On Wednesday, May 17, Louisiana Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser visited the Hampton Inn in Broussard, LA, to see what the hard-working hotel staff do to keep the rooms clean and create an extraordinary guest experience. 

Lt. Governor Nungesser rolled up his sleeves, helped clean furniture, vacuumed the carpets, and pulled some towels for hotel guests. 

“Most people think hospitality staff is only the receptionists, but there are many more people and jobs that need to be done to keep everything running,” Lt. Governor Nungesser tweeted. 

“I saw everything from the front to the back of the house tour,” he continued. “Next time you see someone in the hospitality industry, thank them for their hard work!”

The 80-room Hampton Inn, owned and operated by Gulf Regional Director Vimal Patel, welcomes between 60 to 150 guests daily based on occupancy. 

Patel, with the help of his 18-person team, makes sure the property stays clean and organized in a timely manner. 

“It meant a lot to me, the team, and the overall industry to have had the Lt. Governor learn more about what it takes to keep a hotel business running,” Patel said. “If he didn’t spend time learning how hard our employees work and how the industry works, then it would be very difficult to understand the needs of hoteliers and promote tourism.”

Hospitality makes up a significant part of Louisiana's economy, and AAHOA Members are key players, owning 88.7% of the hotels in the Bayou State and impacting 96,062 jobs. According to Louisiana Travel Association, the leisure and hospitality industry is the fourth highest employer in the state.