Parish launches iPhone app to lure businesses

St. Charles Parish visitors and potential business investors are now able to access parish information with the tap of a finger with the release of the new iSCP application for iPhone.

The application, available for free in the App Store, provides economic development and tourism data to users, whether they’re in-parish seeking a bite to eat or across the country looking for a tract of land to locate a new business. Users should search ‘St. Charles Parish.’

The app’s ‘Business Advantages’ section highlights the many reasons St. Charles Parish is an ideal location for companies seeking to expand or relocate to the Gulf Coast. It allows businesses and site selectors to access key economic statistics, view an interactive map of available properties and find financial and tax incentives. The app also includes information about the area’s intermodal transportation network.

The ‘Tourist Info’ section offers visitor information on the parish, which is a favorite destination among travelers visiting New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. Visitors can view an interactive map pinpointing the area’s tourist attractions, see a calendar of events, learn about local history, access a listing of golf courses and learn about local restaurants and lodging options.

"We continue to focus on attracting visitors and businesses to St. Charles Parish, and the app provides a tech-savvy platform to show off what we have to offer," St. Charles Parish President V.J. St. Pierre Jr. said. "As a parish, we’ve embraced new avenues of interaction, including social media, in order to effectively communicate with our citizens. That spirit will now move to visitors and businesses with the inclusion of the app."

Partial funding for development of the app came from a BP Tourism Recovery Grant, with the project cost totaling $3,000. Parish staff members will keep the app up-to-date, with the roll-out of an iPad version coming soon.

Companies recently announced over $2 billion of private capital expenditures in the community.