New Orleans continues to charm visitors from around the world and earn praise with recent designations in the Travel + Leisure World’s Best Awards 2019. The readers of the prominent travel magazine have named New Orleans the No. 3 City in the United States. This is the fifth consecutive year that New Orleans has been named a top five city in the country.

“It is an incredible honor to consistently be recognized as a top city amongst some of the most popular destinations in the country. Our vibrant culture, living history and unmatched hospitality make up the authentic spirit that is felt by every visitor who chooses New Orleans,” said Stephen Perry, president and CEO of New Orleans & Company. “With the explosion of new restaurants, hotels and attractions, as well as the addition of the new Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport terminal, our city continues to generate new experiences for visitors, and we are excited to share our dynamic and engaging community with all.”

In its 24th year, Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Awards is an annual readers’ survey that rates destinations, hotels, airports, cruise lines and more.  New Orleans ranked ahead of New York City, Chicago, Nashville, Asheville, Austin and Honolulu in the list of U.S. Best Cities and was included in the top four along with Charleston, Santa Fe, and Savannah. Readers ranked cities on their sights and landmarks, culture, cuisine, friendliness, shopping and overall value.

“Travel + Leisure is a leader in the travel industry, and receiving this accolade is indeed a unique honor,” said Mark Romig, President and CEO of New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corporation. “We thank the readers who participated in awarding this honor to New Orleans and know this will help further our messaging that New Orleans is a special place to visit anytime, and where visitors always leave with a story, not just a souvenir”

More information on Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Awards and a complete list of winners can be found at www.travelandleisure.com/worlds-best.

New Orleans was also recently named the No. 2 best city to visit in the United States by Time Out only behind New York City. Each city is ranked on its cultural significance, architectural identity, culinary offerings, diversity, attractions, outdoor public spaces, green areas, entertainment and sports options. Visit here to see the complete list.

New Orleans’ designation as a World’s Best City and one of the best American cities to visit follows a string of accolades in recent years including TripAdvisor®’s Most Excellent City Overall, Southern Living’s Best Food City, AFAR’s Where to Go in 2019, Fodor’s Go List 2019, Business Insider’s Best Places to Travel Each Month, Smarter Travel’s list of 10 Best U.S. Cities to Visit in 2019, and among others.

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 59th anniversary in 2019. For more information, please visit Neworleans.com/about.

New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corporation (NOTMC) promotes the city as a leisure tourism destination throughout the year. Annually, NOTMC’s marketing campaigns include strategic digital and broadcast TV advertising, social media and public relations. Websites: neworleans.com; followyourNOLA.com; GoNOLA.com. Social Media: Facebook.com/NewOrleans; Twitter.com/visitneworleans; Instagram.com/visitneworleans; YouTube.com/gonolatv.

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