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News • New Orleans • Louisiana • United States • 2013-08-24

What’s New in New Orleans’ Hospitality Industry – August/ September 2013

LATEST NEWS

COOLinary New Orleans announced the line-up of world-class restaurants for its ninth annual restaurant promotion, where more than 50 restaurants offer special two and three-course lunch menus for $20 or less and/or three-course dinner menus for $35 or less August 1-31, 2013. The event commemorates the renowned and authentic cuisine of New Orleans and its expanding culinary community, which currently boasts nearly 1,350 restaurants. Visit www.coolinaryneworleans.com to see the growing list of restaurants and to learn more about COOLinary New Orleans.

A 32 percent increase in cruise passengers at the Port of New Orleans in 2012 resulted in huge gains in employment and cruise spending in Louisiana, according to Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA). Port of New Orleans cruise terminals handled a record 977,703 passengers in 2012, up 32 percent compared to 2011\'s former record of 736,908. CLIA\'s report by Business Research and Economic Advisors (BREA) found cruise industry spending last year in Louisiana grew 42.5 percent to $399 million, generating 7,548 jobs, compared to 5,512 jobs in 2011. Those jobs resulted in $294 million in income, up 39 percent, compared to the same period one year ago. CLIA\'s figures also rank New Orleans as the sixth-largest cruise port in the United States, up from the ninth position in 2011.www.portno.com

During first weekend of August, New Orleans celebrated the life and legacy of its native son, Louis \"Satchmo\" Armstrong. Presented by French Quarter Festivals, Inc., Satchmo SummerFest showcased the music of the Great Satchmo as well as the innovative art of risings stars that have been influenced by his work. Locals and visitors enjoyed live performances by local and internationally renowned artists, food supplied by local vendors - including Abita Beer, Plum Street Snowballs and Red Bean Alley, educational seminars, interactive arts demonstrations and more. This year’s Satchmo SummerFest grew to more than 53,000 attendees, up from 27,000 in 2012. www.fqfi.org

Travel + Leisure ranked New Orleans as a Top City in the U.S. and Canada in this year’s World’s Best Awards. The city’s recognition as a premiere destination has reached sixth place out of ten. It was preceded by Charleston, San Francisco, New York City, Chicago and Santa Fe and followed by Savannah, Quebec City, Vancouver and Washington, D.C. http://www.travelandleisure.com/worldsbest/2013/cities/us-canada-cities/502

Stephen Perry, president and CEO of the New Orleans CVB, is pleased to announce the appointment of prominent hotel sales executive Cara Banasch as the organization\'s vice president of convention sales and strategy, effective July 22. Banasch took over for veteran sales leader Nikki Nicholson Moon, upon her retirement after 31 years of legendary service to New Orleans\' meetings industry. Banasch served as area director of sales and marketing for Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide, Inc., overseeing twelve hotels in major markets throughout the south east and previously in Boston, from her base in New Orleans. http://www.neworleanscvb.com/articles/index.cfm?action=view&articleID=8135&menuID=1602

Brad Weaber, CMP, a 25-year meeting industry veteran who has served as a senior executive of both SmithBucklin and Experient, was named executive vice president of the New Orleans CVB, a newly created position, effective August 1. Weaber will focus on a new, enhanced strategic direction for New Orleans as a meeting/convention destination for corporations, associations and government entities, and specifically on a new customer interface and relationship model. www.neworleanscvb.com/articles/index.cfm?action=view&articleID=7978&menuID=1602

After more than eight years, the historic Saenger Theatre will reopen its doors this Fall with a grand opening celebration, featuring a lineup of star-studded performances. The announcement includes a variety of entertainment beginning on September 28 and continuing through January 10, 2014. Performances include comedian Jerry Seinfield, Brian Regan, Bonnie Raitt, Moscow Ballet’s Great Russian Nutcracker and more. www.saengernola.com

