In Rome, Gayle Benson had a productive 10-day trip where she met with members of the Papal Foundation and other business and tourism groups to discuss her vision for investment in New Orleans and the renovation of the St. Louis Cathedral. During her visit, she also had a personal audience with Pope Francis and presented him with a Saints jersey. She also met with Italian leaders in economic development and tourism to promote business development in Louisiana and New Orleans.
After her time in Rome, Gayle Benson is now attending Mercedes-Benz global meetings in Stuttgart, Germany. While there, she recently met with Gunther Schmid, the German head of Foreign Trade, as well as the lead staff at the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Labour, and Tourism. She expressed that the trip has been very productive in promoting investment and tourism for Louisiana.
Gayle Benson stated that there is significant interest among the people she met in Rome who are eager to help with the restoration of the St. Louis Cathedral. In Germany, there is also a lot of excitement about investment and business connections with Louisiana. She highlighted that NFL football is particularly popular in Germany as a positive factor that can help promote connections and opportunities between Louisiana and Germany. Gayle Benson emphasized that it’s important to take advantage of this unique opportunity to promote the state, encourage business development, and showcase the great tourism industry in Louisiana and New Orleans
