FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NEW ORLEANS CONVENTION AND VISITORS BUREAU
Hospitality Industry Report, 1st Quarter 2008
Media Contacts:
New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau
Kelly Schulz
504-566-5019
kschulz@neworleanscvb.com
Mary Beth Romig
504-566-5019
mbromig@neworleanscvb.com
Jennifer Lotz
504-566-5019
jlotz@neworelanscvb.com
STRONG FIRST QUARTER UNDERWAY FOR NEW ORLEANS TOURISM INDUSTRY
NEW ORLEANS – March 10, 2008 – New Orleans’ tourism industry is off to a strong start in the first quarter of 2008, with victories such as the NBA All-Star Game, college bowl games, Mardi Gras, a 20,000 -plus-person citywide convention and a lineup of major conventions and festivals pumping millions of dollars into the local economy.
On February 14–17, 2008, New Orleans successfully hosted the NBA All-Star Events as well as the NBA All-Star Jam Session. Approximately 50,000 to 60,000 visitors poured into the city having an estimated economic impact of $80-90 million.
The NBA festivities not only had a positive economic impact upon the city but also had a positive affect on New Orleans recovery through their outreach program: NBA Cares. On February 15, 2008, through NBA Cares, more than 2,500 in the NBA community came together to participate in the NBA's Day of Service, where volunteers helped build homes and playgrounds, revitalize schools, and refurbish neighborhoods. Through NBA Cares, the NBA, its teams and players, businesses and community partners dedicated themselves to perform more than 30,000 hours of hands-on community service; created 40 places in New Orleans where kids and families can live, learn or play; and collaborated with more than a dozen national and local community-based organizations to assist more than 30,000 children.
2008 Latest News:
Pittcon® 2008, the 59th Pittsburgh Conference on Analytical Chemistry and Applied Spectroscopy, is being held March 1-7 in New Orleans. Attendance is expected to exceed 20,000 and is projected to bring in $30 million in economic impact. They have also reconfirmed for 2013. Pittcon has been an extraordinary ambassador to New Orleans, donating hundreds of thousands of dollars to the science departments of the New Orleans public schools.
The American Heart Association (AHA)/American Stroke Association (ASA) International Stroke Conference with the State-of-the-Art Stroke Nursing Symposium, was held February 19-22, 2008. AHA’s Annual Scientific Sessions, is slated for New Orleans, November 9-12, 2008, with an approximate attendance of 27,500.
Mardi Gras festivities began on January 25, 2008 and concluded on Fat Tuesday, February 5, 2008. City officials estimate that 750-850,000 visitors enjoyed Mardi Gras, which is consistent with 2007 figures.
Bobby Jindal was inaugurated as Louisiana Governor on January 14, 2008. Jindal at thirty-six years of age, is the nation’s youngest governor and his focus on creating a fresh start for Louisiana in ethics, education, economic infrastructure and healthcare will dramatically improve New Orleans’ image in the nation’s eyes.
The Allstate BCS National Championship was held January 7, 2008, where the Louisiana State University Tigers defeated the Ohio State University Buckeyes before a Sugar Bowl/Superdome record crowd of 79,651. Economic impact was $250 million.
The Allstate Sugar Bowl was held January 1, 2008 featuring the University of Georgia Bulldogs and the University of Hawaii Warriors. Approximately 74,383 people attended the game, with thousands more visiting the city, and an economic impact of $150 million.
The Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport set two post-Katrina travel records during the bowl games. More than 19,000 passengers flew out of the airport Tuesday following the BCS Championship game, making it the airport’s busiest travel day since August 2005. On the day following the Sugar Bowl, the airport had nearly 18,000 passengers, making it the second-busiest day.
New Orleans was among the top 10 spring break destinations for 2008 by StudentUniverse.com, an online travel agency specializing in vacations for college students and Sherman’s Travel also had New Orleans in its 2008 top 10 “places to go.”
Delta Air Lines Sky Magazine featured a 44-page Portrait Feature on New Orleans in its January 2008 issue.
The 25th Annual French Quarter Fest, a free celebration of food and music will be held April 11 – 13, 2008. Attendance at the 2007 French Quarter Fest increased over 2006, (425,000 up from 350,000), and on April 15, the Fest set a single-day attendance record with 208,000 people.
The city will also be the site for the celebration of “V to the Tenth,” April 10 & 11, bringing many celebrities to New Orleans for a historic benefit performance and celebration of the 10th Anniversary of “The Vagina Monologues.”
