI ELLISH Commission Chair ALEX CAROLLO Commission Vice-Chair MELISSA RUDDICK Commission Secretary/Treasurer
KATIE DOMINGUE THE HONORABLE SHARON W. HEWIT T KEVIN DAVIS LACEY OSBORNE
2026 Annual Report | 7
What We Do & How We Do It
How Tourism Benefits The Community Tourism is one of St. Tammany Parish’s strongest economic engines. It supports local businesses, creates jobs, generates tax revenue and enhances the quality of life for residents. Every visitor who stays in a hotel, dines in a restaurant, shops locally or attends an event helps strengthen our economy and support the businesses that make our community unique.
As a valuable resource for potential visitors and residents, our promise is to deliver the good life, nourish the heart, season the soul and bring communities together.
OP
LIT Y NT A BI
U
LE AD
ILITY B A T N U O O
ES
Respect Teamwork Empowerment Communication Enthusiasm
AC C
This diagram illustrates Visit The Northshore’s internal and external values, reflecting our commitment to the community and to one another. These values serve as a guiding compass, shaping decisions, unifying our team and reinforcing a shared sense of purpose.
IN
C
Visit The Northshore also receives 25% of the state’s 4% sales tax collected on lodging. We do not receive funding from local property taxes or local sales taxes paid by St. Tammany Parish residents.
Our Corporate Values
RECO P I GN SH R I E A TERN L VAU
VISION
Visit The Northshore was funded through a 3% hotel occupancy tax until October 2025, when voters approved an additional 1% hotel occupancy tax. Today, of the total 4% hotel occupancy tax, 3.75% supports Visit The Northshore’s tourism marketing and destination development efforts, while 0.25% is dedicated to St. Tammany Economic Development Corporation.
RNAL VAUES
ON TI
8 | Visit The Northshore
How We’re Funded
C
Our complimentary services include media outreach, digital and print promotion, meeting and group planning support and social media marketing, all designed to increase visitation, support local jobs and grow our tourism economy.
EXTE
V I SIO N
Visit The Northshore works to strengthen and expand visitor experiences that attract travelers and groups, encourage longer stays and boost economic impact across St. Tammany Parish. Through research and collaboration, we help identify new tourism opportunities and bring industry partners together to address key issues.
By attracting visitors year-round and encouraging them to explore communities throughout the parish, Visit The Northshore helps grow visitor spending and the tax revenue it generates, ensuring tourism remains an investment in our local economy and the future of St. Tammany Parish.
ATION ER OP O
We are creating an easy and accessible escape for leisure travelers, business travelers and local residents alike. Visit The Northshore delivers world-class culinary flavors, thriving downtowns, aspirational adventures and plenty of outdoor recreation for one or many to enjoy. With a network of unified communities to explore and water always within reach, Visit The Northshore is committed to cultivating the vacation mindset.
ER
AT ION
A
O C C
2026 Annual Report | 9
Why Tourism Matters
$900 Million
In 2025, St. Tammany Parish generated nearly $900 million in visitor spending.
14,300 Jobs
$326.9 Million in Employment Earnings
$85.5 Million
The amount visitors contributed in state and local tax revenues for St. Tammany Parish.
Nearly $1,000
The additional amount each household would pay in taxes to maintain current services if not for the state and local taxes paid by tourists visiting St. Tammany Parish. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Census Bureau and Tourism Economics.
10 | Visit The Northshore
2026 Annual Report | 11
Research to Achieve Measurable Success
Total Size of St. Tammany Parish 2025 Domestic Travel Market
30% 0.8M 70% 2M
Day Trip
Overnight Trip
Adults vs. Children
25% 0.5M
Travel USA Visitor Volume Study for 2025 by Compass Longwoods International Visit The Northshore utilizes syndicated research to unlock valuable insights into the travel market in St. Tammany Parish. By tapping into this rich data, Visit The Northshore gains a deeper understanding of the diverse types of trips visitors take in the region.
12 | Visit The Northshore
2.8 Million
The number of visitors that came to St. Tammany Parish in 2025.
