NEW ORLEANS — As we enter the Memorial Day holiday weekend, there are some encouraging indicators for the local tourism industry.
The lines, the traffic, and the sounds in the French Quarter are reaching familiar levels. After more than a year of pandemic dominance and disruption, more visitors as returning to the heart of New Orleans. For many travelers this weekend marks their first trip since COVID.
“It actually feels very nice to be able to get out of the house, come spend some time and relax, especially since this is our 11-year anniversary,” Hector Galvan said.
Hector and Leslie Galvan flew in from Fresno, California. It’s their first time in visiting in New Orleans. Sisters Zoey and Abbie Swank are more familiar with the city. They drove in from Chicago.
“I really enjoy not only the atmosphere but the food and different things like that. I said we always can do New Orleans, we’re heading that way anyway,” Abbie Swank said.
The Swanks represent a target audience for local tourism officials. Marketing New Orleans as a great destination for drivers is part of the strategy to revive tourism and hospitality.
“The sweet spot for New Orleans marketing has always been our drive market. We push the fact that it’s a day’s drive or an hour-and-a-half flight to the city of New Orleans. More than 50 percent of the people who historically have come to the city, have come from that drive market,” said Mark Romig of New Orleans and Company, the marketing arm of the tourism and hospitality industry in New Orleans.
Romig says occupancy for many hotels for Memorial Day weekend is near 90 percent. To accommodate tourists, they need workers at the hotels, restaurants and bars that have made New Orleans Famous. Currently, there’s a labor shortage.
“We have 27,000 jobs to fill. We have so many jobs available that really have some career paths attached to them,” Romig said.
Stanley Restaurant in Jackson Square is grateful to see the pandemic’s grip on tourism is easing.
“More people are vaccinated, no masks, I think we’re going to see an influx coming into town this weekend,” Tanya Boswell said.
Boswell and her husband own Stanley. Their hours are still modified because they don’t have enough workers. Until that changes, she hopes customers can be understanding.
Traffic through Armstrong International Airport also seems to be picking up. Roughly two weeks ago, more than 17,000 people went through security checkpoints there. That’s the highest for a single day at the airport number since March 2020. Tourism officials emphasize until conventions, international travelers and cruise lines return, the recovery for the industry will be a multi-year process.
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