The People United for Armstrong Park (PUfAP) is thrilled to unveil the lineup for season number four of Jazz in the Park. Armstrong Park’s very own concert series begins Thursday, September 5, and runs through October 31, 2013. Jazz in the Park has expanded its hours for the fourth season, with an official opening time of 12 p.m. Congo Square will play host to an arts and crafts village, accompanied by a jazz trio and full bar. The Marketplace at Armstrong Park, in collaboration with the Institute of Community Development (icdnola.org), will offer fresh and prepared foods, and a variety of food trucks will be on hand to add to the array of menu choices. Music runs from 4-8 p.m. this season, as Jazz in the Park welcomes musicians such as the Treme Brass Band, The Soul Rebels, Jon Cleary, Rebirth Brass Band and more. www.pufap.org

“Drink it in” was the theme for this year’s Tales of the Cocktail, July 17-21. Cocktails, spirits, liquors and apertifs headlined this mixology festival focusing on the knowledge and traditions of the cocktail, bartending and anything involving a drink. The five-day event featured a series of seminars, bartender competitions, \"spirited\" luncheons and dinners, free events and invitation-only events. Tasting rooms had popular and up-and-coming liquor brands giving out samples of their latest concoctions while more than 80 liquor specialists speak on panels and host the event\'s seminars. www.talesofthecocktail.com

August 2-4, the inaugural Farm to Table International Symposium (F2T), in partnership with the Southern Food and Beverage Museum, featured the brightest thought leaders and leading practitioners in the burgeoning farm-to-table movement. F2T explored the cultivation, distribution, and consumption of food and drink sourced locally to globally. The Symposium took place in tandem with the Louisiana Restaurant Association’s Annual Foodservice & Hospitality EXPO, an event featuring related exhibits and attracting food and beverage professionals from throughout the country. http://f2t-int.com

June 20-23, New Orleans hosted the Third Annual FestiGals Weekend, a specially-designed weekend created by and for women, where inspirational seminars and empowerment workshops mixed with unique New Orleans activities. All net proceeds were dedicated to supporting women battling cancer. Emmy-award winning journalist Stephanie Oswald joined the high-powered line-up of female speakers planned for the weekend-long festival. Also, this year’s Bodacious Bras luncheon attracted more than 250 women and raised approximately $17,000 for Festigals non-profit beneficiary. www.festigals.org

Senate Bill 242, the optional hotel assessment proposal that could increase sales and marketing resources by 70 percent to the CVB and NOTMC, and one of our cornerstone BCG Master Plan initiatives, was signed into law by Governor Jindal. The culmination of years of work and unprecedented industry partnerships, this legislation will create up to $12 million dollars in new sales and marketing funds to promote New Orleans as a top tier destination for leisure visitors, conventions, meetings, business travel and special events. It will also establish, for the first time, a much needed, and long overdue, source of dedicated funding for our most important national treasure, the Vieux Carré. In addition to marketing the city for visitors, funds will be dedicated to improve French Quarter infrastructure, public safety, code enforcement, quality of life, and basic needed services. We estimate that this new funding will create 5,000 new jobs and generate $500 million in additional economic impact over the next eighteen months. We should see further gains in our destination market share, drive new attendance at every cultural attraction, attract more diners to restaurants, put more musicians to work, produce more customers for shops and artists, and create a better quality of life for New Orleans citizens in every neighborhood. http://www.neworleanscvb.com/articles/index.cfm?action=view&articleID=8000&menuID=1602

Carnival Cruise Lines announced its largest and newest line of ships will sail from the Port of New Orleans beginning in 2014. Carnival will deploy the newly renovated Carnival Sunshine to New Orleans on November 18 to sail a seven-day itinerary through April 2014. The Carnival Dream, the cruise line’s newest and largest class of ship, will begin servicing out of New Orleans in April 2014. The Carnival Elation will continue to sail year-round out of the Port of New Orleans. Carnival is the only cruise line to operate two year-round ships from New Orleans and will carry more than 400,000 guests annually from the Port of New Orleans. www.worldsleadingcruiselines.com

September 6-7, the world’s largest facial hair competition, now in its fourth year, will take place in New Orleans. The Just For Men National Beard & Moustache Championship draws hundreds of men from around the world competing in one of eighteen categories, ranging from the “Dali moustache” to the “anything-goes full beard freestyle.” www.beardteamusa.org/nationals

