Louisiana is a place where you can Pick Your Passion—a state with so much diversity that just a short drive takes you to another world within its borders.

No place in America is better-known for its music and food. Louisiana is the birthplace of jazz, the home of Cajun and zydeco music and a stage for the evolution of American blues, country and rock 'n' roll. This rich musical heritage is the ideal background track for enjoying the state's unique dishes. Even their names—filé gumbo, jambalaya, étoufée—stir one's curiosity alongside one's palate.

Jazz is like its birthplace, New Orleans—an eclectic mix of European, African and Caribbean cultures and influences. One hundred years after its birth, jazz still spills into the streets of popular tourist districts such as the French Quarter and Faubourg Marigny. To the west of the city are the swamps of bayou country and the prairies of Acadiana, where Cajun and zydeco provide the soundtrack for venues ranging from dance halls and hole-in-the-wall clubs to festivals and porches of rural farmhouses.

North and central Louisiana remain pivotal regions in American blues, rock 'n' roll and country music. Notable national artists who are Louisiana natives include Jerry Lee Lewis, Tim McGraw and Kix Brooks. One of the most significant venues in American music history is Shreveport's Municipal Auditorium. Its Louisiana Hayride variety show in the 1950s was the launching point for artists including Hank Williams, Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash.

For the culinary connoisseur our food is legendary no matter which part of the state you visit. Louisiana cuisine comprises Cajun and Creole delicacies and the best in seafood—shrimp, oysters, crawfish, crab, fish and even alligator—along with a unique Louisiana spin on more traditional fare.

All of this joie de vivre grows from our roots—a mixture of French, Spanish, Caribbean, African and Native American cultures that make Louisiana so unique. Whatever your passion, you'll find it in Louisiana.

The Louisiana Office of Tourism is eager to meet with you during your visit to IPW in Chicago. Our booths are numbers 114, 116, 118 and 120 in the U.S. South section of the main trade floor. Look for the “Louisiana—Pick Your Passion” banners.

Representatives from the Louisiana Office of Tourism will be available to talk with you about opportunities in travel trade, advertising and promotions and media assistance. In addition, spokespeople from 28 Louisiana DMOs and suppliers will also be present to tell you about unique things to see and experience in cities throughout the state.

To get acquainted with the Louisiana adventures awaiting you, visit www.LouisianaTravel.com. We look forward to meeting you in Chicago.