Tourism / Hospitality / Entertainment
Greater New Orleans has long been a leader in the hotels and entertainment industry due to its unique cultural attractions, large-scale celebrations and sporting events, and its unparalleled food and culture.
The hotels and entertainment industry in the Greater New Orleans region has long been an economic driver of growth, and provides employment to virtually 10% of the workforce.
Visitation to New Orleans is likely to approach 8 million in 2008. That’s up from an estimated 6.8 million in 2007. Visitation in 2004, the year before Katrina, reached about 10 million.
The metropolitan area now has about 32,000 of 38,000 hotel rooms available and $400 million has been spent on hotel upgrades and renovations in the metro New Orleans area. There are 881 restaurants open in the metropolitan area, and more restaurants open in New Orleans today than ever before. In 2006, restaurants generated $4.8 billion in direct sales.
All the major attractions in the city are open, including the Harrah’s Casino, the Audubon Zoo, Aquarium and IMAX theater, Mardi Gras World, Café Du Monde, paddlewheel cruises on the Mississippi River, carriage rides through the French Quarter and CBD, ferry rides across the Mississippi River, the Steamboat Natchez and the Creole Queen, plantation, swamp and specialty tours, nightclubs and music venues.
Greater New Orleans has experienced a strong return of conventions and meetings, as well as the return of large scale attractions such as the Sugar Bowl, the Essence Festival, Jazz Fest and Mardi Gras, and the NBA All Stars Game and Bowl Championship Series Game in 2007.
New Orleans was honored on NBC’s The Today Show as the Second Most Beautiful Place in America. The Los Angeles Times (Feb. 4, 2007) named New Orleans one of the world’s “don’t miss destinations.” In December 2006, Orbitz described New Orleans as an “in” location for experience seeking vacationers. Travel + Leisure Magazine’s January 2007 issue included New Orleans in its “Where to Go Next” feature and Travelocity recently named New Orleans one of 2007’s top 10 favorite gourmet destinations in the world.
Local convention and visitors bureaus and offices of tourism
New Orleans CVB
Jefferson Parish
Tangipahoa Parish CVB
Washington Parish Tourist Commission
St. Tammany Parish Tourist Commission
River Parish Tourist Commission (St. Charles, St. James, St. John)
St. James Parish Tourism
St. Charles Parish
St. Bernard Parish
Plaquemines Parish Economic Development & Tourism
News in The Region
GNO Inc. intensifies focus on digital media industry
GNO Digital Media Alliance launches
Idea Village and GNO Inc. win $1M Rockefeller Foundation grant
Grant to create affordable, worker housing
Armstrong close to landing deal for AeroMexico service
International service may return to MSY