The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival will welcome back the Neville Brothers and the return of the event’s second Thursday, which expands the run to its former length of seven days. Other acts, Stevie Wonder, Billy Joel, Sheryl Crow, Al Green, Tim McGraw and Maze featuring Frankie Beverly, have also confirmed their participation. The 2008 Jazz Fest will take place April 25-27 and May 1-4.
The Insectarium is the largest free standing museum in the U.S. dedicated to insects. It is opening in New Orleans this year. The Audubon Insectarium has 900,000+ know species of insects and their relatives.
The Arena Football League Championship Game will be hosted in New Orleans for the second time. The game will be held on Sunday, July 27, 2008 at 3 p.m. ET. It was said that ArenaBowl XXI weekend was one of the most successful events in AFL history.
Ron Forman, CEO of the Audubon Nature Institute, has taken the helm as 2008 Chairman of the Board of the New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau.
Meetings (3,000 or more in attendance) in 2008 include:
Event/Date/Projected Attendance
Allied Social Sciences Association/Jan. 3-5/8,000
American Farm Bureau/Jan. 12-15/5,000
Helen Brett Enterprises/Feb. 8-12/15,000
American Traffic Safety Services Association/Feb. 9-12/4,720
National Basketball Association/Feb. 14-17/10,000
Pittsburgh Conference & Expo/Mar. 1-6/24,000
The Minerals Metals Materials Society/Mar. 8-12/3,000
American Physical Society/Mar. 9-13/7,300
Association for Supervision & Curriculum Development/Mar. 14-17/12,500
NACE, International/Mar. 16-20/5,500
American Chemical Society/Apr. 6-9/14,000
Population Association of America/Apr. 16-18/3,197
New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival/Apr. 23-May 6/80,000
American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists/May 1-9/8,900
Helen Brett Enterprises/May 16-21/15,000
National Cable & Telecommunications Association/May 17-20/17,000
Society of Nuclear Medicine/June 13-17/7,000
National Alliance for Public Charter Schools/June 22-24/4,000
Institute of Food Technologists/June 28-July 1/20,000
Essence Festivals, LLC/July 3-5/28,221
Jazzercise/July 10-11/4,000
U.S. Department of Labor/July 14-16/3,500
American Veterinary Medical Association/July 18-22/7,500
National Conference of State Legislatures/July 22-26/8,000
Louisiana Restaurant Association/Aug. 1-3/16,000
Shaklee/Aug. 6-9/10,000
American Correctional Association/Aug. 9-13/10,725
Blacks in Government/Aug. 10-15/5,000
American Public Works Association/Aug. 16-19/6,500
American Heart Association/Nov. 9-12/27,500
American Society of Consultant Pharmacists/Nov. 18-22/4,000
Helen Brett Enterprises/Nov. 21-24/15,000
Diversified Business Communications/Dec. 3-5/4,000
2007 Milestones
Voodoo Music Experience, October 26-28, 2007, entertained a total approximate attendance of more than 100,000. City Park was the site for the three days of concerts, which featured such acts as Rage Against the Machine, The Smashing Pumpkins and Fall Out Boy.
August 29-September 2, 2007 saw the return of Southern Decadence, which has taken place in New Orleans for more than 30 years. Dubbed the “Gay Mardi Gras,” this year’s event in the French Quarter drew an estimated crowd of 100,000 people, with an economic impact of $95 million, according to festival organizers.
The Downtown Development District, Canal Street Development Corporation and the City of New Orleans have completed the Canal Street sidewalk and landscaping project. Canal Street: A National Treasure celebrated this accomplishment September 8, 2007, with a full day of fun, music, and food. The $17 million Canal Street Improvement Project includes new brick and granite sidewalks from the river to Claiborne Avenue, 239 palm trees and other landscaping. It is a joint project of the Canal Street Development Corporation and the Downtown Development District.
The first weekend of August 2007 saw more great cultural events in New Orleans. Satchmo Summerfest, August 2-5, and the Contemporary Arts Center’s (CAC) Whitney White Linen Night, August 4, both embraced thousands. Early estimates from the CAC put White Linen Night’s attendance at approximately 18,000. Satchmo Scummerfest, which celebrates the life of Louis Armstrong, featured music and food in the French Quarter and White Linen Night celebrates New Orleans’ arts community in the Warehouse District.
