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The Shreveport-Bossier $100K Tourism Challenge
The Destination 318 initiative by Visit Shreveport-Bossier will launch the second year of its $100K Tourism Challenge, a program designed to boost tourism and enhance the visitor experience across Caddo and Bossier Parishes. The initiative will encourage community members to submit impactful ideas that benefit both visitors and local residents.
Following months of idea development, workshops, and pitch sessions, Visit Shreveport-Bossier and the Entrepreneurial Accelerator Program (EAP), a division of BRF, will announce the winners of Destination 318—a competitive grant program created to fuel tourism-driven business growth and innovation in the region.
A total of $100,000 in funding will be awarded to six winning businesses selected by a panel of judges. One winner will also receive an additional $2,000 People’s Choice Award, voted on by the public.
Purpose and Overview
Destination 318 will serve as a bold and strategic tourism development challenge created to bring the Destination Master Plan to life. Designed to strengthen the Shreveport-Bossier region's appeal to visitors while enriching the daily lives of residents, the challenge will act as a catalyst for long-term growth and innovation within the local tourism economy.
At its core, Destination 318 will aim to:
- Increase year-round visitor spending by supporting attractions and experiences that drive consistent foot traffic in all seasons.
- Elevate the quality of life for residents through investments that create shared spaces, new entertainment options, and enhanced community pride.
- Celebrate and promote the unique assets of Shreveport-Bossier—from cultural landmarks and culinary heritage to outdoor adventures and artistic talent.
- Encourage bold, tourism-forward ideas by providing financial support to entrepreneurs and organizations with the vision and drive to transform the region’s visitor experience.
Through Destination 318, local creativity and community pride will take center stage, paving the way for a more vibrant, inclusive, and economically resilient tourism landscape.
Important Dates
Application Deadline: Friday, March 27, 2026, by noon
VSB and EAP Team Review Process: Week of March 20 – April 02, 2026
Workshops at Bonvenu Bank Community Center, Downtown Shreveport
- Saturday, April 11, 2026, from 8:00 a.m. to Noon
- Saturday, April 25, 2026, from 8:00 a.m. to Noon
- Saturday, May 02, 2026, from 8:00 a.m. to Noon
The tourism challenge will take place on Thursday, May 28, 2026, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
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Winners
The 2025 Tourism Challenge Winners were celebrated for their innovation and community impact:
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1st Place - $50,000 - Kanteen Park - Revitalizing an underutilized area in downtown with a vision for an open-air entertainment venue featuring a stage, dining area, and space for games, supported by strategic property acquisitions
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2nd Place - $25,000 - The Noble Pedicab - This service will provide safe, year-round transportation around the downtown areas of Shreveport-Bossier, inviting visitors from all areas to enjoy local activities and festivities.
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3rd Place - $10,000 - Wonder Oasis - Expanding the water park into the fall and winter months with holiday festivals, transforming it into a vital entertainment attraction with year-round activities and events.
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4th Place - $7,500 - Roots - A cultural center dedicated to incubating the best and brightest talents in the culinary, visual, and performing arts.
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5th Place - $5,000 - SB Rides - Offering small guided bicycle tours for up to 25 people in Shreveport-Bossier, with plans to expand into e-bikes, scooters, pedicabs, and bike bars.
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6th Place - $2,500 & People’s Choice $2,000 - Aunt Frannie's - Fran Tyler makes award winning Meat Pies, Louisiana Crawfish Pies and mouthwatering Sweet Pies. Aunt Frannie's Fried Pies are well known in the Ark-La-Tex and have been shipped across the United States.
Media Assets Here. Please email Karen M. Barnes at destination318@visitshreveportbossier.org if you have further questions.
