Vermilion Parish Tourism Director wins Pelican Award

Alison Miller, Executive Director of the Vermilion Parish Tourist Commission, recently was awarded the Pelican of Distinction Award from Lt. Governor Billy Nungesser.
The award was presented to Miller for her outstanding leadership, unwavering dedication and lasting contributions to the Louisiana tourism industry, according to Nungesser.
“Tourism is often a thankless job since our marketing is not done on the local level and geared towards the out-of-town visitors,” Miller said. “Being recognized for all the work that is done to market our area is greatly appreciated.”
Nungesser presented these awards during the annual tourism summit to Louisiana Tourism directors in recognition for all the great work that has been done throughout the state and recognize the leaders that have helped in the recovery of the industry following COVID.
These are the first ever Pelican of Distinction awards presented by the Lt. Governor. Miller has been the tourism director for nearly 20 years and is also the curator of the Abbeville Cultural and Historical Alliance in downtown Abbeville.
The Vermilion Parish Tourist Commission is funded solely on the 2% occupancy tax that is levied on all parish accommodations. This brings in about $50,000 per year. Most of the area tourism bureaus operate on much larger budgets. Miller said she takes advantage of marketing grant opportunities to advertise our attractions, events, accommodations and more.
Since becoming the director in 2006, Miller has seen Vermilion Parish recover from hurricanes, the BP Oil Spill and COVID. Miller said she feels this award is a testament to her love of the parish and efforts to spread the word about “the Most Cajun Place on Earth!” to potential visitors.