Tales of the Cocktail, a cocktail and culinary festival headquartered at the Hotel Monteleone, celebrated its fifth birthday July 18-22, 2007. From educational seminars to fine dining, Tales of the Cocktail drew an estimated 12,000 attendees.
July 5-7, 2007 saw the successful return of the ESSENCE Music Festival, the largest African-America festival in the country. After a one-year absence, ESSENCE was a significant New Orleans milestone, with over 200,000 attendees and over $100 million in economic impact.
According to festival organizers, the 1st Annual New Orleans Seafood Festival, the Cajun/Zydeco Festival and the Creole Tomato Festival, June 8-10, 2007, drew an estimated crowd of nearly 40,000 to the French Quarter.
Two very successful art exhibits closed the first weekend in June 2007, after welcoming large crowds. The New Orleans Museum of Art’s Femme, femme, femme exhibit closed June 3, with nearly 80,000 visitors and the Old Ursuline Convent’s Vatican Mosaic Studio closed June 1, 2007 with 55,000 visitors from all 50 states and eight countries.
The 2007 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival was held April 26-29, 2007 and May 4-6, 2007. With six days of world-famous music, delicious cuisine and original arts and crafts, Jazz Fest celebrated 38 years of New Orleans culture. Featured performers included Harry Connick Jr., Dr. John, Rebirth Brass Band, Rod Stewart, Ludacris, Norah Jones and John Mayer, to name just a few. This year’s Jazz Fest attendance reached 375,000, the highest since 2003. Shell Oil, who has sponsored Jazz Fest since 2006, announced during the first weekend of the festival that they would continue to provide corporate sponsorship through 2010.
French Quarter Festival, a free celebration of food and music in the city’s signature neighborhood, was April 13-15, 2007. Attendance was up from last year (350,000), to 400,000 and on Sunday, April
15, the Fest set a single-day attendance record with 208,000 people. With 15 stages and nearly 60 food booths, French Quarter Festival continues to showcase one of America’s most historic and authentic neighborhoods.
Mardi Gras 2007 was a resounding success in February of that year, with an estimated crowd of 800,000 and area hotels reporting a 95 percent occupancy rate throughout the last weekend of Mardi Gras. It was larger than the 2006 crowds of 700,000, but not as large as pre-Katrina numbers of 1 million.
2007 Meetings & Conventions Milestones
The American Society of Agronomy (ASA), the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO), National League of Cities (NLC) and Diversified Business Communications’ International Workboat Show all enjoyed successful meetings and conventions in New Orleans in November 2007. AAO welcomed approximately 22,000 attendees and NLC’s final attendance was 4,742. The Workboat Show, which announced during their visit that they would return to New Orleans in 2008, had a 10 percent increase in exhibit space and 7.5 percent increase in attendance over 2006.
Rhythms of the South Marketplace, a partnership between the New Orleans, Atlanta and Nashville convention and visitors bureaus, completed its successful meeting November 29-December 2, 2007. The gathering included more than 100 tour operators and journalists from 25 countries meeting with tourism suppliers from 12 Southern states.
The New Orleans CVB is pleased to announce that the Professional Convention Management Association will bring 3,000 meeting industry leaders to New Orleans January 10-14, 2009 for its annual convention.
The American Association of Orthodontists re-confirmed New Orleans as the host city for their 114th Annual Session in 2014. The expected attendance is 20,000.
The American College of Surgeons met in New Orleans October 6-10, 2007, with an approximate attendance of 11,000. While in New Orleans, ACS members pumped millions of dollars into the New Orleans economy and volunteered their time with the New Orleans area Habitat for Humanity
The Risk and Insurance Management Society met in New Orleans April 29-May 3, 2007 for its 45th Annual Conference & Exhibition, with more than 9,000 attendees. Highlights of the conference included a community service day where hundreds of RIMS volunteers spent an afternoon cleaning City Park.
The American College of Cardiology met in New Orleans March 24-27, 2007 for its 56th Annual Scientific Session and i2Summit. With 26,250 attendees, the meeting was New Orleans’ largest since 2005. The conference received rave reviews from ACC leadership and members alike.
January 20-23, 2007, Meeting Professionals International brought 2,600 of the world's most influential meeting professionals to New Orleans for the second largest MPI Professional Education Conference-North America ever. It was a prime opportunity to showcase the city as a destination for future meetings being planned by MPI members. For testimonials, visit www.neworleansmeeting.com.
