New Orleans Tourism Grows

Tourism to New Orleans is bigger than ever. According to a report from the New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau, 2015 saw a 3.5 percent increase in visitor spending and a 2.7 percent increase in overall visitors over 2014.

The survey shows overnight visitors who stayed in hotels spent an average of $1,011 per person, per trip in 2015. An average trip lasted 4.2 nights. Tourism to the Big Easy took a hit in 2006 following Hurricane Katrina. However, the city has been bouncing back in a big way since the devastating storm. “One of the key takeaways for us is the robust repeat visitor numbers. Only 37.1 percent of people responded that they were first time visitors in 2015, indicating that 62.9 percent are repeat visitors. And the comments were overwhelmingly positive with many promises to return for future visits,” said Mark Romig, president and CEO, New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corporation.

Research from the University of New Orleans shows the second quarter as the peak visiting period in New Orleans. This is likely due to the popularity of Jazz Fest, the French Quarter Fest, Mardi Gras and conventions. Of those surveyed, 76.7 percent of visitors were in New Orleans for vacation/pleasure.