New Orleans breaks out of Bourbon St stereotype with record tourism year
Photo Credit: Al Green at the Jazz Heritage in New Orleans, Louisiana. Flickr / The Pipe
Skift Take
New Orleans’ record year could look weak compared to 2013’s final numbers, which includes the Super Bowl and the buzz it generated leading up to Mardi Gras.
Tourists no longer think of New Orleans as only the French Quarter and food, and they're returning to spend more time in places they've already visited, says the head of the University of New Orleans' Hospitality Research Center.
Just over 9 million tourists and business travelers spent a record $6 billion in New Orleans last year, and the big draw was the variety of attractions including museums, festivals and parades, John Williams said Tuesday.
"A few years ago they were going to the French Quarter, (including) Bourbon Street, Cafe Du Monde, Ja