75% 1.5M
25% 0.2M 75% 0.6M
DAY TR IP S (2 M) Adults Children
OV ER N IG H T TR IP S (0 . 8M) Adults Children
2026 Annual Report | 13
St. Tammany Parish Visitation Report by Symphony In 2025, Visit The Northshore shifted to Symphony by Tourism Economics, a business intelligence platform that combines tourism, marketing, economic and visitor data into one dashboard. It helps destination organizations measure performance, identify trends and make informed decisions through easy-tounderstand reporting.
Spending with a Big Impact (YoY Growth)
+27.6% Entertainment
+6.3% Retail
+5.8% Restaurants & Dining
Media and Website Attribution & Conversion
Top Domestic Visitor Origin Markets
1 2 3 4 5
New OrleansMetairie
36,930
3.30%
Influenced Visits
19.31%
Media Visit Rate
62 Days Average from media exposure to visit
Website Visit Rate
72.5 Days Average from website exposure to visit
Hammond Picayune
Media and Website Economic Impact
Baton Rouge Gulfport-Biloxi
$12 .5 M I L L I ON
IN D IR EC T, IN D IR EC T AN D IN D UC ED V ISITOR SP EN D IN G IN FLU EN C ED B Y OUR MED IA AN D WEB SITE AC TIV ITY.
Top International Markets Based on Visa Spend Data
19.09M
C A N A DA --------------------- $454.7K
TOP DESTINATION AMONG CONVERTED VISITORS
Slidell Outdoor Recreation
Total Tracked Impressions
M E X I CO ---------------------- $31 6.3 K
#1
H ON D U R A S ----------------- $30 8 .0K U N I T E D K I NG D O M - - - - - - - $2 1 6.2K
Layers of Total Economic Impact
+ DIRECT
Influenced visitor spending
14 | Visit The Northshore
Pearl River Outdoor Recreation
= INDIRECT & INDUCED
Local supply chain and employee wages spent in the local economy
OT H E R L E A DI NG CO NV E R S I O NS
TOTAL IMPACT Full economic benefit
Old Mandeville Outdoor Recreation Slidell Shopping
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Reaching Visitors Impactful Campaigns
PRINT ADS
Shore To Be After two successful years, Visit The Northshore closed the chapter on its award-winning Shore To Be campaign. Designed to position The Northshore as Louisiana’s Easy Escape, the campaign elevated the destination’s profile while delivering measurable results and international recognition.
Savored SHORE TO BE
Visit The Northshore, where the bubbles are effervescent, the spirits are bright, the dinners twinkle with delight and the moments are shore to be savored.
VisitTheNorthshore.com
Along the way, Shore To Be earned the Louisiana Travel Association Louey Award for Marketing Campaign of the Year, the Southeast Tourism Society Best Marketing Campaign Award and an HSMAI Adrian Award for destination marketing excellence. As the campaign concludes, its success provides a strong foundation for the next generation of destination storytelling and tourism promotion.
SHORE TO BE
Delighted 16 | Visit The Northshore
Water shimmies, flavors dance
Celebrations sparkle, flavors
and happiness ripples through
dance and happiness ripples
The Northshore. It’s not simply
through The Northshore. It’s not
a destination, it’s a feeling.
simply a destination, it’s a feeling.
VISITTHENORTHSHORE.COM
Float Awhile Midway through 2025, Visit The Northshore launched Float Awhile, a campaign inspired by the destination’s rivers, bayous, lakes, and laid-back way of life. Building on the success of Shore To Be, the campaign invites visitors to slow down, reconnect and experience the many ways to “float” across The Northshore, from paddling scenic waterways to savoring great food, local culture and simple moments of relaxation.
