FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contacts:
Jennifer Day or Jenn Lotz
504-566-5019
jday@neworleanscvb.com / jlotz@neworleanscvb.com  

                 New Orleans Ranks Number One in the Country for Nightlife According to
                       Travel + Leisure’s 2010 America’s Favorite Cities Survey Results

                 New Orleans residents and visitors agree that the Crescent City tops the
      list for People-Watching, Neighborhood Joints and Cafés and as a New Year’s Eve destination

NEW ORLEANS – Nov. 18, 2010Travel + Leisure (T+L) recently announced that New Orleans was voted the number one urban destination in the country for New Year’s Eve, Neighborhood Joints and Cafés, People-Watching, Singles/Bar Scene, Cocktail Hour and the overall category of Nightlife in the 2010 America’s Favorite Cities survey.

After taking top honors in the 2009 survey for Nightlife, New Orleans was once again named the best city for Nightlife receiving a number one ranking from visitors and residents for the Cocktail Hour and Singles/Bar Scene subcategories. Earning top marks in a variety of categories, New Orleans once again proves that it is a leading travel destination for culture, food, unforgettable experiences and much more.

T+L’s 2010 survey results reflect that locals and visitors recognize New Orleans as a truly genuine, eclectic and indulgent destination, where visitors are welcomed and enveloped into our unique cultural celebrations and way of life,” said Stephen Perry, president and CEO of the New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau. “These rankings paired with the fact that New Orleans has remained one of the most popular and fastest growing destinations in the country in 2010, reflect that New Orleans is one of the hottest cities in America for travelers to escape … a sensory place where they can let their everyday pressures and boundaries melt away and be inspired by New Orleans’ joyous lifestyle.”

The annual online survey appeared on travelandleisure.com from July 1- Sept. 15, 2010. Respondents were asked to identify if they were visitors or residents, then asked to rank their choice of 35 cities from across the country in different categories on culture, hotels, shopping, people, food and other characteristics.

In addition to number one honors, New Orleans ranked in the top five of several categories. Visitors awarded New Orleans with top five rankings in the following subcategories:

  • Big Name Restaurants
  • Ethnic Food
  • B&Bs/Inns
  • Stylish Boutique Hotels
  • Live Music/Concerts and Bands
  • Diverse
  • Noteworthy Neighborhoods
  • Antique Stores
  • Vintage Shops and Flea Markets
  • Wild Weekend

In addition to number one honors, locals recognized their city by awarding top five rankings in the following subcategories:

  • New Year’s Eve
  • Spring Break
  • Big Name Restaurants
  • Affordable Hotels
  • B&Bs/Inns
  • Stylish Boutique Hotels
  • Friendly
  • People-Watching
  • Affordable Getaway
  • Cultural Getaway
  • Independent Boutiques

Visit www.travelandleisure.com/americas-favorite-cities/2010/city/new-orleans for a complete list of survey results.

Cities also included in the 2010 America’s Favorite Cities survey were: Anchorage; Atlanta; Austin; Baltimore; Boston; Charleston; Chicago; Dallas/Fort Worth; Denver; Honolulu; Houston; Kansas City; Las Vegas; Los Angeles; Miami; Memphis; Minneapolis/St. Paul; Nashville; New York; Orlando; Philadelphia; Phoenix/Scottsdale; Portland, Maine; Portland, Oregon; Providence; Salt Lake City; San Antonio; San Diego; San Francisco; San Juan; Santa Fe; Savannah; Seattle; and Washington, D.C.

New Orleans and other Favorite Cities winners will be featured in T + L magazine’s December 2010 issue on newsstands November 19.

The New Orleans CVB is the driving catalyst for New Orleans’ largest industry – tourism – 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.

With an eye for the authentic, the innovative, and the irresistible, Travel + Leisure (www.travelandleisure.com, @travlandleisure) fuses expert reporting on culture, food, style, and design with stunning photography, transporting readers to the places—and the travel experiences—that matter now. T+L, the monthly title from American Express Publishing and the long-standing authority in its field, has the largest audience of any travel magazine and is an indispensable guide for global nomads. Travel + Leisure has a network of international editions, including Travel + Leisure Mexico, Travel + Leisure Turkey, Travel + Leisure China, Travel + Leisure South Asia, and Travel + Leisure Southeast Asia.

###