Corporate America is 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. Corporate meetings held in the city in 2007 included Whirlpool Corporation, Coca-Cola, Konica Minolta, Sherwin Williams and IBM.
Successful meetings (3,000 or more in attendance) in 2007 included:
Event/Date/Attendance
Healthcare Information & Management Society /Feb. 24 – Mar. 1 (city-wide)/24,789
American Association of School Administrators/Feb. 28 – Mar. 4/7,000
National Collegiate Athletic Association/Mar. 14 – 17 (city-wide)/20,000
American College of Healthcare Executives/Mar. 18 – 22/4,000
International Association for Dental Research/Mar. 20 – 25/4,632
American College of Cardiology/Mar. 23 – 27 (city-wide)/26,250
Institute of Scrap Recycling/Apr. 17 – 22/3,300
Risk & Insurance Management Society/Apr. 29 – May 4 (city-wide)/15,000
American College of Sports Medicine/May 29-June 2/4,200
Essence Festivals, LLC/July 5-7 (city-wide)/200,000
Southern Regional Education Board (city-wide)/July 10-13/8,000
Louisiana Restaurant Association/Aug. 3-5 (city-wide)/16,000
Disabled American Veterans/Aug. 8-14/4,000
Cardiovascular Institute of the South/Sept. 5-7/3,000
National Council of State Housing Agencies/Sept. 15-18/2,200
American College of Surgeons/Oct. 6-10 (city-wide)/11,000
International Association of Chiefs of Police/Oct. 12-17 (city-wide)/13,500
American Society for Clinical Pathology/Oct. 17-21/5,000
International Facility Management Association/Oct. 23-26 (city-wide)/10,000
Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship International/Oct. 30-Nov. 2/2,700
American Society of Agronomy/Nov. 4-8/4,800
American Academy of Ophthalmology/Nov. 9-12/22,000
National League of Cities/Nov. 13-17 /8,000
Diversified Business Communications/Nov. 27-30/11,000
Southern Association of Colleges & Schools/Dec. 8-10/ 3,000
Pennwell Corporation/Dec. 10-14/17,000
2007 New Orleans CVB Milestones
The Board of Directors of the New Orleans CVB is pleased to announce that for the second year in a row that its President & CEO, Stephen Perry, has been honored by Meeting News Magazine (July 16, 2007 issue) as one of the “25 Most Influential People in the Meetings Industry.”
The New Orleans CVB has been chosen by Successful Meetings magazine as one of the country’s best CVBs. The prestigious 2007 Successful Meetings Pinnacle Award is a mark of excellence for meeting destinations and is awarded to those organizations that have done an outstanding job servicing their meetings, incentive travel programs, trade shows and conventions during the previous year. Other awards the New Orleans CVB has received are the 2007 Award of Excellence from Corporate & Incentive Travel magazine and the 2007 Gold Service Award given by Meetings & Conventions magazine.
2007 Sports Milestones
The State Farm Bayou Classic, the annual match-up between Southern and Grambling universities, returned to New Orleans Nov. 24, 2007, bringing 53,297 game spectators, approximately 200,000 total visitors and $200 million in economic impact.
The New Orleans Hornets have returned full-time to the city for the 2007-2008 NBA basketball season.
The New Orleans Arena hosted ArenaBowl XXI Sunday, July 29, 2007. With an approximate attendance of 17,000 and economic impact of $15 million, ArenaBowl XXI was the first sell-out at a neutral site in Arena Football League history. The San Jose Sabercats defeated the Columbus Destroyers in the match-up. The ArenaBowl announced its return to New Orleans in 2008.
The first and second rounds of the 69th Annual NCAA Division I Mens Basketball Championship Tournament was played at the New Orleans Arena March 15-17; the Zurich Classic, a stop on the illustrious Professional Golfers Association tour, was held at TPC Louisiana April 16-22. ArenaBowl XXI was played at the New Orleans Arena July 29.
2007 Milestones in Marketing New Orleans
In January 2007, the New Orleans CVB launched an aggressive, strategic marketing, public relations and direct sales campaign, “Forever New Orleans” designed to celebrate its authentic culture, lure domestic and international visitors back, preserve the city’s leading industry (hospitality) and overcome misperceptions about New Orleans among consumers. The campaign was honored by Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International (HSMAI) during the 2007 Adrian Awards’ 51st Anniversary Gala January 28, 2008 in New York City.
