GENERAL INFORMATION

New Orleans Information

The New Orleans Metropolitan Convention & Visitors Bureau (NOMCVB) has many reasons to celebrate with daily progress in the resurgence of America’s most culturally important city, the kickoff of a new branding campaign, a full convention calendar and glowing testimonials from recent corporate, association and leisure visitors.

Mardi Gras 2007 was a resounding success, with an estimated crowd of 800,000 and area hotels reporting a 95 percent occupancy rate throughout the last weekend of Mardi Gras.

The Healthcare Information Management Systems Society (HIMSS) successfully hosted their annual convention in New Orleans February 25-March 2, with 24,600 attendees, making it the largest group to meet in New Orleans so far this year. According to a front-page story in the Times-Picayune March 1, HIMSS conventioneers were pleasantly surprised and gave glowing reviews during their stay in the city, saying that their preconceptions about New Orleans and its ability to handle large numbers of visitors "inaccurate."

Corporate America is re-discovering New Orleans as a meeting destination, bringing new, shorter-term meetings business to the city. Many corporations are drawn to New Orleans for the wealth of "voluntourism" opportunities available during meetings to expand strategic philanthropic and branding efforts. Recent corporate meetings held in the city include Whirlpool Corporation, Coca-Cola, Konica Minolta, Sherwin Williams and IBM.

The core of the New Orleans hospitality and tourism destinations are open and thriving, including the Faubourg Marigny, French Quarter, Warehouse Arts District, Garden District/Uptown, Audubon and University section, Carrollton and Riverbend, and historic Algiers on the city’s westbank, including hotels, restaurants and retail. The Shops at Canal Place, The Riverwalk and Jax Brewery are open, offering visitors a full complement of national stores, specialty shops and boutiques. Saks Fifth Avenue, the anchor store in The Shops at Canal Place, is now open and boutiques, art galleries and antique stores are open throughout the city.