Dear Friends of New Orleans & Company,

The momentum continues as New Orleans has been busy in March with a diverse layering of events and compelling reasons to visit. None of this happens on its own – it takes hard work from the entire community, our many partners and your team at New Orleans & Company. For example, the city reached more than 90 percent hotel occupancy on the weekend of New Orleans Book Fest, St. Patrick’s Day Parades, Super Sunday and the Savannah Bananas.

Leisure travelers are coming to board cruise ships, attend destination weddings, spring festivals and family reunions. British Airways announced that New Orleans will increase from three to four flights per week to London Heathrow Airport. The additional flights are a testament to the relationship and partnership built by our community, and especially with our marketing partnership between New Orleans & Company and British Airways since 2017. The expanded service will provide greater flexibility for local residents, business travelers and visitors traveling between New Orleans, London and British Airways’ global network.

Meeting attendees from around the globe are arriving this week for the American College of Cardiology 75th Annual Scientific Session & Expo, one of several major medical meetings booked by our Convention Sales team for 2026.

Investment in connectivity is destiny. How we spur and plan infrastructure investment will determine the city, region and state we become in the future. It was my honor to join Mayor Moreno, Aviation Director Dolliole, GNO, Inc. and regional public officials last week to announce the Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport 20-year master plan. It outlines the investments needed to ensure MSY can meet future demand while maintaining the high-quality experience travelers expect. Expanding our airport strengthens New Orleans’ role as a global city, a hub for visitation and talent and ultimately helps us to become a better place to live, work, learn and visit. For details, please click here.


Photo Credit George Long

Of course, we cannot mention the airport without acknowledging that New Orleans is one of the major cities in the country experiencing extended TSA wait times during the partial government shutdown. Please be kind and thank a TSA worker for their service. We join MSY officials in encouraging travelers to arrive at the airport well in advance of their flights on peak travel days of Sunday and Monday. And we support US Travel Association efforts to encourage Congress to pay TSA workers who are essential to a safe and seamless travel industry.

Everything we do at New Orleans & Company is designed to inspire, promote and encourage travel to our city for the economic, social and community benefit of New Orleans and its people. Below are a few highlights of our work toward achieving our strategic goals.

Strategic Goal One: Deliver the Most Innovative and Exceptional Sales and Service

  • We continue to receive awards for the city and our work.

    • New Orleans & Company’s newest destination video, How Glad Am I - designed to elevate how we tell the New Orleans story to meeting planners - received a Silver ADDY at the 2026 District 7 American Advertising Awards. An ADDY Award represents the highest recognition of creative excellence in the advertising industry. The video debuted on the mainstage at PCMA’s Convening Leaders, one of the meeting industry’s most important global gatherings. Please watch and share the video here. 

    • Business Travel Executive named New Orleans as the Best U.S. City for Bleisure (blending business and leisure). The research, based on analysis of internal bookings and TripAdvisor data, ranked New Orleans as number one, followed by Las Vegas and Orlando. To view the full article, click here.

    • New Orleans was also named one of the 10 Safest Destinations in the U.S. for Women Traveling Solo, according to OnlyInYourState.com. The recognition highlights the city’s welcoming atmosphere and ease of exploration, noting its compact, walkable neighborhoods and abundance of hidden gems for visitors to discover. To view the full press release, click here.

Strategic Goal Two: Make New Orleans a Great Place to Live, Work and Visit

  • We continue to invest in the people who power our hospitality industry through initiatives that strengthen both careers and the visitor experience. In partnership with the New Orleans Culinary & Hospitality Institute (NOCHI), we are proud to offer Serving Up Hospitality, a flexible six-seminar series designed to build professional and personal excellence.

  • The program allows participants to tailor their experience by attending sessions that fit their schedule, with each seminar offered twice for added flexibility. The series is free for New Orleans & Company members, reinforcing our commitment to supporting our workforce and elevating service standards across the destination. Classes begin March 30. Click here to register.

Strategic Goal Three: Create and Own a Clear, World-Class Brand for New Orleans

  • Our spring social campaign, which launched in early March, is driving strong awareness and engagement across key markets by highlighting festivals, events, hotel offers, and unique things to do throughout the season. These efforts ensure New Orleans remains top of mind as travelers plan their spring and summer visits.

We also have launched a new co-op program for attractions in partnership with travel media leader Sojern. This initiative enables our attraction members to deliver highly targeted advertising to travelers who have already booked trips to New Orleans, maximizing visibility at a critical decision-making moment. The program includes a 3:1 match on media investment, providing significant added value while strengthening the overall impact of our destination marketing efforts.

Strategic Goal Four: Build International Tourism

  • Our Tourism team recently hosted several travel advisors from the United Kingdom for an immersive in-market experience, which received rave reviews. One attendee, Jane Karatas, Branch Manager of Bailey’s Travel, told us, “New Orleans was everything I expected and more. Beyond the stunning scenery, food, and music, what stood out most was the people. It is such a friendly and welcoming city, and you can feel how proud everyone is to share their love for it. I will definitely be coming back and cannot wait to book my clients.”

As we look ahead, we are excited about the continued opportunities to showcase New Orleans on a global stage while uplifting our residents in every neighborhood. Thank you for your partnership and for all you do to help make our city one of the most remarkable and welcoming destinations in the world. We will be in touch again soon.