NEW ORLEANS — The summer heat always slows down tourism in New Orleans. This year, weeks of record-breaking temperatures are keeping even more people home, which is hurting many businesses and their employees.
WWL-TV spoke to bartenders, servers, and managers up and down Frenchmen Street on Saturday. Almost all of them said it was the slowest summer they had ever seen.
The damper on profits and tips impacts a lot of people in New Orleans. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 79 percent of workers in the metropolitan area are in the hospitality industry.
Adding to this, the slowdown is forcing some businesses to reduce their hours. NOLA Poboys and Bar is closing its Frenchmen Street location Tuesdays and Wednesdays for the time being.
“It’s just business and that’s just the way it goes,” said Lucas McQueen, one of the restaurant’s chefs.
Another staff member added that there were no such closures last summer.
“I can’t wait to be complaining about being cold,” said McQueen.
Businesses in areas without a lot of foot traffic are also seeing an impact. Staff members at Mardi Gras World said these late summer months have been noticeably slower than last year’s.
The attraction has begun offering guests $1 bottles of water and cardboard fans. Despite the heat, some tourists were still walking around Saturday including Kerri Crane, whose family “knew before we came that it was going to be hot,” but decided to “stick it out.”
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