FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contacts:
Jenn Lotz or Kelly Schulz
504-566-5019
jlotz@neworleanscvb.com/kschulz@neworleanscvb.com

New Orleans CVB Launches 2012 Be a Tourist in Your Own Hometown and COOLinary Summer Campaigns
Instagram Contest encourages New Orleanians to share what they love about NOLA for a chance to win staycation prizes

NEW ORLEANS - August 3, 2012 - The New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) is asking New Orleanians to support the local economy through their 2012 Be a Tourist in Your Own Hometown and COOLinary New Orleans campaigns. Despite the city's high number of visitors thus far in 2012, the tourism industry experiences a slight drop in August and September, which means local businesses rely more on fellow locals to support New Orleans' economy. Through the Be a Tourist and COOLinary campaigns, New Orleanians are encouraged to enjoy the hospitality offerings that make our city one of the most popular travel destinations in the world all while supporting their city.

"New Orleans is a city that is consistently recognized nationally and internationally as a great place to visit, but often times as locals, we forget how unique and culturally-significant our hometown is," said Stephen Perry, President and CEO of the New Orleans CVB. "We are a city that is built on hospitality and tourism, and locals contribute greatly to New Orleans' economy. Be a Tourist in Your Own Hometown offers New Orleanians a chance to change pace, enjoy the sights, sounds and tastes of New Orleans all while supporting the local economy in August and September."

Be a Tourist in Your Own Hometown (August 1-September 30) collects and promotes summer specials on meals, attractions, hotels and more through http://www.touristathome.com/. This year's campaign features a strong social media presence on Instagram and Facebook. Each week, followers will be presented with a theme and are encouraged to submit a photo on Instagram using the hashtag #BeATouristNOLA, entering them for a chance to win a mini-staycation pertaining to the weekly theme. Winners will be chosen on Mondays, with a grand prize staycation winner selected October 9, based on Facebook fan votes. Further details on the contest can be found at www.touristathome.com/instagram-contest.

The Be a Tourist in Your Own Hometown campaign also coincides with the COOLinary restaurant promotion which offers special two and three-course lunch menus for $20 or less and three-course dinner menus for $35 or less, August 1-31, 2012, at 60 of the city's top restaurants. For more information visit: www.coolinaryneworleans.com.

In addition to highlighting summer specials for locals to enjoy, these promotions work to support our business community as we enter our off-peak visitation season. Tourism is New Orleans' most powerful economic engine. More than 8.75 million individuals visited the city last year creating $5.47 billion in economic impact. Tourism generates critical funding for schools, streetcars and city services as well as the New Orleans Saints, Hornets, Ernest N. Morial Convention Center and Mercedes-Benz Superdome, and employs 74,000 New Orleanians. Without the revenue from hospitality, every family in Louisiana would pay $516 more in taxes each year.

The New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau is a nationally accredited, 1,100-member destination marketing organization and the largest and most successful private economic development corporation in Louisiana. The CVB and its members influence thousands of decision-makers and millions of visitors to choose New Orleans through direct sales, marketing, public relations, branding and visitor services at our New Orleans headquarters and offices in Washington, D.C., New York, Chicago, Phoenix and four foreign countries. Consistently recognized as one of the top five CVBs in the country, the New Orleans CVB celebrated its 52nd anniversary in 2012. For more information, please visit http://www.neworleanscvb.com/.

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