The New Orleans African-American Museum Board of Directors announced the beginning of a major construction project to expand, renovate, and modernize the campus of the New Orleans African American Museum (NOAAM) at 1418 Governor Nicholls Street in the historic Tremé neighborhood. The scope of the renovation will include fortifying the historic Villa Meilleur-Goldthwaite, which was built in 1828, refurbishing free standing creole cottage galleries that date back to the early 19th century, replanting the lush gardens, converting the newly acquired house at 1417-1419 Governor Nicholls into a state-of-the-art administrative and educational center and turning the adjacent empty lot into a side garden and parking area for museum-goers. The museum is closed for renovations, but they have opened a pop-up gallery in the lobby of the Jazz and Heritage Foundation Lobby. www.noaam.org/

Construction on two hospitals in one area with a combined two million square feet under construction is coming together in the BioDistrict New Orleans. The Veterans Hospital will open in the first quarter of 2015 and serve a four-state area as the largest and most advanced VA hospital in the US, and the University Medical Center will open in the Fall of 2014 to serve LSU, Tulane, and Xavier as a teaching hospital. Biodistrict plans call for the creation of 34,000 jobs, building a strong bioscience industry in New Orleans. www.biodistrictneworleans.org

Awards and Honors

New Orleans was selected as the “Best Large City” by AAA Southern Traveler’s “Best of the South” reader poll. In addition to being named the best city for a weekend getaway, New Orleans also placed first in the following categories: Best City for Live Music, Best Large Hotel (Hotel Monteleone), Best Outdoor Dining Spot (Court of Two Sisters), Best Attraction in New Orleans (French Quarter) and Best Day Tour from New Orleans (Louisiana’s Great River Road- New Orleans to Baton Rouge). www.aaa.com/traveler

New Orleans was represented in the latest nomination for a 2013 10Best Readers’ Choice Travel Award. Boiled crawfish is one of 20 nominees in the Best Iconic American Foods category of 10Best.com’s prestigious weekly contest, which runs throughout the year. Readers have until July 24, 2013 to vote for the Best Iconic American Foods, and the winner will be revealed on 10Best.com and USA TODAY. www.10best.com/awards/travel/best-iconic-american-foods/

TripAdvisor released the 2013 TripIndex Cities, an annual cost comparison combining the price of an evening out featuring cocktails, a two-course dinner, round-trip taxi costs and an overnight stay for two in a four-star hotel. According to the TripIndex, New Orleans is among the least expensive cities for summer 2013 travel, claiming the sixth spot on the top ten list of least expensive U.S. cities. The study measured summer rates from June 1 through August 31 and reflected travel costs for major leisure travel destinations around the world.

Priceline.com ranked New Orleans’ French Quarter as the top destination for Fourth of July in the United States on its Top 50 Destinations list, released on June 25. The list is based on more than 30,000 hotel room booking requests submitted on Priceline.com, reflecting data from upcoming consumer travel. New Orleans was ranked among notable world-class destinations such as Paris, London, Maui, New York City and Las Vegas.

For the second year in a row, Southern Living named New Orleans one of the “Tastiest Towns in the South.” The magazine looked at tastemakers, chefs, artisans and restaurants that give each food destination its distinct local flavor, and chose its Top 10. Categories include “Best Bites,” “Nightcap” and more. www.southernliving.com/tasty

Hotels, Restaurants and Attractions

Jim Oliver has been appointed to the position of General Manager of The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans. As General Manager, Oliver will oversee all business and operational aspects of the hotel. Oliver joins The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans from the company\'s Fort Lauderdale property, where he served as General Manager since 2008, when The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company took over the property from St. Regis. He led the property in this transition. In his 30-plus years of hospitality industry experience, Oliver has spent 28 of those years with The Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company including two and a half years at The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans. www.ritzcarlton.com/en/Properties/NewOrleans/Default.htm

During the annual Best Chefs of Louisiana awards dinner, the American Culinary Federation New Orleans Chapter named Executive Chef Randy Buck of Hotel Monteleone as the 2013 Chef of the Year. For his winning dish, Chef Randy Buck served the signature Chilled Blue-Crab & Avocado Shooter, which was also honored as a Gold Medal winning dish at the 2012 New Orleans Wine and Food Experience\'s Fleur de Lis Culinary Awards. www.hotelmonteleone.com/

