FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contacts:
Kelly Schulz or Jennifer Day
504-566-5019
kschulz@neworleanscvb.com / jday@neworleanscvb.com

                             New Orleans Ranks as Top Ten Destination to Celebrate Halloween
                                             According to eHow.com and Cheapflights.com
     
Big Easy Reigns as Home to Ghastly Fun with Centuries of Voodoo Legends and Witchcraft Lore

NEW ORLEANS – October 26, 2010 – New Orleans was ranked number four internationally as a top ten destination to celebrate Halloween, according to a joint list released on October 22 by advice and information web site eHow.com and travel web site Cheapflights.com. No longer just about trick-or-treating in the local neighborhood, Halloween has become synonymous with the Big Easy where spooky cemetery tours, world-class costuming and haunted hotels offer hair-raising jaunts at every turn.

New Orleans’ place on the list—among other frightful cities—cements the Big Easy’s status as a top destination this holiday. Competing cities that also ranked include:

· Salem, Massachusetts
· Bran, Romania
· London, England
· New York, New York
· Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
· Tombstone, Arizona
· Forks, Washington
· Orlando, Florida
· Long Beach, California

“New Orleans is a one-of-a-kind city where thrilling paranormal happenings meet affordability,” said Stephen Perry, president and CEO of the New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau. “When it comes to Halloween—one of the most anticipated celebrations of the year—New Orleans is a place that truly captures the attention of all travelers and has something for everyone to enjoy.”

From the Haunted Mortuary, New Orleans Spirit Tours and Audubon’s “Boo at the Zoo” to Voodoo Music Experience and the Krewe of Halloween, visitors to the Big Easy can look forward to a Halloween experience unparallel to any other city. Travelers will reap the benefits of citywide deals and packages that are sure to make spines shiver. For spooktacular October savings in New Orleans, visit www.neworleanscvb.com/mediapackages. Book now as hotels across the city are nearly sold out!

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 celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2010. For more information, please visit www.neworleanscvb.com.

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