Second Weekend of The 2026 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival Presented by Shell Projected to Sustain Strong Hotel Demand
NEW ORLEANS – New Orleans & Company projects hotel occupancy for the second weekend of The 2026 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival presented by Shell will exceed 2025 levels across each night of the festival, reflecting sustained demand as the event continues.
Friday and Saturday nights are projected to reach occupancy in the 90 percent range, with all four nights trending ahead of last year’s performance.
| Jazz Fest Weekend Two | 2025 Hotel Occupancy | 2026 Projected Occupancy |
| Thursday | 72% | 86% |
| Friday | 79% | 91% |
| Saturday | 84% | 92% |
| Sunday | 66% | 71% |
The continued strength is driven by a combination of leisure travel and meeting and conventions, with both segments pacing ahead of 2025 and contributing to elevated hotel demand throughout the weekend.
New Orleans & Company will also host media from around the world during the festival to generate coverage that inspires future visitation.
For more on recent tourism developments, click here to view the latest “What’s New in New Orleans.”
Media Contacts:
Kelly Schulz, kschulz@neworleans.com, 504-421-0962
Rhonda Cook, rcook@neworleans.com, 504-616-6161