From the onset of the Coronavirus (“COVID-19”), New Orleans & Company and hospitality industry leaders have been actively working with local and state health department officials to mitigate concerns of visitors traveling to New Orleans.

Although there are no confirmed cases of the virus in or near Louisiana, New Orleans & Company is in close contact with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO) to provide the latest updates on precautionary guidelines for visitors. A toolkit is available on NewOrleans.com that includes regular updates on travel precautions, as needed, and statements from businesses including the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport and the Port of New Orleans. These resources have been gathered to reassure visitors of the precautions New Orleans has in place to mitigate the risk of infection and keep visitors and locals safe and healthy.

New Orleans & Company is also monitoring how upcoming global trade shows and conferences are being impacted and assisting event planners prepare and address attendees and stakeholders concerns, paying close attention to those with large international attendee base. 

The federal government has not suggested limiting domestic travel or imposing international inbound travel beyond those already in place. We are working with local partners and businesses to prepare out of an abundance of caution, but it is business as usual as we wrap up one of our most exciting weeks of the year with approximately 1 million people visiting the city over Mardi Gras with no health related issues. This is a rapidly evolving situation and we want local businesses and visitors to be updated and aware, but the preparation is the same as it is for the flu and other viruses that could potentially impact visitors. We encourage travelers to always follow healthy travel practices, especially during flu season.

About New Orleans & Company
New Orleans & Company is a nationally accredited, 1,100-member destination marketing organization and the largest and most successful private economic development corporation in Louisiana. New Orleans & Company and its members and partners influence thousands of decision-makers and millions of visitors to choose New Orleans through direct sales, marketing, public relations, branding, visitor services and local advocacy initiatives at our New Orleans headquarters and offices in Chicago, Columbia, SC, Washington, D.C., the United Kingdom, France, Germany and China. Consistently recognized as one of the top five destination marketing organizations in the country, New Orleans & Company celebrates its 60th anniversary in 2020. For more information, please visit Neworleans.com/about.

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