FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contacts:
Kelly Schulz or Tara Letort
504-566-5019
kschulz@neworleanscvb.com/tletort@neworleanscvb.com 

                       New Orleans Ranks as Top Destination in the World for Nightlife in TripAdvisor
                                                 2010 Travelers’ Choice® Destinations Awards
                        Also recognized as third in Food & Wine Destinations of the United States and
                             fourth in the World; ninth destination in the United States for Culture
                             & Sightseeing; and 15th in the Top  25 Destinations in the United States

NEW ORLEANS – May 7, 2010 – New Orleans was ranked number one internationally for nightlife according to TripAdvisor Annual Travelers’ Choice Destinations Awards. New Orleans was also recognized in four other categories including third in the Top 10 Food & Wine Destinations in the United States and fourth in the Top 10 Food & Wine Destinations in the World. The Crescent City placed ninth in the Top 10 Culture & Sightseeing Destinations in the United States and 15th in the Top 25 Destinations in the United States.

New Orleans competed against New York, Las Vegas, Buenos Aires and London, solidifying the city’s status as a premier leisure destination. TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice Destinations Awards are based on millions of real and unbiased reviews and opinions from travelers on TripAdvisor.com®. The winners were determined by a combination of travelers' destination comments, favorite places and overall destination popularity on TripAdvisor.

Stephen Perry, president and CEO of the New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau, said, “These rankings reflect that New Orleans is rapidly being recognized as the hottest new city in America for travelers to escape and indulge in authentic nightlife, food and wine… it’s a sensory place where travelers can be a little bit different and let their everyday pressures and boundaries melt away.”

Being recognized as a top international food and wine destination is an honor as the city prepares for the 19th Annual New Orleans Wine and Food Experience (NOWFE), May 26-29. “Wine is the heart of NOWFE and food is the pulse,” states Joyce Godbold, NOWFE executive director. “Our ever-popular wine and food program is what NOWFE is all about – showcasing our acclaimed local chefs and visiting celebrities, while creating exciting discussions about the latest trends in the culinary world, all on the backdrop of one of America’s most historic cities.”

“Millions of travelers on TripAdvisor have identified the world’s most amazing destinations,” said Christine Petersen, chief marketing officer for TripAdvisor. “From stunningly beautiful locales to spots with outstanding attractions, the 2010 Travelers’ Choice Destination Award winners are truly incredible places that travelers love.”

Visit www.tripadvisor.com/TCDestinations for a complete listing of the results.

The New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau is the driving catalyst for New Orleans’ largest industry, strategically leading national and international marketing, public relations and visitor services efforts that attract millions of visitors, events, conventions and festivals. Consistently recognized as one of the top five CVBs in the country, the New Orleans CVB is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2010. For more information, please visit www.neworleanscvb.com.

TripAdvisor® Media Network, operated by TripAdvisor, LLC, attracts 46 million monthly visitors* across 15 popular travel brands: TripAdvisor®, www.airfarewatchdog.com, www.bookingbuddy.com, www.cruisecritic.com, www.familyvacationcritic.com, www.flipkey.com, www.frequentflier.com, www.holidaywatchdog.com, www.independenttraveler.com, www.onetime.com, www.seatguru.com, www.smartertravel.com, www.travel-library.com, www.travelpod.com and www.virtualtourist.com. TripAdvisor-branded sites make up the largest travel community in the world, with more than 34 million monthly visitors*, 15 million registered members and 30 million reviews and opinions. Featuring real advice from real travelers, TripAdvisor-branded sites cover more than one million destinations, hotels, restaurants and attractions and operate in the U.S. (http://www.tripadvisor.com), the U.K. (http://www.tripadvisor.co.uk), Ireland (http://www.tripadvisor.ie), France (http://www.tripadvisor.fr), Germany (http://www.tripadvisor.de), Italy (http://www.tripadvisor.it), Spain (http://www.tripadvisor.es), India (http://www.tripadvisor.in), Japan (http://www.tripadvisor.jp), Portugal and Brazil (http://www.tripadvisor.com.br), Sweden (http://www.tripadvisor.se), The Netherlands (http://nl.tripadvisor.com), Canada (http://www.tripadvisor.ca), Denmark (http://www.tripadvisor.dk), Turkey (http://www.tripadvisor.com.tr) and Mexico (http://www.tripadvisor.com.mx). TripAdvisor also operates in China under the brand daodao.com (http://www.daodao.com) and Kuxun.cn (http://www.kuxun.cn). TripAdvisor® Media Network provides travel suppliers with graphical advertising opportunities and a cost-per-click marketing platform. Collectively, the sites comprising the TripAdvisor Media Network have won hundreds of awards and accolades from press and industry worldwide. TripAdvisor and the sites comprising the TripAdvisor Media Network are operating companies of Expedia, Inc. (NASDAQ: EXPE).

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