TripAdvisor, the world’s largest travel site, announced the winners of its Travelers’ Choice Attractions awards based on feedback from millions of TripAdvisor travelers. The National World War II Museum, currently ranked #1 in New Orleans attractions, was named a Travelers’ Choice Attraction for 2013. www.nationalworldwar2museum.org

The Roosevelt New Orleans, A Waldorf Astoria Hotel, announced that it received a 2013 Certificate of Excellence from TripAdvisor, placing it in the top-performing 10 perfect of all businesses worldwide. Recipients of this designation are required to maintain an overall rating of four or higher out of a possible five as reviewed by travelers on the site and must have been listed on TripAdvisor for at least 12 months. www.therooseveltneworleans.com

The New Orleans Marriott/5 Fifty 5 welcomes Chef Thorsten Leighty as the new Executive Chef. Leighty cultivated his career in Europe, then came to the U.S. at age 25 to become a sous chef in Los Angeles. He then moved to Tucson to join the JW Marriott. Always staying in the Marriott family, he has made his home in New Orleans. www.555canal.com

After eight months of renovations, Café Reconcile has now reopened its doors to the community. Though the menu is the same, the space is drastically changed. Guests will find a larger dining room, an outside courtyard and patio, and the Emeril Lagasse Foundation Banquet Hall on the second floor. www.cafereconcile.org/

ConventionSouth has selected Crowne Plaza New Orleans Airport and Hotel Le Marais for their 2013 Editor’s Hot Picks of the Best Boardrooms in the South. After an in-depth review of boardrooms located within hotels and meeting facilities across the South, the magazine’s editors have deemed these hotels to have one of the best for groups gathering at the facility. www.conventionsouth.com/boardrooms.htm

Chef Frank Gray was appointed Chef de Cuisine of M Bistro at The Ritz-Carlton, New Orleans. Gray joins the hotel from The Ritz-Carlton Orlando, Grand Lakes, where he has held the position of restaurant chef for the award-winning Vineyard Grill since 2008. www.ritzcarlton.com/en/Properties/NewOrleans/Default.htm

Sports

WWE recently announced they will call the Mercedes-Benz Superdome home for WrestleMania30, April 6, 2014. WrestleMania is more than just a one day event, it’s a week-long celebration. In addition to WrestleMania XXX, other activities will include: WrestleMania Axxess – WWE’s four-day interactive fan festival at the New Orleans Morial Convention Center, the 2014 WWE Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, Monday Night Raw®, WrestleMania Reading Challenge Finals, Be a STAR™ anti-bullying rallies, hospital visits and other pro-social activities designed to give back to the host community. WrestleMania 30 is predicted to bring more than 125,000 people to the city. www.wwe.com/worldwide

New Orleans is slated to host the 63rd NBA All-Star Game on Sunday, February 16, 2014. The 2014 All-Star Game will be played at New Orleans Arena, home of the Pelicans. This will mark the second time the city hosts the NBA All-Star Game, having previously been held in New Orleans in 2008. www.nba.com/pelicans/news/new_orleans_selected__host_2_2012_04_16.html

The Allstate Sugar Bowl announced that it will host the bowl game featuring the champions of the Southeastern and Big 12 Conferences from 2014-2026. Hosting this game continues to put New Orleans in a national spotlight for sports. www.allstatesugarbowl.org

2013 Festivals

• Zulu Lundi Gras Festival/Feb. 11

• 25th Annual Lundi Gras at Spanish Plaza with Rex/Feb. 11

• Mardi Gras Day/Feb. 12

• Louisiana Oyster Jubilee/March 9

• Tennessee Williams/New Orleans Literary Festival/March 20-24

• New Orleans Roadfood Festival/March 22-24

• Spring Fiesta/March 2-10

• Congo Square/New World Rhythms Festival/March 23-24

• French Quarter Festival/April 11-14

• Zoo To Do for Kids/April 26

• New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival Presented by Shell/April 26-May 5

