The number of visitors to New Orleans increased from 3.7 million in 2006 to 7.1 million in 2007, according to a survey conducted by the University of New Orleans Hospitality Research Center for the New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau and New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corporation, yet the hospitality industry has much work ahead before it returns to pre-Katrina levels.
The 2007 New Orleans Area Visitor Profile report showed:
* In 2007, the total number of visitors was 7.1 million and those visitors spent a total of $4.8 billion. In 2006, the total number of visitors was 3.7 million and those visitors spent a total of $2.8 billion. During a healthy year prior to Katrina New Orleans hosted 8.5 million - 9 million visitors annually.
* Overnight visitors stayed an average of 3.8 nights in 2007.
* 70 percent of visitors indicated they were here for pleasure, 13.6 percent came for a convention or tradeshow, and 11.5 percent came for a corporate meeting or business.
* The percentage of "hurricane related" visitors such as insurance and emergency personnel has decreased greatly from 31.1 percent in 2006, to 4.3 percent in 2007.
* 93 percent of visitors reported eating in restaurants in 2007; 86 percent reported visiting the French Quarter; 80 percent saw Bourbon Street; 69 percent visited the French Market and 53 percent took advantage of the city's nightlife.
"Tourism is a multi-billion dollar, perception-driven business that does not just happen -- it takes aggressive promotion," said J. Stephen Perry, president and CEO of the New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau. "A strong tourism economy means tax revenue for schools and city services, jobs for our citizens, and accelerated recovery citywide. The hospitality industry is united unlike ever before and dedicated to that recovery as we start to see progress from our significant investments in sales, public relations and marketing. Momentum is returning with multiple recent successes, yet we still have a long way to go to successfully re-image the destination in the minds of millions of visitors, meeting professionals and travel decision-makers worldwide."
"In 2007, we sent our message to come visit in both conventional and unconventional ways," said Sandra Shilstone, President and CEO of the New Orleans Tourism Marketing Corporation. "We learned from research that we needed to reach as many people as possible as quickly as possible to convince them to return post-Katrina. We will continue to use all of our efforts in marketing, public relations, and internet to work with the hospitality community in bringing leisure visitor numbers even higher than before. This research is vital in forming the right message."
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