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During these times of uncertainty and difficulty for the entire world, we must take comfort in the resiliency of the people in the River Region and across Louisiana. We have faced many obstacles over the past 50 years, and yet the people of the River Parishes remain firm in our faith and anchored by our love for this incredible region.

The River Parishes are home to some of the most generous and kind-hearted people in the world. Now more than ever, we need to lean on each other to provide comfort and understanding as we navigate the COVID-19 crisis together. We are a strong and tight-knit community, and we will overcome this with a stronger sense of unity in our community and compassion for our neighbors.

Our hearts and prayers continue to be with our small businesses and restaurants across our region who are experiencing tremendous hardships as a result of this unprecedented situation. To support our region’s cultural bearers, we are encouraging our citizens across the River Region to “Taste the River Parishes,” by visiting restaurants who have remained open. The list at www.TastetheRiverParishes.comis updated daily. Small business owners are the economic lifelines of our local communities, and we must do everything we can to provide them with critical financial support during these challenging times. Whether it’s placing a curb-side order, take-out or grabbing a gift card, we are encouraging our citizens to support our local businesses.

While this crisis will undoubtedly impact our travel and tourism industry here and across the nation, we have been developing innovative solutions for both locals and future visitors to experience the River Region in a unique way. We are developing virtual tours for our attractions that will allow anyone to experience the beauty of our region without leaving their home. We are also encouraging locals to learn more about our area through our award-winning River Reel Video-docuseries and so much more at TheRiverReel.com. We are currently working on the “Digital River Region” to launch in the coming weeks inviting locals and potential visitors to immerse themselves in the culture and history of the River Parishes.

Our industry will rebound, and we invite the world to experience this extraordinary destination. Whether it’s traveling down Manchac Swamp on a guided boat tour, gaining unique perspectives on the lives of our region’s enslaved people, standing under a centuries-old oak tree at a historic plantation, or picking up your favorite andouille, we have something for everyone. While we are unfamiliar with this season we are in, we know that there is a brighter future ahead, and we cannot wait to welcome everyone back to the River Parishes.

The River Parishes Tourist Commission stands ready to partner with our parish government officials, chamber of commerce, and countless other partners as we move forward.

Buddy Boe is the executive director of the River Parishes Tourist Commission. The RPTC can be contacted at (985) 359-2562, and you can visit them on the web at http://www.neworleansplantationcountry.com.