• Mid City Bayou Boogaloo/May 17-19

• New Orleans Wine and Food Experience/May 21-25

• Asian Pacific American Society Festival/May 25

• Greek Festival/ May 25-27

• New Orleans Oyster Festival/June 1-2

• Creole Tomato Festival/ June 8-9

• Louisiana Cajun-Zydeco Festival/June 8-9

• Fried Foods Fest/June 15-16

• New Orleans Pride Festival/June 20-23

• FestiGals/June 20-23

• ESSENCE Music Festival/July 4-7

• San Fermin in Nueva Orleans/July 11-14

• Tales of the Cocktail/July 17-21

• COOLinary New Orleans/Aug. 1-31

• Satchmo SummerFest/Aug. 2-4

• Whitney White Linen Night/Aug. 3

• Dirty Linen Night/Aug. 10

• New Orleans Red Dress Run/Aug. 10

• Southern Decadence Festival/Aug. 28-Sept. 2

• Jazz in the Park Fall Series/Sept. 5-Oct. 3

• New Orleans Burlesque Festival/ Sept. 19-21

• Gretna Heritage Festival/Oct. 4-6

• Art for Arts’ Sake/ TBD

• Louisiana Seafood Festival/ Oct. 11-13

• Crescent City Blues & BBQ Festival/Oct. 18-20

• New Orleans Film Festival/Oct. 10-17

• Celebracion Latina/ Oct. 13

• Voodoo Music + Art Experience/Nov. 1-3

• Bayou Bacchanal/ November 2

• New Orleans Fringe Festival/ November 20-24

• Oak Street Poboy Festival/ November TBD

• Words and Music Literary Festival/ TBD

• Treme Creole Gumbo Festival/ November 9-10

• Christmas New Orleans Style/December

Festival Attendance

2010

2011

2012

2013

Mardi Gras

1 million

1 million

1 million

1 million

French Quarter Festival

512,000

533,000

574,000

562,000

Jazz and Heritage Festival

375,000

400,000 +

450,000

425,000

New Orleans Wine & Food Experience

10,000

10,000

TBD

TBD

ESSENCE Music Fest

400,000

400,000 +

413,000

TBD

Tales of the Cocktail

17,000

21,000

23,000

23,000

Satchmo SummerFest

26,000

26,364

27,000

53,000

Southern Decadence Festival

125,000-135,000

100,000 +

TBD

Voodoo Music Experience

125,000-150,000

100,000 +

TBD

Meetings and Conventions

Meetings (3,000 or more in attendance) in 2013 include:

American Historical Association/ Jan. 3-5

5Linx Enterprises, Incorporated/ Jan. 11-13

Society for Personality & Social Psychology/ Jan. 16-19

National Rural Electric Cooperative Association/ Feb. 16-19

Ace Hardware Company Spring Convention/ Feb. 20-24

Healthcare Information & Management Systems Society/ March 3-7

Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Inc./ March 18-24

Women\'s Basketball Coaches Association/ April 4-9

American Chemical Society/ April 6-10

Society Of Interventional Radiology/ April 13-17

National Kitchen & Bath Association/ April 19-22

American Association of Neurological Surgeons/ April 27-30

Electronic Transactions Association/April 29-May 1

American College Of Obstetricians And Gynecologists/May 4-7

American Nusmatic Association/ May 8-10

WasteExpo/May 20-23

World Education Conress for Laundering and Dry Cleaning/June 21-23

Tiger-Rock Martial Arts International Championship/July 12-13

National Council of LA Raza/ July 19-23

Improved Benevolent Protective Order Of Elks Of The World/Aug. 2-8

MechaCon VII Anime Convention/Aug. 22-25

Christian Community Development Association/ Sept. 11-14

Society Of Cable Telecommunications Engineers Inc./Sept. 17-19

Society of Petroleum Engineers/ Sept. 29-Oct. 1

Diversified Business Communications/Oct. 9-11

Produce Marketing Association/Oct. 17-20

American Dental Association/Oct. 30-Nov. 2

American Academy Of Ophthalmology/Nov. 15-18

The Gerontological Society Of America/Nov. 20-22

American Society of Hematology/Dec. 6-9

American Society For Cell Biology/Dec. 14-17

Airport

Mayor Mitch Landrieu, along with the New Orleans Aviation Board and regional elected, business and tourism leaders, announced plans to build a new, state-of-the-art airport terminal on the north side of the current airport property. The Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport serves as a gateway to millions of tourists and business travelers each year. Creating a new airport will continue New Orleans’ success as a world-class destination, along with creating more than 13,000 jobs in construction. http://www.flymsy.com/press-room/Mayor-Landrieu-Aviation-Board-and-Regional-Leaders-Announce-Plans-to-Build-New-World-Class-Airport-on-North-Side-of-MSY-1?&Sort

World-renowned designer Cesar Pelli has joined the Crescent City Aviation Team to help shape a world class airport terminal in New Orleans set to open ahead of the city’s 300th anniversary. Pelli has desiened several award-winning projects including the San Bernadino City Hall in Bernandino, CA, the Pacific Design Center in Los Angeles and the United States Embassy in Tokyo, Japan.

Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport and Vacation Express have announced non-stop seasonal service via AeroMexico from New Orleans to Cancun, Mexico. The service will begin May 26 and will operate through August 11, 2013. Cancun will be the airports 40th non-stop destination and its second international destination together with Toronto, Canada. http://www.neworleanscvb.com/articles/index.cfm?action=view&articleID=7892&menuID=1603

Starting in November 2013, Southwest Airlines will add Austin, Texas to their list of destinations. They will offer one daily departure from New Orleans. http://www.flymsy.com/Files/Newsletter/Southwest-AustinNewsRelease.pdf

In total, $300 million worth of modernization projects were completed at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport. Following the expansion of Concourse D and the addition of six new gates, the Airport is continuing to focus on the construction of the new consolidated rental car facility (CONRAC), which will increase capacity to accommodate current needs and anticipated growth over the next 15 years. The new structure will increase the rental inventory from 800 cars to approximately 1,800 in a modern three-story structure. Additional airport upgrades include a new Security and Communications Center, free WiFi in the terminal, new Flight Display Information Systems, refurbished and new restrooms, a new aircraft rescue and firefighting station (ARFF), new signage, new passenger aircraft loading bridges, apron rehabilitation, a new façade on the exterior of the terminal, the installation of a new décor in the passenger terminal areas that will bring natural light into the ticketing and baggage claim areas, widening of walkways and plans for a storm-proof power and water facility.

Additional flights in 2013 include:

American Airlines (New daily departure to Dallas/Ft./Worth, April 2013)

Vacation Express (New destination, one weekly departure to Cancun, Mexico, May 2013)

Delta Airlines (One new daily departure to New York – JFK, June 2013)

Delta Airlines (One new daily departure to Los Angeles, September 2013)

Southwest Airlines (New destination, one daily departure to Austin, TX, November 2013)

TOURISM INDUSTRY STATISTICS AT A GLANCE

2012: 9.01 million visitors/$6 billion (highest visitor spending in city’s history)

2011: 8.75 million visitors/$5.47 billion

2010: 8.3 million visitors/$5.3 billion

2009: 7.5 million visitors/$4.2 billion

2008: 7.6 million/$5.1 billion

2007: 7.1 million/$4.8 billion

2006: 3.7 million/$2.8 billion

2005: July-December stats not available

2005: January-June: 5.3 million/$2.6 billion

2004: 10.1 million/$4.9 billion

2003: 8.5 million/$4.5 billion

Taxes: $250-300 million in tax revenues … more than any other business sector

Economic impact of tourism: $6 billion

Employment: Nearly 75,000

Hotels: 263 and 37,100 hotel rooms

Restaurants: 1,349 (www.nomenu.com)

Airport: 17,134 average daily seats and 143 average daily departures serving 40 non-stop destinations

About the New Orleans CVB

The New Orleans Convention & Visitors Bureau (CVB) is a nationally accredited, 1,100-member destination marketing organization and the largest and most successful private economic development corporation in Louisiana. We help create $6 billion in new capital each year-more than any other business sector-by attracting millions of visitors, special events and conventions. The CVB and its members persuade thousands of decision-makers and millions of visitors to choose New Orleans through direct sales, marketing, public relations, branding and visitor services at our New Orleans headquarters and offices in Washington, D.C., New York, Chicago, London, Paris, and Toronto. Consistently recognized as one of the top five CVBs in the country, the New Orleans CVB will celebrate its 53rd anniversary in 2013.

For more information, please visit www.neworleanscvb.com, follow us on Twitter (@NewOrleans), ‘like’ us on Facebook (New Orleans CVB) and view images of New Orleans via our Instagram (New Orleans CVB).

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