VISITTHENORTHSHORE.COM
CAMPAIGN VIDEO
274K
YOUTUBE VIEWS
2026 Annual Report | 17
Reaching Visitors Our Print and Digital Footprint
Social Stats IN STAG R AM (January-December 2025)
88K
VISITOR GUIDES DISTRIBUTED
2025 VISITORS GUIDES
• Views: 1.5M • Reach: 499.2K
237%
• Content Interactions: 97.9K • Link Clicks: 6.3K
66.7%
• Profile Visits: 39.1K
EASY TO DISCOVER Events EASY TO DISCOVER Events SPRING/SUMMER 2025
FA L L / W I N T E R 2 0 2 5 -2 6
9.8M%
275.1%
• New Followers: 4.9K
FAC EB OOK (January-December 2025) • Views: 18.6M • Content Interactions: 175.5K • Link Clicks: 138K
900.7%
159.9%
• Profile Visits: 147.9K
337%
• New Followers: 19.7K
434.7%
47%
Average open rate, Jan. 1-Dec. 31, 2025
4% YOY
LIN K ED IN (February-December 2025) • Impressions: 344.5K • Page Views: 385 • Unique Visitors: 178 • New Followers: 150 • Total Followers: 1,693 NATURE'S NEWEST HITS Page 14
FESTIN' AL FRESCO Page 22
MARITIME LEGACY Page 34
SHUCKING UP FLAVOR Page 21
NEW MURALS, MADE LOCAL Page 30
A NORTHSHORE CULINARY TOUR Page 34
VISITTHENORTHSHORE.COM | 1 VISITTHENORTHSHORE.COM | 1
TIK TOK (July-December 2025) • Video Views: 715.6K • Profile Views: 6K • Likes: 32.7K • Comments: 340
By the Numbers
• Shares: 11K • Total Followers: 13K
927,963
Total Visitors to VisitTheNorthshore.com
18 | Visit The Northshore
127,700
Social Media Followers
37,000 Email Subscribers
7,800
Podcast Downloads
• Net Followers: 3.3K Reporting periods vary as Visit The Northshore expanded performance monitoring across platforms. LinkedIn reporting began in February 2025 as the platform became a strategic priority, while TikTok reporting began in July 2025 following periods of governmental uncertainty surrounding the platform.
Film and TV Productions The Visit The Northshore Film Commission worked closely with production companies to promote local filming opportunities, assist with permitting resources and connect crews with community resources. These efforts helped maintain the parish’s reputation as a film-friendly destination. Eight film and TV productions took place on The Northshore in 2025. Highlights include: • BBC Studios Productions for its documentary series Party in the USA • American Society of Travel Advisors (ASTA) for VeriVacation commercials Chatbot and Bats • Stephen Chbosky and Mark Wahlberg for their Apple TV feature film Cheesesteak
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Earned Media Nuggets Coverage in top-tier travel, lifestyle, culinary and regional publications helped position The Northshore as a must-visit destination while reaching millions of potential travelers. • Atlanta Journal Constitution Louisiana’s Northshore: Where the living is easy. • The New Orleans Advocate Bundle Up and Get Back to Nature in the New Year: Here are 6 Prime Spots in Louisiana Impressions: 952,800 • The Telegraph The Little-visited US Coast that Combines Sugar-white Beaches and Southern Charm Impressions: 30,193,239 • Knoxville Daily Sun In Louisiana, a Tale of Two Very Different Hotels Impressions: 101,566 • Southern Living The South’s Best Seafood Dives 2025 Impressions: 11,524,250 • Southern Living 26 Beautiful State Parks That Will Make You Fall (Even More) In Love With The South Impressions: 11,524,250
176
• Travel + Leisure This Lesser-known Louisiana Region Has Charming Small Towns, Delicious Seafood, and Boutique Hotels—and It’s Just 40 Minutes From New Orleans Impressions: 10,804,304 • Islands This Vibrant Louisiana Region Is Home To Tranquil Marshlands And Some Of The World’s Best Seafood Impressions: 2,844,185 • Islands Right Across The Lake From New Orleans Is A Charming Louisiana City Offering Cute Cafes And Artsy Vibes Impressions: 2,844,185 • World Atlas 8 Quirkiest Louisiana Towns To Visit In 2025 Impressions: 6,145,520
2025 Reach
Published Results
20 | Visit The Northshore
• Southern Living 12 Best Things To Do In Mandeville, Louisiana Impressions: 11,524,250
8B
Unique Visitors per Month
1.6M
Total Print Circulation
Website Website enhancements and a continued focus on SEO, fresh content and targeted digital campaigns drove strong performance in 2025. VisitTheNorthshore.com recorded 927,963 sessions, up 16.7% year over year, with new users increasing 18.6% and page views rising 13.5%. Average session duration also climbed 21.2%, demonstrating stronger visitor engagement and continued growth in qualified website traffic.