The “Forever New Orleans” print advertising campaign with agency partner Trumpet was awarded a Silver certificate in the advertising division within CVBs/Destinations/Offices of Tourism in the positioning category. The New Orleans CVB’s itinerary-building Web Site, www.24nola.com, with agency partner Trumpet won a Platinum Award in the web marketing division within CVBs/Destinations/Offices of Tourism in the Web Site category. Its Platinum status made www.24nola.com eligible for the Gala’s most prestigious award, “Best in Show,” which it won.
The New Orleans CVB’s 2007 public relations program and 10-city road show with agency partner Weber Shandwick also received two HSMAI Adrian Awards in the Gold and Bronze categories.
“Forever New Orleans TV,” a 30-minute travel television show hosted by Karen Carlson, showcasing the eclectic nature and vibrant culture of the city, aired during the fall of 2007 in 51 countries in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, reaching 119 million homes.
2007 New Orleans Hospitality and Tourism Milestones
According to the Louisiana Office of Entertainment Industry Development, more than $2 billion in productions have chosen to film in Louisiana since 2002; Louisiana is the No. 3 locations to shoot films, outside California and New York; and the film industry’s total direct impact to Louisiana’s economy is $1.48 billion.
The St. Charles Streetcar line is now in service, with transport to S. Carrollton Avenue. The entire line is expected to reopen in spring 2008.
With a January 2007 contract between the City of New Orleans and SDT LLC Waste and Debris Services, the French Quarter and Central Business District have never been cleaner. SDT LLC and its president, Sidney Torres IV, provide waste removal and street cleaning using brand new, state-of-the-art equipment.
New Orleans has received multiple honors. In October 2007, the American Planning Association named New Orleans’ oak-lined St. Charles Avenue in the inaugural class of its 10 Great Streets in America.
New Orleans was also honored on NBC’s The Today Show as the Second Most Beautiful Place in America. The Today Show’s “America the Beautiful” series September 6, 2007 featured New Orleans and the Gulf Coast as number two on its list of ten.
The Los Angeles Times (Feb. 4, 2007) named New Orleans one of the worlds “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.
Venue Updates
The Louisiana Superdome, one of America's most recognizable landmarks, has a spectacular schedule of big-time football this winter. With national television cameras focusing on many events, the Superdome has helped deliver the message the New Orleans is back as one of the nation’s greatest sports cities. Work on Phase 2 of Superdome renovations was substantially completed prior to the 2007 football season, including finish work in the 137 private suites and redesign and upgrades to the four ballrooms. More improvements are coming in Phase 3, beginning in early 2008: replacement of the aluminum outer skin of the Superdome, adding escalators to provide private access to the four club lounges, and adding large windows in the outer walls of the lounges. The Superdome has undergone $180 million in renovations and upgrades.
Across the street at the New Orleans Arena, the New Orleans Hornets have returned full-time for the 2007-2008 season.
With $60 million in renovations completed, the Morial Convention Center-New Orleans is sporting a brand new look and level of comfort. Renovations include new flooring and furnishings on all three levels, hotel-like finishes, and a brighter, more engaging environment. The same great service and amenities that made the Center an industry leader are better than ever: 3.1 million total square feet of space; high speed wi-fi, a 4,000-seat Conference Auditorium, 12 separate/combinable exhibit halls, 140 meeting rooms and a team of seasoned industry professionals. The Center did brisk business in 2007---hosting 94 major conventions, tradeshows and meetings. The Center currently has more than 300 full-time employees.
Hospitality and TourismHotels: New hotel developments abound in New Orleans, including the grand opening of the Hilton St. Charles Hotel in June 2007. The Hyatt is scheduled to reopen in 2009. Overall 209 metropolitan area accommodations are open, with 32,000 of 38,000 hotel rooms available. The vast majority of hotel properties have completed renovations and upgrades since 2005.
The newly-constructed Harrah’s Hotel opened in September 2006, and the Ritz-Carlton and Chateau Sonesta reopened in December 2006 after extensive renovations. The Ritz-Carlton New Orleans’ Iberville Suites reopened in early March, after an extensive renovation. The Iberville Suites added 230 rooms to New Orleans’ hotel inventory.
Construction of Louisiana’s first condo hotel, the 131-room Royal Cosmopolitan, is set to begin in early 2008. When construction begins, it will be the first new hotel project to break ground in the city since 2005. Fifty million dollars will be spent to renovate the 100-year-old Astor Hotel building at 121-25 Royal St. The Royal Cosmopolitan will operate as a “condotel,” in which rooms are available for sale as condominiums and buyers have to option to share in the revenue from guests who stay there when the owner does not.
