Convention Sales, Services & Group Marketing

Meetings and conventions are the foundational layer of our tourism economy. Our Convention Sales and Services team confirms the business, promotes attendance and provides critical convention services to customers. Convention attendees typically stay longer, spend more and require hiring of local businesses from florists to printers. And they often engage in volunteer service projects that leave a lasting impact on our community. Each event is an economic development machine.

Convention Sales

The Convention Sales team is dedicated to positioning New Orleans as the premier destination for hosting meetings, conventions, tradeshows, exhibitions, and special events with technical excellence and unparalleled hospitality. Our experienced sales professionals promote the unique attributes of New Orleans — from its world-class facilities and vibrant culture to its rich history and exceptional culinary offerings — to meeting professionals across the country, securing future bookings that drive success for both clients and the city. The team works diligently to understand the goals of each meeting client, expertly sourcing member hotels, venues, and partners that best align with their needs to ensure a seamless and unforgettable event experience. Through personalized service and industry expertise, the Convention Sales team helps clients bring their vision to life while showcasing New Orleans as an extraordinary destination for events of all sizes and scopes.

Convention Services

The Convention Services team supports clients from the initial point of contact until the last delegate departs. They connect meeting planners with member venues and resources across the city, organize efficient site visits, and manage complex logistics to ensure effective meetings with an authentic New Orleans experience. Acting as New Orleans experts, they work closely with planners throughout the entire planning process.

The group marketing & attendance building experts within the Convention Services team can act as an extension of the planner’s marketing team, providing support in leveraging destination messaging, serving as on-the-ground experts, showcasing everything New Orleans has to offer in event marketing. The team provides links to destination marketing tools designed to excite attendees about discovering New Orleans. Planners can review the comprehensive Group Marketing and Promo Plan—including complimentary digital tools—and collaborate with the team to customize strategies and maximize attendance.

The New Orleans & Company Services Department maintains a professional registration staff of qualified individuals who bring expertise and New Orleans hospitality to every event. This dedicated team ensures the success of each convention by offering exceptional support and experience.

Built To Host Brand

Built To Host is the New Orleans meetings brand and guidepost for positioning the city as a premiere destination for meetings, conventions, tradeshows, exhibition and special events.  This fully integrated marketing messaging reinforces the city’s strengths and resonates across all sales, service, and marketing efforts. 

Tenets of Built To Host:

  • Demonstrates why groups should meet in New Orleans.
  • Highlights the city’s authentic culture, food, and music that create memorable experiences.
  • Showcases continued investments in hospitality infrastructure.
  • Illustrates technical excellence in event execution.
  • Promotes the city’s walkable, compact footprint for attendees.
  • Speaks to the economic and social impact of events.
  • Illustrates why corporations should link their brand to New Orleans

In line with this message, the Built To Host brand was expanded to include new imagery that reflects New Orleans’s welcoming hospitality and ability to deliver exceptional events.

We've Built Something Great in New Orleans

A new “Top 250” study found that 88 percent of the top 250 conventions in the country will meet in only 20 cities and New Orleans tops the list at number three above top-tier convention destinations. New Orleans’ high ranking reinforces that customers appreciate New Orleans’ walkability, compact geographic footprint, world-class venues, unmatched culture and hospitality expertise.

Convention Sales Awards

New Orleans & Company’s Convention Sales team has received numerous awards recognizing excellence in destination management and customer service, including:

  • Trip Advisor: New Orleans named the No. 1 Food Destination in the U.S., “With its famed culinary scene, New Orleans has held onto its title for number one Food Destination in the U.S. fora second year in a row.”
  • Smart Meetings Magazine: Stephanie Turner was inducted into the Smart Women in Meetings Hall of Fame, this movement is more than 1,000 women strong, all contributing in unique ways to make the meetings and events industry a powerful force for good in the world.
  • AllClear: New Orleans ranked as theMost Walkable City in the U.S., “New Orleans' pedestrian-friendly French Quarter and Central Business District span two miles and are packed with more than 500 eateries and nearly 100 attractions.” 
  • New Geography: New Geography.com writes that New Orleans is Top Five in the US for Auto/Transit Ratio – that is, jobs reachable by public transportation.  They say that, “somewhat surprisingly,” New Orleans beats out Philadelphia and Boston.
  • Travel & Leisure: T&L's Evie Carrick wrote that the internet believes that New Orleans is the best place to "work and still enjoy life."
  • Meetings Today Magazine: The meeting planner audience voted New Orleans & Company a winner of their 2024 “Best of” award. The criteria for nominating destinations was the overall service they provided to planners for their meetings and events.
  • Corporate & Incentive Travel: Winners receiving the prestigious and coveted 40th Annual "Award of Excellence"were selected by C&I T's meeting planner subscribers who voted by ballot for Convention & Visitors Bureaus that best served their meeting needs.
  • Prevue Meetings + Incentives magazine: Visionary Award Gold recipient – Best CVB/DMO Meeting & Incentive Planner Support by Region – Southeastand Silver recipient – Best U.S. Destination for Meetings & Conventions – Small (under 500,000 population)