Web Stats
(January 1-December 31, 2025)
• Sessions: 927,963
16.72% YOY
• New Users: 670,915
18.56%
• Views: 1,782,767
13.48%
• Engaged Sessions per User: .87 • Engaged Sessions: 589,596
6.06%
12.59%
• Average Session Duration: 3:35
21.19%
• Average Engagement Time per Session: 42s 11.53%
2026 Annual Report | 21
Reaching Visitors Community Partnerships It Takes a Parish Throughout 2025, Visit The Northshore partnered with local businesses to create a collection of co-branded products that celebrate the destination and support our local economy. Abita Roasting Co. continued its Easy Escape coffee, available at all five café locations; Abita Brewery launched a one year partnership co-branded craft beer called Northshore Sunset; and Bridge Street Ink in Olde Towne Slidell designed an exclusive Northshore T-shirt. These locally made products are promoted through social media, digital marketing and interactive experiences that encourage visitors to explore communities throughout the parish.
Murals Visit The Northshore continued its partnership with community leaders to expand the Northshore’s collection of interactive murals. In 2025, murals in Abita Springs and Mandeville were completed. In both cases, creativity continued with expanded murals and new art opporutunities. These vibrant public art installations celebrate each community’s unique character while creating memorable photo opportunities that encourage residents and visitors to explore more of the parish.
22 | Visit The Northshore
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Reaching Visitors Innovation to Create an Impact
Shore & Tell University
All The Waves Podcast
Tune In
24 | Visit The Northshore
Season 2 of All The Waves, Visit The Northshore’s official podcast, continued to share the stories, people and places that make the destination unique. Featuring local businesses, events, attractions and community leaders, the podcast surpassed 7,000 downloads while inspiring future visitors and deepening local pride. The podcast’s success was recognized internationally with an HSMAI Adrian Award, honoring All The Waves as one of the year’s outstanding destination marketing podcasts.
Shore & Tell University celebrated the graduation of its inaugural class, marking the successful launch of Visit The Northshore’s hospitality ambassador program. Over the course of the year, participants representing hotels, attractions, venues and tourism partners strengthened their destination knowledge through hands-on learning, tours, professional development and mentorship from respected industry leaders. Coursework focused on customer service, social impact, leadership and the visitor experience, empowering graduates to become knowledgeable ambassadors for St. Tammany Parish. By investing in the people who welcome visitors every day, Shore & Tell University strengthened the region’s hospitality workforce and reinforced Visit The Northshore’s commitment to delivering exceptional visitor experiences while cultivating the next generation of tourism leaders.
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Every Wave Welcome In 2025, Visit The Northshore participated in a three-part professional development workshop series through Destinations International. The training equipped staff and leadership with new perspectives on hospitality, accessibility, destination stewardship and community engagement while providing an opportunity to refine the Every Wave Welcome initiative and explore future opportunities. This investment in professional development reinforced Visit The Northshore’s commitment to creating exceptional experiences for visitors and supporting a welcoming destination for all.
26 | Visit The Northshore
Our recent Biddy Basketball World Tournament in St. Tammany Parish was a resounding success, featuring over 70 boys’ and girls’ teams, including teams from as far as Finland. We are incredibly grateful to the Visit The Northshore Sales Team for their outstanding support in securing hotel accommodations, providing financial assistance and preparing thoughtful goodie bags for our families, helping them connect with the community and explore enjoyable activities outside the tournament. These are vital aspects for the tournament’s success and the overall enjoyment of all the families who travel here.