The Wyndham Canal Place is now operating as a Westin and is undergoing a $22 million ongoing renovation.
According to Greater New Orleans, Inc., in the past two years, over $400 million has been spent on hotel renovations in the metro New Orleans area. Major hotel brands such as Hilton, Marriott and Starwood, are making investments in New Orleans with renovations and upgrades to local properties. The Hilton New Orleans Riverside has received over $66 million for a series of ongoing improvements designed to complement the city’s renaissance and revitalize the 30-year-old Southeastern flagship of Hilton Hotels Corporation. The renovations will continue through the end of 2008. The Marriott New Orleans Hotel is undergoing a $38 million renovation. A portion was completed in October, with the unveiling of the hotel’s $6.5 million, brand-new lobby and restaurant. Other hotels that are being refurbished include the Baronne Plaza and the Prince Conti Hotel.
The Fairmont New Orleans, an iconic downtown hotel, was sold to Dimension Development Company, Inc. of Natchitoches, La., who purchased the 114-year old hotel for $17 million, and plans to spend $100 million in refurbishments to the 500-room property.
Dining: There are more restaurants open in New Orleans today than ever before. There are 905 restaurants open in the metropolitan New Orleans area, including restaurants in the French Quarter, downtown, Warehouse Arts District, Garden District and Uptown New Orleans popular with visitors to the city. As well, 18 major new restaurants opened in the metro area and are enjoying success.
Air Transportation: Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport, as of March 2008, reports 137 flights serving 37 cities (85 percent the number of daily departures and 88 percent the number of destinations; 16,258 seats or 79 percent of our Pre-Katrina level of seats per day). The New Orleans CVB is working with the airlines and airport officials with regard to convention scheduling to ensure adequate lift to meet demand.
Airlines operating out of the Armstrong International Airport include: Air Tran, American Airlines, Continental, Delta Air Lines, ExpressJet, Jet Blue, Northwest, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, and U.S. Airways.
Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport reports that by May 2008 there will be 138 flights serving 38 cities (86 percent the number of daily departures and 90 percent the number of destinations; 16,447 seats or 80 percent of our Pre-Katrina level of seats per day). The New Orleans CVB is working with the airlines and airport officials with regard to convention scheduling to ensure adequate lift to meet demand. Also, the airport is now providing free WiFi to the traveling public on the 2nd level of the terminal building.
Cruise Industry: The Norwegian Cruise Lines, Carnival Cruise Lines, River Barge Excursion Lines and Majestic America (American Queen) are sailing from New Orleans. Carnival Corp. announced in September that it would keep the 2,056-passenger Carnival Fantasy in New Orleans through 2010.
Successful meetings (3,000 or more in attendance) in 2006 included:
Event/Date/Projected Attendance
USA Volleyball/May 25-June 2/5,000
Air & Waste Mgmt Association/June 17-22/2,200
American Library Association/June 22-28 (city-wide)/16,964
Full Gospel Baptist Church Fellowship/July 11-14; 8,000
American Psychological Association/Aug. 9-13 (city-wide)/9,800
Ancient Egyptian Arabic Order Nobles of the Mystic Shrine/Aug. 18-25 (city-wide)/5,000
Helen Brett Enterprises/Aug. 19-22 (city-wide)/1,000
Society of Exploration Geophysicists/Oct. 1-3 (city-wide)/8,000
American Society for Human Genetics/Oct. 6-14/5,200
Avaya Communications/Oct. 7-13/3,800
American Society for Reproductive Medicine/Oct. 22-25/6,000
Federation of Societies for Coatings Technology/Oct. 31-Nov. 3/5,500
National Association of Realtors/Nov. 8-13 (city-wide)/23,560
International Work Boat Show/Nov. 28-Dec. 2/4,000
Consistently recognized as one of the top five convention and visitor bureaus in the United States, The New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau is the driving force behind New Orleans' most important industry, tourism. Today the cultural riches, sensual indulgences and unparalleled service that define the New Orleans experience continue to flourish, as they have for centuries. The most celebrated and historic core of the city - including the French Quarter, Central Business District, Warehouse and Arts District, Magazine Street, the Faubourg Marigny and Garden District - are thriving. In 2007 New Orleans welcomed 6 million visitors. For more information, visit www.neworleanscvb.com.
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