FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contacts:
Mary Beth Romig or Jenn Lotz
New Orleans CVB
504-566-5019
mbromig@neworleanscvb.com
jlotz@neworleanscvb.com
NEW ORLEANS NAMED BEST CITY IN NORTH AMERICA FOR LIVE MUSIC
Designation determined by the Society of American Travel Writers
NEW ORLEANS–August 27, 2009–The Society of American Travel Writers (SATW), the world’s largest organization of professional travel journalists and photographers, recently polled its members to come up with the “Top 10” best North American cities for live music. New Orleans ranked number one in the polls.
“Travel should involve all five senses, and one of the great travel experiences is listening to live music in the places where it originated or in spectacular settings,” says SATW president, Bea Broda. In citing New Orleans as the city with the top ranking, SATW member Lisa A. Tomaszewski, travel editor, HMP Communications, stated: “New Orleans bleeds music – it’s in the air, in the water, in the people. You can’t go to New Orleans without the music swallowing you whole.”
Other cities ranked in the top 10 include (in order of ranking): New York City; Austin, Texas; Nashville, Tennessee; Chicago, Illinois; Memphis, Tennessee; Montreal, Canada; Las Vegas, Nevada; Branson, Missouri and Denver, Colorado.
“Having this designation determined by members of the SATW is a tremendous nod to our city’s musical history and culture, one of the main reasons why New Orleans is not just a great place to live and work, but to visit,” said Stephen Perry, president and CEO of the New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau. “We continue to tell the world that music bubbles up from nearly every street corner and throughout our history has been one of the integral elements that make New Orleans such a unique and authentic place. Recognizing the city in this way, and ultimately recognizing those that make it happen – our musicians, music club owners, music producers, managers, festival organizers and those who cover music in the media – is a well-deserved and important nod to all those who make our incomparable music scene happen every day.”
Jan Ramsey, Publisher of New Orleans' OffBeat Music & Culture Magazine said, “It's gratifying to know that what we already know to be true–that New Orleans is the greatest music city in America–is being verified by the journalists and photographers who write about travel destinations for a living. New Orleans music is a part of the unique charm of our city and a piece of Americana that can only be experienced where it's created: here in New Orleans!”
SATW is a non-profit professional association that works to promote responsible travel journalism and to provide professional support for its members, including travel journalists, photographers, editors, electronic media, film lecturers, television and film producers, as well as public relations representatives from the travel industry.
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. In 2008 New Orleans welcomed 7.6 million visitors, an increase over 2007 visitor levels of 7.1 million people. For more information, visit www.neworleanscvb.com.
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