LAURA E. BLOCK Biddy Basketball
2026 Annual Report | 27
Sales Department
Domestic Stats • Our Sales Team met with 230 direct contacts at appointment-driven conferences and trade shows. • We hosted five sales calls with association meeting planners. • Our team provided industry partners with 212 leads and service requests for potential business. • We presented open opportunities to our Northshore Lodging Association at their quarterly meetings. • Visit The Northshore partnered with Visit Kenner to better promote our “Causeway Connection” to planners at Rendezvous South. • Our team participated in the Super Bowl Visitor Experience Marketplace held in New Orleans during Super Bowl weekend. • We renewed our membership with PlayEasy—a sports event platform for additional awareness of Northshore sports venues among event organizers. • We hosted golf tour and travel organizers on a fam tour coordinated by the Louisiana Office of Tourism to help grow sports tourism.
• Our team coordinated both our industry update luncheon for hotel management and annual hospitality fam tour for frontline hotel staff. • We enhanced the incentives package for eligible corporate, association, SMERF and governmental groups booked through Visit The Northshore during shoulder seasons. • We hosted attendees from the Police Jury Association Regional Executive Meeting, Southern District Lutheran Church Convention and the Louisiana Notary Association Annual Convention as association, corporate and SMERF markets continued to rebound on The Northshore. • Our sales newsletter was sent semiannually to potential industry clients with an open rate of over 52%. • We presented at the inaugural Louisiana Tour & Travel workshop, LSAE Annual Convention and on the panel “Access Isn’t Optional: Rethinking Impact in the Workplace” at Destinations International THRIVE.
International Stats • Through the Louisiana Office of Tourism, our team participated in the multi-city Canadian sales mission with various other Louisiana destination management organizations to spread the message of welcome and welcome back to our Canadian neighbors.
• We hosted tour operators from Spain and the Canary Islands as part of a multi-parish familiarization tour coordinated through the Louisiana Office of Tourism. • We met with key receptive tour companies in New York City with Visit Baton Rouge to keep “Not Your Typical 10” itinerary top of mind. • We partnered with Visit Baton Rouge at the annual Travel South International showcase to once again align our mission to promote our destination’s proximity while offering uniqueness at each destination. • In partnership with Visit Baton Rouge and Tourism Tactics by Tico, and assistance from our Louisiana Office of Tourism UK office, Visit The Northshore hosted over 100 international tour operators and journalists at our annual IPW reception where we presented new product to be shared with their clients. • We worked directly with multiple receptive tour operators to include The Northshore in their current program offerings. • We have a presence on several UK tour operators’ websites that promote The Northshore on their business-to-business platforms and believe this will only increase as British Airways continues to strengthen its route from the UK to New Orleans. • Visit The Northshore continues to work with the Louisiana Office of Tourism international offices in France, the UK, Germany, Brazil and Canada to promote our hotels, attractions and culinary scene!
Sponsored Events MANDEVILLE SOCCER CLUB MIDNIGHT MADNESS
28 | Visit The Northshore
ELITE REDFISH SOLO TOURNAMENT
CULTURE CAMPOUT
NORTHSHORE HALF MARATHON
WORLD BIDDY BASKETBALL TOURNAMENT
HORTON-SETTLE FAMILY REUNION
LOUISIANA FUNERAL DIRECTORS FALL MEETING
2026 Annual Report | 29
Welcoming with Hospitality
Visitor Services Department In 2025, Visit The Northshore welcomed over 1,000 visitors to a newly renovated visitor center, which included unisex restrooms, closed-captioned videos and multi-level brochure racks. Our team provided 43,000 items of branded merchandise to groups and visitors, with a total value of $40,795.69.
Even if you’ve never planned a family reunion before, I highly recommend using the resources available through Visit The Northshore. Senior Sales Manager, Zondra White Jones, was an incredible asset throughout the planning process. The Northshore was the perfect destination, offering Louisiana’s unique culture in a peaceful setting while still being close to New Orleans. Zondra and her team made the planning easy and provided valuable guidance that helped create a memorable reunion for family members of all ages.
JENNIFER WILSON Reunion Planner
30 | Visit The Northshore
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St. Tammany Parish Tourist & Convention Commission 68099 Highway 59, Mandeville, LA 70471 | (800) 634-9443
#VisitTheNorthshore #TammanyTaste
VISITTHENORTHSHORE.COM