Chamber/Alliance President and CEO Scott Walker, Chennault Executive Director Kevin Melton, Gov. Jeff Landry and Chennault Commissioner Bill Hankins ain Le Bourget, Paris, France. (Special to the American Press)

Special to the American Press

The world’s largest aviation, aerospace and defense trade show at Le Bourget, Paris, France, welcomed over 2,500 exhibitors and 130,000 visitors from 169 countries, spanning 173 acres of exhibition space.

The event served as a premier platform for showcasing cutting-edge aerospace innovations and fostering strategic networking opportunities for economic developers targeting the global aerospace industry.

Scott Walker, president and CEO of the Southwest Louisiana Economic Development Alliance, joined Kevin Melton and Bill Hankins of Chennault International Airport and other regional representatives at the show. They connected with Gov. Jeff Landry, Louisiana Economic Development Secretary Susan B. Bourgeois, and the broader Louisiana delegation to promote investment opportunities in Southwest Louisiana — particularly at Chennault.

Throughout the weeklong event, Walker, Melton and Hankins engaged in high-level meetings with international companies to highlight Southwest Louisiana’s readiness for aerospace development.

“With the international footprint and all forms of aerospace and defense represented at these shows, our ability to be a touch point of initial contact for all aspects of SWLA is important,” Melton said. “As a result of this week-long effort, we have new leads for development projects that if they come to fruition will have positive implication for various markets in our region. Attracting new projects means more jobs, increased income, higher tax revenues, and greater visibility for Southwest Louisiana.”